At Houchens Industries–L.T. Smith Stadium on Thursday, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (2-2) play the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (1-3).
The Hilltoppers last hit the field against the Houston Christian Huskies, and they emerged victorious 52-22. The Blue Raiders fell short by a final score of 31-23 last time out against the Colorado State Rams.
Last time out for the Hilltoppers, Austin Reed finished with 23 completions on 39 attempts (59.0%) for 268 yards, adding two touchdowns. K.D. Hutchinson carried the ball one time for 10 yards and one touchdown. Malachi Corley caught nine passes for 112 yards with one touchdown.
For the Blue Raiders in their last game, Nick Vattiato completed 30 of 41 passing attempts (73.2%) and totaled 279 yards through the air, completing two touchdown passes and one touchdown as a runner. Jaiden Credle had 11 rushing attempts and finished with 46 yards. Holden Willis found paydirt once, and ended the contest with nine catches for 118 yards.
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Western Kentucky Players to Watch
- Reed has thrown for 1,064 yards while completing 62.9% of his passes (100-of-159), with nine touchdowns and one interception this year (266 yards per game). He’s also carried the ball 17 times for 47 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 11.8 yards per game.
- Davion Ervin-Poindexter has churned out a team-high 101 rushing yards (25.3 yards per game).
- So far this year Markese Stepp has run for 88 yards on 21 carries (29.3 ypg), with one rushing touchdown.
- Corley has hauled in 21 receptions for 255 yards, best on his team, and two touchdowns. He averages 85 receiving yards per game.
- Easton Messer has also contributed with 18 receptions for 237 yards and two touchdowns.
- This season L’Christian Smith is averaging 39.3 yards per game, with 10 catches for 118 yards and one touchdown.
Middle Tennessee Players to Watch
- This year, Vattiato has racked up 911 passing yards (227.8 yards per game) while going 101-for-143 (70.6% completion percentage) and throwing seven touchdowns and two interceptions. He has tacked on 138 rushing yards on 42 carries with one touchdown, averaging 34.5 yards per game.
- Credle has 29 attempts for a team-high 188 rushing yards (47 per game) and one touchdown.
- Elijah Metcalf has reeled in 22 passes for a team-best 192 yards with one touchdown. He averages 48 yards per game.
- Willis’ stat line this year shows 13 catches for 142 yards and one touchdown. He puts up 47.3 receiving yards per game.
- This season Jeremy Tate Jr. has caught nine passes for 129 yards and one touchdown, averaging 43 receiving yards per game.
Western Kentucky vs. Middle Tennessee Odds
| Favorite | Spread | Favorite Spread Odds | Underdog Spread Odds | Total | Over Total Odds | Under Total Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Kentucky | -6.5 | -115 | -105 | 61.5 | -110 | -110 |
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Team Stat Comparison
| Western Kentucky | Middle Tennessee | |
|---|---|---|
| Off. Points per Game (Rank) | 31.8 (57) | 21 (110) |
| Def. Points per Game (Rank) | 34 (111) | 31 (102) |
| Turnovers Allowed (Rank) | 6 (68) | 5 (49) |
| Turnovers Forced (Rank) | 11 (2) | 4 (94) |
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