Western Kentucky Preview 2025: Even in a Rebuild, the Hilltoppers Will Be Dangerous
The offense died down the stretch, the defense didn't make up for it, and a 7-2 season turned into 8-6 with the Hilltoppers scoring 21 point or fewer in the last five games.Worse yet, WKU lost to a bad Louisiana Tech. The win over Jacksonville State to end the regular season was a mirage - Rich Rodriguez's team was resting up for the rematch a week later, and it showed in a 52-12 win.But take out the everyone-gets-a-pass 2020, and Helton has eight wins or more in five of his six seasons, this year's team should be a favorite to win the conference title, and it should be another great run if …
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Preview 2025: Offense
X CFN, Fiu | CFN Facebook | Bluesky Fiu, CFN- The offense has to kick it back in from the start, and do it with a wholesale change at the skill spots. The passing game was okay under Caden Veltkamp, but he left for Florida Atlantic. In comes veteran quarterback Maverick McIvor. After bombing away for over 8,000 yards and 63 scores over the last three years at Abilene Christian.- The top four pass catchers are gone, but KD Hutchinson is back after averaging over 15 yards per grab. The stars - led by deep threat Matthew Henry (Western Illinois) - are almost all coming in through the portal.
- The offensive line that struggled in pass protection and didn't generate enough of a push for the ground game replaces four starters, but Marshall Jackson is a decent veteran at left tackle. The new starters from the transfer portal are just okay - Devon Smith (ULM) should be okay at one tackle, but the interior being pieced together.La'Vell Wright (Austin Peay) should be the main man for the ground game, along with WKU's No. 2 rusher last year, George Hart III - he ran for 206 yards.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Preview 2025: Defense
- The defense was way too inconsistent.The pass defense finished ninth in the nation, but that's because everyone was too busy running at will on the front six. On the plus side, the entire line and most of the linebacking corps is being replaced - Kennon Loftin (JUCO) should be the team's leading tackler in the middle.- The line has experience from other spots, but the proven production isn't quite there. It's a strength-in-numbers thing with seven new players from the portal forming rotation. The pass rush has to come from somewhere.
- The secondary will be tested a little more this season. Jaylen Lewis (Temple) was a nice get at safety coming off a 43-tackle season, and Demarko Williams is a veteran who came up 37 stops and two picks last year. The corners will work around Kent Robinson, one of WKU's most experienced returning defenders.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Key to the Season
Don't be awful against the run.The Hilltoppers went 2-5 when allowing teams to run for over 190 yards - and one of those teams was Jacksonville State the first time around when it was playing at half speed - and 6-1 when allowing that many yards or fewer. That's why …
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Key Player
Mackavelli Malotumau, DT Sr.The former Nevada tackle isn't massive - he's a 6-1, 290-pound anchor - but he's got the leverage to hold up on the nose. That's the hope after making 25 tackles with a sack in two years for the Wolf Pack. If he and 305-pound Norfolk State transfer Eric Etienne can hold up, the WKU D will quickly change.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss
Top Transfer In: Maverick McIvor, QB Sr.It would be nice if he was a bit more of a runner, but over his three years at Abilene Christian, McIvor grew into a whale of a passer throwing for over 3,800 yards and 30 scores last year. He's ready right out of the box to take over the attack and start pushing it down the field.Top Transfer Out: Hosea Wheeler, DT Sr.There might be more talented players gone through the portal - Rodney Newsom should be a whale of a guard for South Carolina - but Wheeler is exactly who this year's team could've used for the defensive interior. The CUSA all-star is now at Indiana after making 75 tackles last year.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Key Game
Sam Houston, Aug. 23If you really and truly want to dream big, the biggest game might be at Toledo on September 6th. Win that, and with a freakishly light schedule, 11-1 in the regular season isn't an insane goal. But Sam Houston will be dangerous, it's the Conference USA opener, and it's a home game that has to show the team is back up to speed right out of the gate.- 2025 WKU Hilltoppers Schedule Breakdown
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Top 10 Players
1. Marshall Jackson, OT Sr.2. Maverick McIvor, QB Sr.3. Jaylen Lewis, S Jr.4. Kent Robinson, CB Sr.5. Kennon Loftin, LB Jr.6. Matthew Henry, WR Sr.7. Anthony Breckenridge, LB Sr.8. La'Vell Wright, RB Sr.9. Cole Maynard, P Sr.10. Mackavelli Malotumau, DT Sr.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 2024 Fun Stats
- Rushing Yards: Opponents 3,097, WKU 1,524- Fumbles: WKU 22 (lost 12), Opponents 17 (lost 10) - Time of Possession: Opponents 32:10, WKU 27:50
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 2025 Season Prediction, Win Total, What Will Happen
This isn't one of Tyson Helton's best teams, but it might have the best record.Forget about the paycheck game at LSU, and going to Toledo is dangerous, but that's it. Jacksonville State is in a total rebuilding mode, a road game at Louisiana Tech could be interesting, but whatever. This is one of the easiest schedules in college football, and WKU has to take full advantage of it.
There are too many new parts to expect any sort of consistency over the first half of the campaign, and there will be a few blown tires - like, maybe against Middle Tennessee or in the opener against Sam Houston - but it'll be another season with eight more more wins, and another season in the mix for the Conference USA championship.Set The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Win Total At … 8Likely Wins: FIU, North Alabama50/50 Games: at Delaware, at Jacksonville State, at Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, at Missouri State, Nevada, New Mexico State, Sam Houston, at ToledoLikely Losses: at LSU
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3 days ago
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College Football 2025 WKU Football Predictions: Hilltoppers Ranked 83rd in RJ Young's Ultimate 136 Published Aug. 10, 2025 9:44 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link This isn't your average college football ranking. My Ultimate 136 is a set of rankings that is fluid, but it's my job to look ahead and make a claim for all FBS teams based on what I know and why I know it. Here are the three pressing questions I started by asking when putting together this list: Who do I think is good? Why do I think they're good? What are the chances they will finish above or below my expectations? Here is a look at where Western Kentucky lands in my Ultimate 136. Western Kentucky ranking: 83 Last year's ranking: 59 Top player: WR Matthew Henry: Recorded 1,211 receiving yards at Western Illinois last season, leading the Big South-OVC; had five games last season with 100+ yards receiving. [ Western Kentucky's 2025 schedule ] RJ's take: Tyson Helton continues to pick the best of the rest at offensive coordinator and quarterback and put an offense on the field that's built on a gunslinging attitude. ADVERTISEMENT This year, that means former Abilene Christian OC and QB Rick Bowie and Maverick McIvor will lead the Hilltoppers. McIvor threw for 506 yards last year against Texas Tech and turns 25 during Week 0 when WKU begins the 2025 season against Sam Houston. [ Check out RJ Young's Ultimate 136 College Football Rankings here ] Western Kentucky Win Total Odds: Over 7.5 (-110) Under (-110) Have an issue with my rankings? Think your alma mater is too low, or your school's rival is too high? Get at me on X, @RJ_Young , and I'll select my favorite tweets and respond to them in a future article. RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young. FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Football Western Kentucky Hilltoppers share
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4 days ago
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MORGANTOWN — West Virginia capped off its first full week of practice with an intersquad scrimmage on Saturday inside Milan Puskar Stadium. It'd been 126 days since WVU's last scrimmage, the Gold and Blue Spring Showcase, and Saturday's scrimmage was similar. Rich Rodriguez said he ran around 100 to 110 plays during the scrimmage, going over multiple different situations. Everyone was live during the scrimmage, meaning everyone could be hit, even the quarterbacks. It was a closed practice to the media, and the only spectators in the stands were coaches' families or other WVU personnel. There was a public address announcer to give it more of a game feel, and Rodriguez tried to gamify it by handing out points for successful plays. Rodriguez's biggest problem was the penalties. WVU had a Big 12 officiating crew there, and they called a couple of procedure penalties, some holding calls, which Rodriguez compared to turnovers, and one unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after a touchdown. 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Dominion Post
06-08-2025
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