RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University football team will make the short trip down the Bluegrass Parkway this Saturday, Sept. 7, to face one of its oldest rivals, Western Kentucky.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+, with Steve Schlanger and Terry Obee on the call.
The audio broadcast will also be simulcast in the Richmond area on WCYO 100.7 FM and streamed worldwide on EKUSports.com, featuring Greg Stotelmyer, Jim Tirey, and Wes Chandler.
Saturday's game marks the 86th Battle of the Bluegrass and the first meeting since 2017. WKU leads the all-time series, 48-34-3.
The Colonels' last win in the series came in 2006 in Richmond, 26-21, as they look to earn their first victory in Bowling Green since 1998.
The Colonels
EKU enters the matchup looking to rebound from a 56-7 road loss in its season opener at Mississippi State.
New quarterback
Matt Morrissey connected with 11 different targets for 169 yards and one touchdown to fellow transfer
Ron Vann Jr.
The Elmhurst, Illinois, native will get one of his key weapons back, as tight end
Hunter Brown, who missed the season opener due to injury, is expected to return.
Brown was a preseason All-UAC selection and a unanimous first-team all-conference pick in 2023, leading all UAC tight ends with 387 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
On defense, EKU will look to defensive back
Sam Robertson, who led the team in tackles last week with 10.
Additionally, linebacker
Frank Lee IV is projected to make his first start of the 2024 season after recording four tackles and a quarterback hurry in the season opener.
Scouting the Hilltoppers
WKU will also be looking to bounce back from a season-opening road loss in the SEC, falling to No. 5 Alabama, 63-0.
The Hilltoppers are in their sixth season under head coach Tyson Helton, who is leading a team that includes 53 new players not on the roster in 2023.
Of those 53, 33 came via the transfer portal, including 14 offensive players and 15 defensive players.
One of those transfers is expected starting quarterback TJ Finley, a redshirt junior who has played at LSU, Auburn, and most recently Texas State.
Last season at Texas State, Finley threw for 3,439 yards and 24 touchdowns across all 13 games for the Bobcats.
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