Bowling Green, KY – Hilltopper QB Bailey Zappe had a typically successful passing day, but credit WKU’s six picks to humble Middle Tennessee, 48-21, in their college football rivalry unofficially titled “100 miles of hate.”  The aspect Middle Tennessee hated the most coming into this contest was losing its starting QB Chase Cunningham to a lower leg injury the week before. Reportedly, Cunningham sits out for the rest of this season. WKU QB Zappe entered this game second in the nation in passing yards. As Virginia didn’t play Saturday, he surpassed Brennan Armstrong to now lead the nation with 3,688 yards.

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Blue Raider QB Blues

     With Cunningham, the Blue Raiders won three of their last four games.  MTSU HC Rick Stockstill lost his third QB of the season if you count last year’s starter Asher O’Hara who transferred. Next, Bailey Hockman who had transferred in from NC State decided not to play college football anymore after three games.   Saturday, the Blue Raiders resorted to utilizing two non-scholarship QBs left on the bench, and the WKU secondary took advantage.

Race to the Top

     Things started better than expected for the Blue Raiders. Soph QB Nick Vittiato led them to a score on their first drive connecting with DJ England-Chisolm on 45-yard post pattern. It looked too easy.  Thereafter, things went all downhill from there for MTSU. Not surprisingly, WKU responded quickly on their first possession with a 17-yard TD pass from Zappe to Daewood Davis. Zappe threw his first of four TDs to start. However, a key pass on this series went to Jerreth Sterns who not only led the Hilltoppers with 111 yards on 11 catches this day, but he also set the all-time high for WKU pass receptions in a season.

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    After an exchange of punts, the WKU pick-fest started. A tipped MTSU pass got swiped by Khalef Hailassie to put the Toppers at the Raider 19.  Malachi Corley hauled in a five-yard pass to go up, 14-7.  Before the first quarter ended, Hilltopper DB Beanie Bishop fielded an errantly thrown ball by Vittiato to nowhere near a Blue Raider receiver.  He ran it back untouched for a 43-yard pick-six.

Hilltoppers stake their claim

     Trailing 21-7, but driving early in the second, another MTSU tipped pass resulted in an INT by DE Jaden Hunter to put WKU back on offense from their 19. Getting the ball back over on downs, Stockstill brought in QB Mike DiLiello to replace Vittiato. He got the Raiders down to the 36, but Vittiato came back in and finished this drive off from there to Ali Yusuf.  Maybe MTSU was warming up now to make a serious challenge against their archrival?

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     Brayden Narveson’s 35-yard FG increased The Hilltopper’s margin by three.  Bishop picked off another pass for WKU and returned it 29 yards to the Blue Raider ten. On second down, Zappe fired a 10-yard TD pass to Mitchell Tinsley to settle the score for the half at 31-14 in favor of the Hilltoppers.

 Halftime hopes

     In Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium among 21,113 fans mostly clad in Hilltopper red, we settled back to watch halftime for the first time this season.  We hoped to see the Blue Raiders make some kind of adjustments on both sides of the ball to try to settle in.  Hopefully, maybe they could get the rivalry juices flowing to support their two seldom-used quarterbacks trying to develop a rhythm for their offense. 

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Hilltoppers continue to mount attack

   WKU received the second half kick-off and put together a 74-yard scoring drive with Zappe (29 for 50, 281 yards, 4 TDs, one rushing TD) and Davis finishing it off with a 28-yard TD.  On MTSU’s third play, they fumbled, and Hunter recovered for the Toppers at the Raider 33.  Zappe carried it in from the eight for the 45-14 lead. On a bright sunny, beautiful fall Saturday for college football, this game got even more boring.

    DiLiello came in again to show what he could do. Interception by Demetrious Cain.  No difference. WKU started at the MTSU 29. Naverson booted a 42-yard FG. Vittiato came in to guide MTSU once again. He went for all with a 48-yard bomb into the end zone.  Interception, Davion Williams. No difference.  I told St. Laurie (who I enticed with a visit to the Corvette Museum, dinner, and a casino stop to go to Kentucky with me) at some point; we could leave at the end of the third.  She responded; this must be bad if I decided not to stay until the end.  She was right about that! WKU led 48-14 with 7:38 left in the THIRD QUARTER.

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Early exit

    When the third period came to an end, the Topper ‘s ensuing drive was around midfield.  Though we started out of the stadium, we stopped at the portal to turn and watch the highlight of the game.  A WKU student took on the punt, pass, and kick challenge for $15,000.  He put up a nice, impressive, long punt, and somehow got good distance on a pass he tended to “submarine” down field. But, he sailed a kick through the uprights from where the ball landed to win the cash prize.  Definitely had to be a soccer player in his formative years.  Great to see it!

  On the way out we heard some cheering on the outskirts of the stadium and noted that the scoreboard indicated that the Blue Raiders had scored.  Shocking!   However, we weren’t rushing back in.  We had plans for dinner and the casino on the way home to look forward to now.  Game reviews indicated a 68-yard punt return set the Raiders up at the Topper 16. Frank Pleasant took it in from the five, and a scrimmage of second-teamers likely followed after that until the end of the game.  Thanks to seven turnovers by the Blue Raiders of which six were interceptions thrown by QB understudies, final score: WKU 48 MTSU 21.

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Next:  College Football Week 11

  The Blue Raiders (4-5, 2-3) return home in Murfreesboro to face Florida International, struggling at 1-8, 0-5. It might be the perfect scenario to give their QBs some game experience for next year.  Old Dominion and at Florida Atlantic remain after that.  Next year, MTSU opens at home against Mizzou.  Definitely a consideration for us to attend to take in our first college football contest ever at Murfreesboro. 

    The Hilltoppers (5-4, 4-1) look to become bowl eligible if they can beat Rice (3-6, 2-3) on the road in Houston next Saturday. FAU and at Marshall finish out their regular season schedule. Their lone conference loss was to No. 15 UT San Antonio (9-0,5-0), 52-46.

  For collegefootballfan.com, we travel to Winston-Salem, NC to see a key Atlantic Division clash in the ACC when No. 21 NC State (7-2, 4-1) visits No. 13 Wake Forest (8-1,5-0).  We look forward to meeting up with” Bug” and his clan from Wake to tailgate for a good one on college football week 11.  We can’t believe how this time of the year always go by so quickly for us.  Only five more Saturdays to go until Bowl season starts.

Steveo Koreivo, ed. Author of “Tales from the Tailgate: From the Fan who’s seen ’em all!”

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