WKU, IU home-and-home is a good football deal
Sep. 17—Going 0-4 lifetime against an opponent usually isn't good for business as a football team, but Western Kentucky University gets some good out of its home-and-home series with Indiana University.
WKU is 0-4 against the Hoosiers, but the Hilltoppers had one of their most special nights of football in Bowling Green since joining the FBS in 2007 last September when they met IU in front of 25,171 fans jammed into Houchens-Smith Stadium. It was a tremendous atmosphere, even with Indiana surviving 33-31 in a game that came down to the final minutes.
Today's rematch in Bloomington should be a decent travel game for WKU fans to attend, and the weather is supposed to be gorgeous at Indiana's Memorial Stadium, which can hold a little more than 52,000 folks. Kickoff is 11 a.m. CT.
Both teams are 2-0 and looking for more momentum. That's the focus of WKU coach Tyson Helton, rather than looking back to last year's matchup in late September.
"It's a new season. Both teams have a new team with new guys playing for them," Helton said this week at WKU. "They're a good football team. They're doing a really good job. If you look at all three phases, they look pretty stout and pretty strong in all three phases, so it's going to take our best game for sure to go win. But our guys are excited about the opportunity. We had a close one last year. If we can play well, I think we'll match up well with them."
If WKU is to get its first win over a Big 10 foe, its offensive line — with three new starters playing their third game together — will have to hold up against an IU team that is stout on the defensive line.
"They can rush four and get to the quarterback," Helton said of IU's defensive front. "They don't have to bring pressure. And when they do bring pressure, they do a nice job disguising the blitzes to match the protection scheme. Their front four is doing a pretty good job, and if you can get home with just your front four, it helps you in coverage.
"That's going to be a big challenge for our offensive line this week is some of those one-on-one matchups out on the edges and inside with their three techniques and all those things," Helton said. "Our guys have done a nice job the first two games, but this will be a real test for our offensive line for sure."
Helton didn't want too much focus from the team on this high-profile matchup, which will give WKU exposure on the Big 10 Network. Winning Conference USA is still the focus.
"To go get a Big 10 win would be great, to be 3-0 would be great, but that doesn't make or break a season by any means," Helton said. "Our No. 1 goal is we want to go win a conference championship. These games definitely are important games but we've got to take it one game at a time."
Expect the excitement level to raise slightly for Helton if WKU pulls off this win.
