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HCU Huskies (1-0) at Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (1-0)
Saturday, Sep. 9 – 6 p.m.
Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium – Bowling Green, Kentucky
 
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Husky Sports Network (Garrett Jones)
Live Stats
Game Notes
 
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – HCU takes to the road for the first time under head coach Braxton Harris for a matchup with FBS and Conference USA foe Western Kentucky this Saturday at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium. The game is set for a 6:00 p.m. start and will be aired on ESPN+ while Garrett Jones will provide audio play-by-play at HCUHuskies.com.
 
The Huskies (1-0) are fresh off a season-opening 66-0 win over Arkansas Baptist. The win marked the third-highest point total in program history and the program's first shutout. The Huskies rolled up 473 yards of total offense while limiting the Buffaloes to just 132.
 
Redshirt freshman Champ Dozier carried the ball 11 times for 97 yards and three touchdowns en route to Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors while junior Jesse Valenzuela averaged 20.7 yards per carry thanks to 62 yards on three carries. Quarterbacks Colby Suits and Justin Fomby combined to go 16-of-20 passing for 232 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions with Fomby going a perfect 9-of-9. 10 different receivers caught passes for the Huskies with AJ Wilson, Karl Reynolds and Calvin Wiggins all hauling in touchdowns.
 
Josh Ferguson, a junior linebacker, made an immediate impact and is tied for first among all FCS player with three other players with 3.5 tackles for loss. Ferguson's 3-5 TFLs totaled 15 yards and included an eight-yard sack. He finished the game with seven tackles. All-American linebacker Rodney Dansby led all players with 10 tackles while Jalyx Hunt recorded his first career pick-six, Charles Gonzales had a sack and forced a fumble.
 
Western Kentucky (1-0) opened with a home win, 41-24, over South Florida. The Hilltoppers trailed 17-7 early in the second quarter but used a 24-7 second half to pull away. Senior quarterback Austin Reed, last season's CUSA Newcomer of the Year, threw a pair of touchdown passes while completing 29-of-50 attempts for 336 yards. Dalvin Smith led WKU with seven catches for 97 yards and a score. Three different Hilltoppers totaled seven tackles with linebacker JaQues Evans also adding a sack, forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
 
HCU is in the midst of a three-game road stretch with a trip to Martin, Tenn. to face UT Martin up next on Saturday, Sep. 16.