Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Conference USA · Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium · Bowling Green, KY

9-4 2025 record (6-2 conf)
Title odds (#119 board)
Win total (O +136)
26% Returning starter games
56th Hardest path of 138

Coaching

All coaches
Tyson Helton Head Coach · 8th year
57–36 Career · 8 seasons, all at WKU
Air Raid Offense
3-3-5 Defense

Returning production

UnitRet gamesGamesDepthShare
Skill offense 33%26 / 786 / 1636%
Offensive line 21%13 / 632 / 1314%
Defensive front 14%12 / 889 / 2211%
Secondary 41%26 / 636 / 1543%

Back 24

Jaylen Lewis DB · 6 INT+PD · 13g 43%
Rodney Tisdale Jr. QB · 1,545 yds · 10g 18%
Karsten Upchurch OL · 13g 12%
K.D. Hutchinson WR · 706 yds · 13g 8%
Elin Jones DL · 4 havoc · 9g 6%
Moussa Barry WR · 488 yds · 13g 6%

Gone 45

Maverick McIvor QB · 2,138 yds · 8g · gone 24%
Jaavan Mack DB · 2 INT+PD · 13g · gone 14%
Avarion Cole DB · 2 INT+PD · 13g · gone 14%
Al-Ma'hi Ali DB · 2 INT+PD · 9g · gone 14%
Dominic Oliver LB · 9 havoc · 13g · gone 13%
Marshall Jackson OL · 13g · gone 12%

New 17

Ajay Allen RB · 595 yds · 12g · from TLSA
Qua'Vez Humphreys WR · 132 yds · 12g · from SHSU
Zion Taylor WR · 129 yds · 13g · from GT
Kalib Hicks RB · 128 yds · 7g · from OKST
Brock Glenn QB · 112 yds · 4g · from FSU
Tai Ray OL · 12g · from PITT

2025 Percentile vs FBS

Offense

Points per game 29.5 64
Explosive play rate 11.9% 67
Red zone TD rate 73.8% 73
Line yards per carry 2.4 43
Sack rate allowed 4.8% 75

Defense

Points allowed per game 22.8 64
Explosive rate allowed 10.7% 57
Red zone score rate allowed 85.7% 35
Line yards per carry allowed 2.5 48
Sack rate 3.6% 7

2025 Margin by Game

SHSU
UNA
TOL
NEV
MOSU
DEL
FIU
LT
NMSU
MTU
LSU
JVST
USM

2026 schedule

56th-hardest path in FBS · 2 title-contender games · 7 road
W1Sun 2:30 AM@ Nevada3-9 29 CBS Sports Network
W2Sat 4:45 PM@ Georgia12-2 78SEC Network
W3Sat 8:00 PM@ Indiana16-0 84Peacock
W4Sat 11:00 PMvs Mercyhurst Lakers 8ESPN+
W5Fri 12:00 AM@ New Mexico State4-8 27CBS Sports Network
W6Thu 11:00 PMvs Missouri State7-6 32CBS Sports Network
W7Thu 12:00 AM@ Sam Houston2-10 23ESPN2
W9Tue 11:00 PMvs Delaware7-6 31CBS Sports Network
W10Sat 8:30 PM@ Middle Tennessee3-9 25ESPN Networks
W11Sat 8:30 PMvs Jacksonville State9-5 34ESPN Networks
W12Sat 6:00 PM@ Liberty4-8 33ESPN Networks
W13Sat 6:00 PMvs Kennesaw State10-4 42ESPN Networks

Depth chart

Transfer First year
Starter2nd3rd
QB Rodney Tisdale Jr. SO · #16 Brock Glenn JR · #11 Caleb McMickle JR · #10
RB Ajay Allen SR · #3 Kalib Hicks JR · #9 Jaden McGill SR · #25
WR-X Cameron Flowers SO · #4 Quincy Burroughs SR · #12 Nigel Johnson SR · #21
WR-Z Qua'Vez Humphreys SR · #83 Jyziah Rockwell SR · #13
WR-SL K.D. Hutchinson SR · #2 Zion Taylor JR · #17 Jeremiah Carroll SR · #84
TE CC Ezirim SR · #20 Coleson Arends JR · #87 Griffin Reimer SO · #44
LT Zach Clayton JR · #72 Alex Lopez FR · #59 Tai Ray JR · #67
LG Nonso Omezi SR · #73 Tyreek Major SO · #78
C Alec Johnson SR · #50 Roq Montgomery JR · #55
RG Rhett Larson SR · #70 Isiah Stoudemire FR · #52
RT Karsten Upchurch SR · #74 Brody Riffe JR · #75

Roster 106

#PlayerPosClassHtWtHometown
2 K.D. HutchinsonWRSR5'8"185Valley, AL
2 Tony Newsome Jr.DBSR5'11"185Apopka, FL
3 Ajay AllenRBSR5'11"200Monroe, LA
3 Christian WhiteDBSR5'11"185Ellenwood, GA
4 Cameron FlowersWRSO5'11"190Warner Robins, GA
5 Rodney Tisdale Jr.QBSO6'2"195Jacksonville, FL
5 Dave HerardDBSR6'0"204Fort Lauderdale, FL
6 Justin BrownDBJR6'0"195Murfreesboro, TN
7 Jaylen LewisDBSR5'11"187Brownsville, TN
9 Kalib HicksRBJR5'11"220Denton, TX
10 Caleb McMickleQBJR6'2"194Roswell, GA
10 Tutu GriffinDBSO6'0"190Vero Beach, FL
11 Canyon MosesDBJR5'10"198Midland, TX
11 Brock GlennQBJR6'2"225Covington, TN
12 BJ CareyDBSR6'0"200Downey, CA
12 Quincy BurroughsWRSR6'1"210Jacksonville, FL
13 Jyziah RockwellWRSR6'2"200Gilmer, TX
13 LaTrevion ThompsonDESR6'3"248Kennett, MO
14 CC EzirimTESR6'7"250Dublin, OH
14 Braxton MyersDBJR6'1"203Coppell, TX
15 Garrison MaddenLBSR6'3"235Hampton, GA
15 Cam O'HaraQBFR6'2"210Florence, KY
16 Darius HamptonDESR6'3"238Del City, OK
17 Zion TaylorWRJR6'0"210Norcross, GA
18 Devin HamiltonWRFR6'4"210Dacula, GA
18 Geajorm AkpalooLBJR6'1"230Warrenton, VA
19 Lofton HowardTEJR6'4"235Bowling Green, KY
19 Jacob Cosby-MosleyDBSO5'11"200West Palm Beach, FL
20 Zach SmithLBSO6'0"224Red Oak, TX
21 Nigel JohnsonWRSR6'4"210Sumter, SC
22 Le'Kamren MeadowsRBFR6'0"215Moody, AL
22 Jordan DonaldLBSO6'2"224Perry, GA
23 PJ SouffrantDBFR5'10"180West Palm Beach, FL
23 Sincere BainesRBSR5'9"195Fayetteville, NC
24 Lataj WrightDBSR5'10"185West Palm Beach, FL
24 Fonzy SmithWRFR6'1"185Fayetteville, NC
25 Jaden McGillRBSR6'0"210Chicago, IL
26 Leonzay MerziusDBFR5'10"175Pompano Beach, FL
27 Jordan BergeronDBFR6'1"185Naples, FL
28 D'Cambren VerrettDBJR6'2"205Houston, TX
29 Adrion BoydRBJR5'7"185Fontana, CA
29 Joshua MensahLBSR6'1"218Riverdale, GA
30 Taron EssexDBFR6'3"210Decatur, GA
31 Walter ManningDBSO5'11"185Pembroke Pines, FL
32 Westen ArdLBFR6'1"235Warner Robins, GA
33 Zeiqui LawtonDTSR6'2"290Charleston, WV
33 Michael SmithKSO5'6"172Tallahassee, FL
34 Makhi BrazierLBFR6'1"225Loganville, GA
35 Elijah RumphLBFR6'0"220Eden Prairie, MN
35 Daniel WallPFR6'1"190Brighton East,, AUS
36 Khrystian WashingtonDBJR6'0"182Louisville, KY
38 Alan GbeeDBJR6'0"195Leesburg, VA
39 Jaylen PollardDBFR5'11"208Brentwood, TN
40 Carson PerusseLSJR5'11"213Wellington, FL
41 Brandon ThomasDEFR6'4"224Miami, FL
43 Jackson SmithK/PSR5'10"215Danville, KY
44 Kai MicatrottoLBFR5'11"238Las Vegas, NV
44 Bailey SandersLSSO5'11"223Mooresville, NC
44 Griffin ReimerTESO6'3"245Matthews, NC
45 Josaiah KnightDESO6'3"238Tallahassee, FL
48 Zsacari MinnisDESO6'3"238Eustis, FL
49 Nolan ImhoffLSJR5'11"233Frederic, WI
50 Elin JonesDESR6'4"248Dacula, GA
50 Alec JohnsonOLSR6'1"295Columbia, SC
51 Zayden WaltersDTFR6'3"320Lawrenceville, GA
52 Isiah StoudemireOLFR6'3"312Dayton, OH
52 Jakeem FletcherDTSR6'2"315Tanner, AL
53 Elijah PeakeDTFR6'1"325Wetumpka, AL
54 Sekou PetersDTFR6'2"300Atlanta, GA
55 Venson SneedDESR6'4"268Wabasso, FL
55 Roq MontgomeryOLJR6'3"365Anniston, AL
56 Kiawan MurphyDTSR6'2"320East Hartford, CT
56 Tyrell ScottOLFR6'3"295Cincinnati, OH
57 Isaac TanisDEFR6'2"228Hollywood, FL
58 Michael BuckKSO5'10"177Mooresville, NC
59 Zaqq StrangeDEFR6'4"244Philadelphia, PA
59 Alex LopezOLFR6'7"310Cleveland, MS
64 Jackson DiallsOLFR6'4"310Lexington, KY
67 Tai RayOLJR6'7"330Apopka, FL
69 Jordan CurllOLFR6'4"280Franklin, TN
70 Rhett LarsonOLSR6'4"315College Station, TX
72 Zach ClaytonOLJR6'5"320Senoia, GA
73 Nonso OmeziOLSR6'5"340Houston, TX
74 Karsten UpchurchOLSR6'5"295Starkville, MS
75 Brody RiffeOLJR6'8"315Ocoee, FL
76 Max ThurstonOLSO6'5"300Monroe, GA
77 Jamier SmithOLFR6'3"298Riverdale, GA
78 Tyreek MajorOLSO6'5"325Tampa, FL
79 Asa HolbertOLFR6'6"290Centre, AL
80 Jonathan Stafford Jr.WRFR5'9"185Auburn, GA
81 Arlando Crafton Jr.TEFR6'4"240Atlanta, GA
82 Tre'von McGoryWRFR5'11"175Memphis, TN
83 Qua'Vez HumphreysWRSR6'3"225Junction City, KS
84 Jeremiah CarrollWRSR6'0"180Atlanta, GA
85 Moussa BarryWRSR6'2"195Norcross, GA
86 Eli WiltTEFR6'6"250Nashville, TN
87 Coleson ArendsTEJR6'4"245Phoenix, AZ
88 Aiden MillerTEJR6'3"235Glasgow, KY
89 Cross NimmoTEFR6'5"250Mentor, OH
90 Bryce FuldaDEFR6'4"244Bradenton, FL
91 CeeJay EmbryDTFR6'1"280Pahokee, FL
92 Javin GriffinDTSR6'2"320St. Martinville, LA
94 Henry SmithDEFR6'3"254Moody, AL
98 Nathan GonzalesDESR6'4"248Bell Gardens, CA
99 Karl CampbellKFR6'5"225Magherafelt,, IRL
99 Eric EtienneDTSO6'1"305Miami, FL