# 2025 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

The 2025 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team will represent Western Kentucky University as a member of Conference USA (C-USA) during the 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hilltoppers are expected to be led by Tyson Helton in his seventh year as the head coach. The Hilltoppers play home games at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium, located in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

## Offseason
### Transfers
#### Outgoing

| Player | Position | Destination |
| Darrell Johnson Jr. | OL | Akron |
| Dallas Walker IV | DL | Auburn |
| Jaylen Hampton | WR | Charlotte |
| Ki'Shawn Harvey | DL | East Tennessee State |
| Wesley Horton | DL | East Tennessee State |
| Easton Messer | WR | Florida Atlantic |
| Caden Veltkamp | QB | Florida Atlantic |
| Deante McCray | DE | Florida State |
| Elvin Fofanah | TE | Gardner–Webb |
| River Helms | TE | Georgia Southern |
| Turner Helton | QB | Georgia Southern |
| Hosea Wheeler | DL | Indiana |
| Alex Ford | DB | Kennesaw State |
| Marcus Patterson | DE | Kennesaw State |
| Evan Wibberley | OL | Kentucky |
| Darius Thomas | LB | Louisville |
| Jalil Rivera-Harvey | DL | Marshall |
| Reid Jamerson | DE | Minot State |
| LT Sanders | RB | North Alabama |
| Jaymar Mundy | DB | Ohio |
| Lucas Carneiro | K | Ole Miss |
| Leavy Johnson | OL | South Alabama |
| Rodney Newsom Jr. | OL | South Carolina |
| T. J. Finley | QB | Tulane |
| Koy Moore | WR | UNLV |
| Mike Moment | OL | UT Martin |
| Demick Starling | WR | Utah State |
| Jayden Loving | DL | Wake Forest |
| Dave Herard | DB | Unknown |
| Jarvis Hayes | WR | Unknown |
| Ely George | LB | Unknown |
| Bryce Childress | WR | Unknown |
| Marshall Jackson | OL | Withdrawn |
| Moussa Berry | WR | Withdrawn |
| Kylan Guidry | DL | Withdrawn |
| Demarko Williams | S | Withdrawn |

#### Incoming

| Player | Position | Previous school |
| Maverick McIvor | QB | Abilene Christian |
| Laurance Seymore | OL | Akron |
| Jakeem Fletcher | DL | Alabama State |
| La'Vell Wright | RB | Austin Peay |
| Kody Epps | WR | BYU |
| Jemeil Jackson | OT | Central Michigan |
| Jaavan Mack | CB | Charlotte |
| Jairus Mack | WR | Charlotte |
| Montreze Smith | LB | Duke |
| Jackson West | TE | Florida State |
| Weston Wallace | OT | Georgia Southern |
| Jalen Emery | DB | Houston |
| Venson Sneed Jr. | DE | Indiana |
| Justin Wolf | TE | Kansas State |
| Elijah Williams | IOL | Kent State |
| Devon Smith | OT | Louisiana–Monroe |
| Jayden Gray | DE | Louisiana Tech |
| Mackavelli Malotumau | DL | Nevada |
| Eric Etienne | DL | Norfolk State |
| Kelby Williams | WR | Old Dominion |
| Dominic Oliver | DE | San Diego State |
| Braxton Myers | S | Southern Miss |
| Rylen Su'a-Filo | DL | Southern Utah |
| Jaylen Lewis | CB | Temple |
| Brandon Buckhaulter | WR | UAB |
| John Cannon | K | USF |
| Matthew Henry | WR | Western Illinois |

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Site |
| August 23 | Sam Houston | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY |
| August 30 | North Alabama* | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY |
| September 6 | at Toledo* | Glass BowlToledo, OH |
| September 20 | Nevada* | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY |
| September 27 | at Missouri State | Robert W. Plaster StadiumSpringfield, MO |
| October 3 | at Delaware | Delaware StadiumNewark, DE |
| October 14 | FIU | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY |
| October 21 | at Louisiana Tech | Joe Aillet StadiumRuston, LA |
| November 1 | New Mexico State | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY |
| November 15 | Middle Tennessee | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY (100 Miles of Hate) |
| November 22 | at LSU* | Tiger StadiumBaton Rouge, LA |
| November 29 | at Jacksonville State | AmFirst StadiumJacksonville, AL |
| *Non-conference game ||||

## Game summaries
### vs. Sam Houston

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bearkats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hilltoppers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY
* Date: Saturday August 23, 2025
* Game time: TBA
* TV announcers (TBA): TBA
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Sam Houston | Passing |
| Sam Houston | Rushing |
| Sam Houston | Receiving |
| Western Kentucky | Passing |
| Western Kentucky | Rushing |
| Western Kentucky | Receiving |

### vs. (FCS) North Alabama

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| (FCS) Lions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hilltoppers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY
* Date: Saturday August 30, 2025
* Game time: TBA
* TV announcers (TBA): TBA
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| North Alabama | Passing |
| North Alabama | Rushing |
| North Alabama | Receiving |
| Western Kentucky | Passing |
| Western Kentucky | Rushing |
| Western Kentucky | Receiving |

### at Toledo

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hilltoppers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rockets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Glass Bowl • Toledo, OH
* Date: Saturday September 6, 2025
* Game time: TBA
* TV announcers (TBA): TBA
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Western Kentucky | Passing |
| Western Kentucky | Rushing |
| Western Kentucky | Receiving |
| Toledo | Passing |
| Toledo | Rushing |
| Toledo | Receiving |

### vs. Nevada

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Wolf Pack | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hilltoppers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY
* Date: Saturday September 20, 2025
* Game time: TBA
* TV announcers (TBA): TBA
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Nevada | Passing |
| Nevada | Rushing |
| Nevada | Receiving |
| Western Kentucky | Passing |
| Western Kentucky | Rushing |
| Western Kentucky | Receiving |

### at Missouri State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hilltoppers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bears | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Robert W. Plaster Stadium • Springfield, MO
* Date: Saturday September 27, 2025
* Game time: TBA
* TV announcers (TBA): TBA
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Western Kentucky | Passing |
| Western Kentucky | Rushing |
| Western Kentucky | Receiving |
| Missouri State | Passing |
| Missouri State | Rushing |
| Missouri State | Receiving |

### at Delaware

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hilltoppers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fightin' Blue Hens | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Delaware Stadium • Newark, DE
* Date: Friday October 3, 2025
* Game time: TBA
* TV announcers (TBA): TBA
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Western Kentucky | Passing |
| Western Kentucky | Rushing |
| Western Kentucky | Receiving |
| Delaware | Passing |
| Delaware | Rushing |
| Delaware | Receiving |

### vs. FIU

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hilltoppers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY
* Date: Tuesday October 14, 2025
* Game time: TBA
* TV announcers (TBA): TBA
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| FIU | Passing |
| FIU | Rushing |
| FIU | Receiving |
| Western Kentucky | Passing |
| Western Kentucky | Rushing |
| Western Kentucky | Receiving |

### at Louisiana Tech

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hilltoppers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Joe Aillet Stadium • Ruston, LA
* Date: Tuesday October 21, 2025
* Game time: TBA
* TV announcers (TBA): TBA
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Western Kentucky | Passing |
| Western Kentucky | Rushing |
| Western Kentucky | Receiving |
| Louisiana Tech | Passing |
| Louisiana Tech | Rushing |
| Louisiana Tech | Receiving |

### vs. New Mexico State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Aggies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hilltoppers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY
* Date: Saturday November 1, 2025
* Game time: TBA
* TV announcers (TBA): TBA
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| New Mexico State | Passing |
| New Mexico State | Rushing |
| New Mexico State | Receiving |
| Western Kentucky | Passing |
| Western Kentucky | Rushing |
| Western Kentucky | Receiving |

### vs. Middle Tennessee

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blue Raiders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hilltoppers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY
* Date: Saturday November 15, 2025
* Game time: TBA
* TV announcers (TBA): TBA
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Middle Tennessee | Passing |
| Middle Tennessee | Rushing |
| Middle Tennessee | Receiving |
| Western Kentucky | Passing |
| Western Kentucky | Rushing |
| Western Kentucky | Receiving |

### at LSU

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hilltoppers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tigers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA
* Date: Saturday November 22, 2025
* Game time: TBA
* TV announcers (TBA): TBA
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Western Kentucky | Passing |
| Western Kentucky | Rushing |
| Western Kentucky | Receiving |
| LSU | Passing |
| LSU | Rushing |
| LSU | Receiving |

### at Jacksonville State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hilltoppers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gamecocks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at AmFirst Stadium • Jacksonville, AL
* Date: Saturday November 29, 2025
* Game time: TBA
* TV announcers (TBA): TBA
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Western Kentucky | Passing |
| Western Kentucky | Rushing |
| Western Kentucky | Receiving |
| Jacksonville State | Passing |
| Jacksonville State | Rushing |
| Jacksonville State | Receiving |