The 2025 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University as a member of Conference USA (CUSA) during the 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hilltoppers were led by Tyson Helton in his seventh year as the head coach. The Hilltoppers played home games at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium, located in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Offseason Transfers Outgoing Darrell Johnson Jr.OLAkronDallas Walker IVDLAuburnAl SandiferDLAustin PeayMontreze SmithLBAustin PeayReginald Allen Jr.LBBryantJaylen HamptonWRCharlotteKi'Shawn HarveyDLEast Tennessee StateWesley HortonDLEast Tennessee StateJalen HandDLEastern KentuckyGabriel ArnoldOLEastern MichiganEaston MesserWRFlorida AtlanticCaden VeltkampQBFlorida AtlanticDeante McCrayDEFlorida StateElvin FofanahTEGardner–WebbJarvis HayesWRGeorgia MilitaryRiver HelmsTEGeorgia SouthernTurner HeltonQBGeorgia SouthernTrent ZappeLBHouston ChristianHosea WheelerDLIndianaAlex FordDBKennesaw StateMarcus PattersonDEKennesaw StateEvan WibberleyOLKentuckyBrandon BuckhaulterWRLouisiana–MonroeDarius ThomasLBLouisvilleJalil Rivera-HarveyDLMarshallReid JamersonDEMinot StateLT SandersRBNorth AlabamaMarvelous OwensDBNortheastern StateJaymar MundyDBOhioLucas CarneiroKOle MissLeavy JohnsonOLSouth AlabamaRodney Newsom Jr.OLSouth CarolinaT. J. FinleyQBTulaneDallen PonderWRTulsaKoy MooreWRUNLVMike MomentOLUT MartinDemick StarlingWRUtah StateJayden LovingDLWake ForestDave HerardDBUnknownEly GeorgeLBUnknownBryce ChildressWRUnknownTrace PattersonTEUnknownHayden ToddOLUnknownDenzil AlleyneWRUnknownMarshall JacksonOLWithdrawnMoussa BerryWRWithdrawnKylan GuidryDLWithdrawnDemarko WilliamsDBWithdrawn
Incoming Maverick McIvorQBAbilene ChristianLaurence SeymoreOLAkronJakeem FletcherDLAlabama StateAvarion ColeDBAppalachian StateLa'Vell WrightRBAustin PeayNick ReimerOLBowling GreenBailey SandersLSBuffaloKody EppsWRBYUJemeil JacksonOLCentral MichiganJaavan MackCBCharlotteJairus MackWRCharlotteAl-Ma'hi AliDBCharlotteJaylen WesterLBColoradoMontreze SmithLBDukeJackson WestTEFlorida StateWeston WallaceOLGeorgia SouthernJaden HardyDLGrambling StateJalen EmeryDBHoustonCaleb McMickleQBHoustonVenson Sneed Jr.DEIndianaRobby HarrisonDLIndianaQuincy JenkinsOLJames MadisonElin JonesDLJohnson C. SmithJustin WolfTEKansas StateElijah WilliamsOLKent StateDevon SmithOLLouisiana–MonroeJayden GrayDELouisiana TechKarsten UpchurchOLMississippi StateJosaiah KnightDEMississippi StateMackavelli MalotumauDLNevadaEric EtienneDLNorfolk StateKelby WilliamsWROld DominionMarkus KnightDBOld DominionIsaiah MyersWRPurdueDominic OliverDESan Diego StateZach SmithLBSMUBraxton MyersDBSouthern MissRylen Su'a-FiloDLSouthern UtahJaylen LewisDBTempleJaden McGillRBTennessee StateBrandon BuckhaulterWRUABJack CassidyKUlsterJohn CannonKUSFCaleb NittaOLVirginia TechMatthew HenryWRWestern IllinoisQuincy BurroughsWRWisconsin
Schedule
Game summaries vs. Sam Houston
Statistics SHSU WKU First downs 14 26 Plays–yards 61–382 86–506 Rushes–yards 31–173 35–105 Passing yards 209 401 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 19-30-1 33-51-0 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 27:04 32:56 Team Category Player StatisticsSam Houston Passing Hunter Watson 19/30, 209 yards, INT Rushing Hunter Watson 14 carries, 91 yards, TD Receiving Elijah Green 7 receptions, 61 yardsWestern Kentucky Passing Maverick McIvor 33/51, 401 yards, 3 TD Rushing Marvis Parrish 12 carries, 52 yards Receiving Matthew Henry 7 receptions, 148 yards, TD
vs. North Alabama (FCS)
Statistics UNAWKU First downs 17 26 Plays–yards 74–258 72–563 Rushes–yards 37–153 33–164 Passing yards 105 399 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16–37–0 30–39–0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 32:21 27:39 Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Alabama Passing Ari Patu 11/20, 86 yards Rushing Destin Wade 5 carries, 34 yards Receiving Justin Pegues 5 receptions, 52 yards Western Kentucky Passing Maverick McIvor 24/31, 305 yards, 5 TD Rushing Jaden McGill 9 carries, 46 yards Receiving K.D. Hutchinson 5 receptions, 113 yards, 2 TD
at Toledo
Statistics WKUTOL First downs 18 21 Plays–yards 67–333 63–508 Rushes–yards 28–59 42–307 Passing yards 274 201 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 24–39–1 12–21–1 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 26:35 33:25 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Kentucky Passing Maverick McIvor 23/38, 235 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Marvis Parrish 7 carries, 22 yards Receiving Moussa Barry 3 receptions, 110 yardsToledo Passing Tucker Gleason 7/12, 155 yards, 2 TD Rushing Chip Trayanum 14 carries, 163 yards, 2 TD Receiving Junior Vandeross III 5 receptions, 122 yards, TD
vs. Nevada
Statistics NEVWKU First downs 22 22 Plays–yards 72–372 66–361 Rushes–yards 39–207 33–145 Passing yards 165 216 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16–33–2 22–33–1 Turnovers 3 2 Time of possession 32:16 27:44 Team Category Player StatisticsNevada Passing Chubba Purdy 16/30, 165 yards, 2 INT Rushing Caleb Ramseur 9 carries, 66 yards Receiving Jett Carpenter 6 receptions, 70 yardsWestern Kentucky Passing Maverick McIvor 22/33, 216 yards, INT Rushing George Hart III 11 carries, 63 yards, TD Receiving Noah Meyers 6 receptions, 81 yards
at Missouri State
Statistics WKUMOST First downs 25 21 Plays–yards 68–476 66–414 Rushes–yards 29–159 34–214 Passing yards 317 200 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 26–39–0 15–32–0 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 31:28 28:32 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Kentucky Passing Maverick McIvor 26/39, 317 yards, TD Rushing La'Vell Wright 10 carries, 91 yards, 2 TD Receiving Matthew Henry 5 receptions, 73 yardsMissouri State Passing Jacob Clark 8/15, 143 yards Rushing Shomari Lawrence 16 carries, 78 yards, TD Receiving Dash Luke 3 receptions, 71 yds
at Delaware
Statistics WKUDEL First downs 16 27 Plays–yards 57–338 80–435 Rushes–yards 26–108 34–121 Passing yards 230 314 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 23-31-0 28-46-1 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 27:26 32:34 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Kentucky Passing Maverick McIvor 23/31, 230 yds, TD Rushing Maverick McIvor 6 carries, 36 yards Receiving Matthew Henry 4 receptions, 99 yardsDelaware Passing Nick Minicucci 28/45, 314 yds, INT Rushing Nick Minicucci 12 carries, 55 yards, 3 TD Receiving 2 Tied 55 yards
vs. FIU
Statistics FIU WKU First downs 21 18 Plays–yards 70–453 64–341 Rushes–yards 39–249 23–116 Passing yards 204 225 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 20–31–0 27–41–3 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 34:38 25:22 Team Category Player StatisticsFIU Passing Keyone Jenkins 17/25, 184 yards, TD Rushing Kejon Owens 22 carries, 195 yards, TD Receiving Alex Perry 3 receptions, 86 yardsWestern Kentucky Passing Maverick McIvor 20/31, 159 yards, 3 INT Rushing Mavis Parrish 9 carries, 74 yards Receiving Matthew Henry 2 receptions, 58 yards
at Louisiana Tech
Statistics WKULT First downs 21 24 Plays–yards 72–340 83–449 Rushes–yards 38–113 37–109 Passing yards 227 340 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21–34–1 31–46–1 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 31:20 28:40 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Kentucky Passing Rodney Tisdale Jr. 21/34, 227 yards, TD, INT Rushing Rodney Tisdale Jr. 12 carries, 73 yards Receiving K. D. Hutchinson 6 receptions, 77 yardsLouisiana Tech Passing Blake Baker 31/45, 340 yards, TD, INT Rushing Blake Baker 10 carries, 49 yards Receiving Marlion Jackson 6 receptions, 103 yards
vs. New Mexico State
Statistics NMSU WKU First downs 14 24 Plays–yards 66–178 79–429 Rushes–yards 26–66 38–128 Passing yards 112 301 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 13–40–1 30–41–1 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 26:14 33:46 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Logan Fife 13/39, 112 yards, INT Rushing Isaiah Rudison 7 carries, 34 yards Receiving Gavin Harris 3 receptions, 29 yardsWestern Kentucky Passing Rodney Tisdale Jr. 30/38, 301 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing La'Vell Wright 6 carries, 44 yards, TD Receiving K.D. Hutchinson 7 receptions, 83 yards
vs. Middle Tennessee (100 Miles of Hate)
Statistics MTSU WKU First downs 20 29 Plays–yards 67–541 79–642 Rushes–yards 25–152 38–271 Passing yards 389 371 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 25–42–0 29–41–1 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 26:12 33:48 Team Category Player StatisticsMiddle Tennessee Passing Roman Gagliano 25/42, 389 yards, 2 TD Rushing Roman Gagliano 14 carries, 82 yards Receiving Myles Butler 7 receptions, 105 yards, TDWestern Kentucky Passing Rodney Tisdale Jr. 29/41, 371 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Marvis Parrish 12 carries, 102 yards Receiving Matthew Henry 7 receptions, 135 yards, TD
at LSU
Statistics WKULSU First downs 14 20 Plays–yards 75-152 81-328 Rushes–yards 24-22 37-126 Passing yards 130 202 Passing: comp–att–int 21-41-2 25-42-1 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 24:06 35:54 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Kentucky Passing Rodney Tisdale Jr. 20/39, 128 yards, 2 INT Rushing Marvis Parrish 7 carries, 32 yards Receiving K. D. Hutchinson 8 receptions, 40 yardsLSU Passing Michael Van Buren Jr. 25/42, 202 yards, TD, INT Rushing Harlem Berry 18 carries, 80 yards Receiving Zavion Thomas 6 receptions, 47 yards
at Jacksonville State
Statistics WKU JVST First downs 21 24 Plays–yards 61–384 68–515 Rushes–yards 36–204 48–293 Passing yards 180 222 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–25–1 13–20–0 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 28:36 31:24 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Kentucky Passing Rodney Tisdale Jr. 17/24, 180 yards, INT Rushing La'Vell Wright 14 carries, 116 yards, 2 TD Receiving Moussa Barry 3 receptions, 68 yardsJacksonville State Passing Caden Creel 12/19, 204 yards, 2 TD Rushing Caden Creel 20 carries, 143 yards, TD Receiving Deondre Johnson 5 receptions, 122 yards, TD
vs. Southern Miss (New Orleans Bowl)
Statistics WKU USM First downs 18 21 Plays–yards 73–422 84–377 Rushes–yards 33–155 36–119 Passing yards 267 258 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–40–2 24–48–1 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 31:24 28:36 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Kentucky Passing Maverick McIvor 12/19, 199 yards, INT Rushing Marvis Parrish 7 carries, 65 yards, TD Receiving Matthew Henry 7 receptions, 126 yardsSouthern Miss Passing Braylon Braxton 24/47, 258 yards, TD, INT Rushing Jeffery Pittman 10 carries, 55 yards Receiving Tychaun Chapman 3 receptions, 50 yards, TD
Roster
References