BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Football opened the season with a 41-24 win over Sam Houston on Saturday at Houchens-Smith Stadium.

Led by quarterback Maverick McIvor, who threw for over 400 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for another score in his WKU debut, the Hilltoppers moved to 1-0 on the season and 1-0 in Conference USA play.

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • The Hilltoppers struck first with a 26-yard touchdown pass from Maverick McIvor to Matthew Henry to cap off a nine-play, 87-yard scoring drive on their second possession of the game.

  • Sam Houston got on the board with a 40-yard field goal, making it 7-3 with 4:32 left in the opening frame.

  • The Bearkats took the lead, 10-7, with 12:24 to play in the second quarter on a 55-yard quarterback run.

  • WKU retook the lead with a 1-yard rush from La’Vell Wright on his second carry as a Hilltopper. The play capped off a 13-play, 75-yard scoring drive that made it 14-10 with 7:06 left in the first half.

  • WKU extended the lead to 17-10 with a 49-yard field goal from John Cannon with 4:57 to play in the second quarter. 

  • Cannon connected on a 42-yard field goal with 24 seconds remaining in the first half to give the Hilltoppers a 20-10 lead at the break.

  • Sam Houston cut the deficit to three – 20-17 – with a 2-yard scoring run on the first possession of the second half.

  • The Bearkats took a 24-20 lead 3:02 into the second half with a 43-yard scoop-and-score.

  • WKU bounced back in front, 27-24, with a 9-yard touchdown pass from McIvor to K.D. Hutchinson with 8:10 to play in the third quarter. The play was set up by a 37-yard completion from McIvor to Henry one play prior.

  • McIvor connected with true freshman running back Marvis Parrish for a 22-yard touchdown to give WKU a 34-24 lead with 4:47 to play in the third quarter. Barry caught a 48-yard pass from McIvor one play before to set up the score.

  • The Hilltoppers extended the lead to 41-24 with a 4-yard touchdown run from McIvor with 10:17 to play. McIvor threw a 55-yard pass to Henry two plays prior to set up the score.


NOTABLES

  • WKU improves to 1-0 overall and 1-0 in CUSA play with the win.

  • The Hilltoppers improve to 3-1 all-time against Sam Houston. WKU has won the last three meetings with the Bearkats.

  • WKU is now 64-37-6 in season openers all-time and 4-3 in season openers under Tyson Helton. The Hilltoppers have claimed victories in three of their last four season-opening games. WKU is 8-4 in CUSA openers since joining the league and have wins in the last four CUSA openers.

  • WKU’s team captains for the game were Marshall Jackson, Rylen Su’a-Filo and La’Vell Wright.

  • Announced attendance for the season opener was 15,312.

  • Quarterback Maverick McIvor threw for 401 yards and three touchdowns on 33-51-0 passing in his Hilltopper debut. It was the first time a WKU quarterback threw for over 400 yards in a game since Austin Reed threw for 497 yards in the 2022 New Orleans Bowl victory over South Alabama, and it was the first time a Hilltopper quarterback attempted 50-plus passes in a game since Caden Veltkamp attempted 52 passes in the 2023 Famous Toastery Bowl victory over Old Dominion. McIvor also rushed for a touchdown in the win.

  • Matthew Henry recorded 148 yards and one touchdown on seven receptions in his Hilltopper debut. It is the first 100-yard receiving game since Easton Messer posted 106 yards in the 2024 win over UTEP.

  • Nine Hilltoppers caught passes in the win, and six WKU players posted at least three receptions. Behind Henry, Moussa Barry had six receptions for 90 yards, Marvis Parrish had six receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown and K.D. Hutchinson also caught a touchdown pass.

  • Hutchinson’s touchdown was the seventh of his WKU career.

  • Parrish was second on the team in all-purpose yards in his college debut. In addition to his 58 yards and one touchdown receiving, he led the Hilltoppers on the ground with 52 yards on 12 carries. 

  • Thirteen Hilltoppers recorded multiple tackles in the game, led by six from Dave Herard.

  • WKU had nine tackles for loss, led by two each from Anthony Brackenridge and Jayden Gray, and another 1.5 from Harper Holloman. WKU had two sacks in the game, led by one from Gray.

  • Jaylen Lewis recorded WKU’s first interception and the first of his Hilltopper career.

  • WKU was stout on third downs, limiting the Bearkats to just 2-of-14 third-down conversions.

  • Cole Maynard punted five times for 250 yards – an average of 50 yards per punt. He had two punts of 50-plus yards, including a long of 71 yards, and placed one inside the 20-yard line. The 71-yard punt was the first 70-plus yard punt for a Hilltopper since Hendrix Brakefield had a 74-yard punt against Central Michigan on Dec. 26, 2012.

  • John Cannon was 2-for-2 on field goals in his Hilltopper debut. He had makes of 49 and 42 yards. WKU kickers have made 20 consecutive field goals dating back to the Sept. 7, 2024 game against Eastern Kentucky.

  • Jack Cassidy kicked off eight times and recorded eight touchbacks. It was the Northern Ireland native’s first time playing in a football game


QUOTABLES

  • “Very proud of our football team tonight. To have the home opener and have a big conference win – that was a good football team we played tonight in Sam Houston. I thought we had a really good team win. When we got momentum, we capitalized on it. When we were down, somebody pulled the other ones along and got us back in it. We made big plays when we had to make big plays. All those are good signs. We’ve just got to keep rolling with that. It’s good to be 1-0 in conference. We’ll celebrate it tonight and then starting tomorrow we’ll get onto the next one.” – WKU Football Head Coach Tyson Helton, on the 41-24 win over Sam Houston.

  • “It was really good to get out here and play game one after all the hard work we’ve been putting in since January. I’ve got guys like him (Matthew Henry) around me and Moussa – I’ve got all the receivers around me that I need. Tonight was just a great show of what we’re capable of and that was a good step in the right direction.” – WKU Football quarterback Maverick McIvor, on the win over Sam Houston.

  • “Really just keeping my foot on the gas and not letting my team down. Just knowing it was a conference game, stuff like that, just knowing the mentality was to go into the conference game and go 1-0. Just not letting our foot off the gas and just coming back stronger in the second half.” – WKU Football wide receiver Matthew Henry, on the win over Sam Houston.

  • “It feels very good for me. It’s a new experience for me because I’m new here, but I’m loving it. Out there and first win – I love the atmosphere here. I’m loving it. That first win was good.” – WKU Football safety Jaylen Lewis, on the win in his WKU debut.

  • “Man, it’s a new experience. It’s a new experience, man. It was a blessing to hear the crowd. It was just a blessing.” – WKU Football defensive lineman Mackavelli Malotumau, on his WKU debut.


NEXT UP

  • WKU will stay at home and face North Alabama on Saturday, Aug. 30. Kickoff at Houchens-Smith Stadium is set for 6 p.m. CT and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.


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