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WKU vs. Bowling Green (PREVIEW)

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Western Kentucky and the Bowling Green Falcons will face off Friday night at 7:30pm (ET) in the house of the Hilltoppers, Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium. The Hilltoppers are coming off an 8-4 season under now-Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino. The Hilltoppers had some impressive wins, most notably knocking off in-state SEC opponent Kentucky for the second straight time. Somehow, Petrino & co. did not get selected to go to a bowl game despite their record. This is something Western Kentucky AD Todd Stewart has mentioned he hopes is no longer a problem for his football program with their recent move into Conference USA.

The Hilltoppers will be led by returning quarterback Brandon Doughty, a redshirt senior. After a shaky start last season, Doughty posted impressive numbers, throwing for over 1,800 yards in his last seven games. Doughty will be playing in the same system as he did in 2013, due to the fact that new head coach Jeff Brohm assumed the offensive coordinator position last season under Petrino.

The Hilltoppers will have many fresh faces on defense this season, and they will surely be tested often and early against Bowling Green's fast-paced, no huddle offense. Dino Babers was hired as head coach for the Falcons this season, and he will be bringing a lot of knowledge and experience from working with Art Briles at Baylor, where he coached receivers from 2009-2011. (Baylor's offense was pretty explosive during his time there, in case you didn't know) He'll have plenty of talent to work with, as his Falcons have been picked by many to be the champions of the MAC this season.

Bowling Green will have a fresh face under center this season (Matt Johnson), in a fresh offense. Babers has made it abundantly clear that he feels inexperience is a huge disadvantage for his team heading into Friday's game. Western Kentucky will be running the same offense with a similar cast, and the same defense (although inexperienced). Bowling Green is, however, bringing back a strong defense that is expected to make some noise this season. Babers has been very vocal about the fact that his team will rely on the defense a lot this season.

Prediction

The Hilltoppers increasingly explosive offense should be able to put up some points against Bowling Green, but can Leon Allen carry the load in the running game? He will be expected to fill the role of new Tennessee Titan and former WKU RB Antonio Andrews, who ran for over 3,000 yards in his last two seasons as a Hilltopper. Allen is expected to put up similar numbers this season, and Brohm will rely on him to do so.

The most important thing for both of these teams is getting off to a quick start. Falcons head coach Dino Babers said earlier this week that he doubts his offense will get off to a quick start, but I am just as doubtful that the young Hilltopper defense can do the same against the no-huddle.

The Hilltoppers' developing offense should be fun to watch, but Bowling Green will show why they're the MAC favorites, defeating Brohm & co., 38-27.


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