Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (8-5) vs Appalachian State Mountaineers (10-2)

Kickoff time: 11:00 AM EST

Location: FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL

TV: ESPN: Clay Mavtick (PxP)/Rocky Boiman (Analyst)/Tiffany Blackmon (Sideline)

Online Stream: https://www.espn.com/watch/

Radio: Western Kentucky: 100.7 WKLX-FM/Hilltopper IMG Radio Network (Play-By-Play: Randy Lee/Analyst: Terry Obee/Sidelines: Jared Holland)/App State: 97.9 WPEG-FM/(Play-By-Play: Adam Whitten/Analyst: Noah Hannon/Sidelines: Molly Cotton)

According to DraftKings, Appalachian State is a 2.5-point favorite with the over/under set at 67.5 points.*

*Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

Notes:

• DeAngelo Malone needs eight tackles to become the career record holder in WKU’s FBS Era (since 2009). Safety Devon Key had 350 from 2017-20.
• Bailey Zappe has 5,545 passing yards and 56 passing TD’s in 13 games this season. He needs 289 yards to pass Texas Tech’s B.J. Symons (5,833 in 2003) and 5 TD’s to pass LSU’s Joe Burrow (60 in 2019) for the all-time FBS records.
• One of the nation’s top Group of Five defenses faces the nation’s top passing attack. App State is No. 2 nationally with 109 TFLs (8.2 per game) while also ranking in the top 20 in scoring defense (No. 16, 19.3 points), total defense (No. 18, 325.5 yards), pass efficiency defense (No. 12, 114.7), INTs (No. 10, 15), defensive TDs (No. 6, four), red zone defense (No. 15, 73.7%) and rushing defense (No. 19, 118.8).
• Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year D’Marco Jackson, a Senior Bowl pick, is third nationally in tackles among defenders from teams with 10-plus wins. With 114 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, 12 QB hurries, one interception, five PBUs and one forced fumble, he’s one of only two FBS players since 2000 with at least 110 tackles, 18.0 TFLs, 6.0 sacks and six passes defended in one year.
• All-America CB Steven Jones Jr. has five INTs (No. 2 in FBS), while D’Marco Jackson, Nick Hampton (10.0 of 18.5 career sacks this year) and Demetrius Taylor (7.0 of 26.5 sacks this year) apply QB pressure.
• Nate Noel has a league-best 1,076 rushing yards, with Camerun Peoples (league-high 14 TDs) at 75.0 yards a game. Chase Brice (sacked only 13 times) throws to four super senior WRs (Thomas Hennigan, Corey Sutton, Malik Williams, Jalen Virgil) who have totaled 667 career catches and 79 college TDs.