Kennesaw State Owls at Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Bowling Green, KY
By Bush StaffUpdated 27d ago·2 min read
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WKU
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12:00 PM CT
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Kennesaw State and Western Kentucky already played once this year. Now they do it again, with a different venue and a lot more on the line for both CUSA clubs.
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SAT NOV 28 · 12:00 PM CT
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Kennesaw State
Western Kentucky
This is a rare scheduling quirk: Conference USA slated the Owls and Hilltoppers twice in the same season, first in Kennesaw on November 7 and now in Bowling Green on November 28. WKU took the only previous meeting between these programs last year, 31-16, and it's the only game in the series' short history. A split would mean nothing settled; a sweep would mean the rivalry has a clear owner heading into 2027.
Both teams arrive off statement 2025 seasons. Kennesaw State flipped a 2-10 disaster into a 9-3 regular season under first-year coach Jerry Mack, then beat Jacksonville State 19-15 in the CUSA title game before getting run off the field 41-6 by Western Michigan in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. Western Kentucky went 9-4, finished 6-2 in conference, and closed with a 27-16 win over Southern Miss in the New Orleans Bowl. Neither program is hiding from expectations this time around.
The quarterback rooms look different than they did a year ago. Kennesaw State brought in Syracuse transfer Rickie Collins, who took first-team reps in the spring game after Dexter Williams II left for the portal. Western Kentucky has its own competition brewing, with Florida State transfer Brock Glenn pushing returning starter Rodney Tisdale Jr., who threw for 1,432 yards and 9 touchdowns in 2025. How those jobs shake out over the fall will shape how this rematch actually plays.
Kennesaw State Owls
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Kickoff is set for 12:00 PM CT on Saturday, November 28, closing out the regular season for both programs. By then, this game could be about positioning for another CUSA title shot, or it could be a measuring-stick spot for two teams trying to prove last season wasn't a fluke. Either way, expect it to look nothing like the first meeting — new coordinators, new quarterbacks, and a road team this time that already has a receipt to collect.
