MERCYHURST (1-3, 0-0 NEC) at WESTERN KENTUCKY (0-3, 0-0 CUSA)
Saturday, Sept. 26 – 7:00 p.m. (ET)
Bowling Green, Ky. – Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium (22,113)
TV: ESPN+
The Mercyhurst Football team wraps up a stretch of three FBS games in four weeks Saturday night, traveling to Bowling Green to face Western Kentucky. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET, streaming on ESPN+. The game doubles as WKU's home opener — the Hilltoppers have played all three of their games so far on the road — and marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
Mercyhurst Lakers
Mercyhurst picked up its first win of the Thomas Sydeski era last time out, thumping Glenville State 49-20 in the home and centennial-weekend opener at Saxon Stadium to move to 1-3 on the year. The Lakers will now try to pull off something no NEC team has done all season: knock off an FBS opponent on the road, something the conference has managed in each of the last two years.
Junior quarterback Alex Gevaudan has thrown for 538 yards on 41-of-77 passing through three games, with four touchdowns and a 64-yard scoring strike to Dylan Evans against Glenville State. Evans leads the receiving corps with 14 catches for 202 yards and two touchdowns, while Evan Van Dyke has added 99 yards on nine receptions. On the ground, sophomore Jameir "Mookie" Gamble has carried the load with 217 yards and two touchdowns on 46 attempts, including a 105-yard, two-score outing against Glenville State.
Defensively, senior linebacker Jeff Leavell has 19 tackles and a pass breakup on the season, while Teddy McDuffie has 15 tackles, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. The Lakers forced five Glenville State turnovers last week, returning three for touchdowns.
Scouting the Hilltoppers
Western Kentucky is off to an 0-3 start after arguably the toughest nonconference gauntlet in the country — road losses to Nevada (49-14), No. 2 Georgia (70-20) and No. 4 Indiana (38-0), the first time in program history the Hilltoppers have faced two top-five opponents in the same season. Sixth-year head coach Tyson Helton, who has led WKU to at least eight wins in each of the last two full seasons, will be looking for his group to settle in against more favorable competition in front of its home crowd for the first time in 2026. Quarterback Rodney Tisdale Jr. and running back Ajay Allen have carried the offensive load through the brutal opening slate, with Allen picking up WKU's only two rushing touchdowns of the season so far.
Series History
Saturday's contest will be the first-ever meeting between Mercyhurst and Western Kentucky.
Broadcast Information
The game streams live on ESPN+, with live stats available through wkusports.com.
Up Next
Following Saturday's matchup, Mercyhurst opens NEC play on the road at LIU on Saturday, October 3, at 12 p.m. ET.
