Western Kentucky’s game against Charlotte on Saturday represents another chance for the Hilltoppers to put together a full 60 minutes of solid football across all three phases.

That’s something WKU (3-2 overall, 1-1 Conference USA) has yet to accomplish in the 2017 season.

The Toppers have played well for the most part defensively, giving up between 14 to 23 points in each of their first five games. Special teams have been up and down.

But a struggling offense has grabbed the attention of WKU fans who watched their team lead the FBS last season in both points per game (45.5) and yards per play (7.65).

This year’s Hilltopper team ranks No. 108 in scoring (21.6 ppg) and No. 122 in yardage (4.65 ypp). WKU’s offense never got going last week in a 15-14 win at winless Texas-El Paso.

A complete across-the-board performance is the goal for coach Mike Sanford’s Tops on Saturday as they host Charlotte (0-6, 0-2) in their annual homecoming game. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m., with the game to be streamed on Flofootball.com.

“Our expectation is that we play our best football of the year against a team that’s hungry for a win,” Sanford said Thursday. “We have practiced in a way that gives us a lot of belief in what we’re doing Saturday at 3:30.

“We want to put on our best performance of the year and we know it’s going to take great work.”

Sanford has encouraged competition this week at practice on the offensive side of the ball.

That starts at running back, where WKU will finally have a stable of four healthy backs – Quinton Baker, D’Andre Ferby, Jakairi Moses and Marquez Trigg. All four will play Saturday, Sanford said.

The coach has tried shaking things up on the offensive line, opening the right guard spot to competition between starter Miles Pate and reserve Tyler Witt. Both will see time Saturday, Sanford said.

The Hilltoppers this season rank No. 130 – dead last – in yards per carry (2.33) and No. 118 in sacks allowed per game (3.2).

“Tyler Witt’s a guy that to me has earned the right to be in the conversation as one of our five best,” Sanford said of the redshirt freshman. “We’ve got to put the guys out there that have the chance to give us a little bit more, maybe.

“So we’ve got to see what he can do.”

Sanford is also still searching for receivers that’ll establish themselves as playmakers. He mentioned Cameron Echols-Luper, Quin Jernighan, Jacquez Sloan and Kylen Towner as pass catchers who he wants to get more involved in the offense.

“We’re going to see more guys have opportunities to establish themselves as playmakers,” Sanford said.

Defensively, WKU will face a 49ers team that features quarterback Hasaan Klugh in the running game. He averages 6.0 yards per carry and 76.2 yards per game on non-sack quarterback rushes, per SB Nation’s Football Study Hall.

Charlotte will be without leading rusher Benny Lemay. Coach Brad Lambert told Charlotte, N.C., radio station 730 The Game on Friday that the running back will miss the contest due to a concussion.

“I think we know we have to play our best football,” Sanford said. “We learned that (in the tight win at UTEP). You have to play your best ball. You have to execute. There are no givens.

“Even if you don’t bring your A-game, you’ve got to find ways to win football games. For us, we want to bring our A-game.”

At 0-6, the 49ers are looking for a win to get their season on the right track. This will be the first-ever meeting between WKU and Charlotte, who’ve been C-USA East Division brethren since 2015.

“I think they’re very hungry,” safety Drell Greene said, “but it’s our Homecoming and we can’t let it happen.”

Broadcast Information

Online stream: Flofootball.com

Radio: 105.3 FM/1450 AM (Play-by-play: Randy Lee; Analyst: Leo Peckenpaugh; Sideline: Terry Obee)

Notes

Charlotte is the only remaining Conference USA school that WKU has never met in a football game. … The Hilltoppers’ 88 offensive points are the fewest allowed through five games in the program’s FBS era. The next fewest total came in 2012, when WKU gave up 106 offensive points through five games. … Kylen Towner already owns the Toppers’ career kickoff return yardage record with 2,641 yards. He needs two kickoff returns to pass Joey Stockton (94) for WKU’s career kickoff returns record. … Over the past three seasons, the Hilltoppers are 9-2 in October. Their only two losses in the month came in 2015 at No. 5 Louisiana State and last season at Louisiana Tech. … WKU is 53-29-3 all-time hosting Homecoming contests. The Tops are looking for their first four-game Homecoming win streak since 1980-83.{&end}