Mike Sanford wants his Western Kentucky players to be highly motivated Saturday when they take the field against Vanderbilt.

“I think that the chip on your shoulder’s got to be really big when you’re a Conference USA school and you have a chance to play an SEC school,” the Hilltoppers’ coach said Thursday. “There’s a reason why those types of victories are program-defining-type victories. SEC programs, Big Ten programs, Big 12 programs, they’re the haves in college football.

“I think the way you go down and find a way to beat those types of teams, you’ve got to have an unbelievable chip on your shoulder, and that’s what I believe we’ve practiced with and what we’ll take into this game.”

WKU (5-3) will temporarily step out of C-USA play Saturday to face the Commodores (3-5) at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m., with the game to be broadcast on ESPNU.

Saturday’s contest will be the third and final chapter of what’s been a compelling series between two schools located just 69 miles apart.

The Hilltoppers went to Nashville to open the 2015 season and came out with a dramatic 14-12 win. Joe Brown – now a standout cornerback for WKU but then an unproven sophomore – tackled a Commodore ball-carrier short of the goal line on a two-point conversion attempt in the final seconds to seal the victory.

Vandy struck for its revenge last season. Down 14-0 early, the Commodores tied the game on a Ralph Webb TD run on the final play of regulation, then stopped a Hilltopper two-point conversion attempt to win 31-30 in overtime.

The 2017 installment of this series will have a tall task in trying to top the last two matchups.

“You never know, it could be a close game again,” linebacker Joel Iyiegbuniwe said. “We’ll be ready for a close game.”

Circumstances are different for this meeting. The 2015 and ’16 games took place in September as compared to this one in November, and WKU was led in those games by former coach Jeff Brohm and his staff.

This year’s Tops are 5-3, having seen a four-game winning streak snapped last week by Florida Atlantic. WKU controlled much of that game, but the Owls reeled off 22 straight fourth-quarter points to leave Bowling Green with a victory.

A win Saturday would make the Hilltoppers bowl eligible for the seventh straight season, dating to 2011. WKU is 3-1 in bowl games during that period, having won its last three.

Vanderbilt meanwhile started the season 3-0, including a September win over a Kansas State team that was ranked in the AP Top 25 at the time. Since then, the Commodores have lost five straight, including a 34-27 loss last week at South Carolina.

“Both teams are going to play great football,” Vandy coach Derek Mason said. “They’re working to get bowl eligible and for us, we’re working to get a win.

“Both teams are looking to do something special. I know we’re going to be ready to play and I assume Mike (Sanford) will be the same way.”

Hilltoppers preparing for early kick

Saturday will mark the first morning shift this season for WKU. The Hilltoppers kicked off each of their first five games at 6 p.m. or later, and each of the last three at 3:30 or after.

Sanford and his staff tried to prepare the WKU players for the 11 a.m. kickoff – and the accompanying early-morning bus ride from Bowling Green to Nashville – by staging 6:30 a.m. position group meetings Thursday and Friday.

“That was the challenge to them is we can’t come into that breakfast at 7 a.m. Saturday morning and be sluggish and have sleep in our eyes and be in our pajamas,” Sanford said. “We’ve got to get in that meeting and be ready to go. We wanted to train our body toward the tail end of the week to be ready for that.”

Injuries uncertain for Hilltoppers

Sanford didn’t elaborate on specific injuries Thursday, but said there’ll be a need for a “next man up” mentality Saturday.

Tight end Deon Yelder, wide receiver Kylen Towner and linebacker Daeshawn Bertram were among key players who missed at least one practice this week.

The redshirt senior Yelder was observed Wednesday and Thursday after practice moving around on a scooter with one foot elevated.

Yelder has been WKU’s top pass-catcher this year, averaging 49.9 receiving yards per game and 12.1 yards per catch. The Louisville native has caught four touchdown passes and tallied his first career rushing TD last week against FAU.

“The challenges that you face right now is that everyone’s beat up,” Sanford said. “ ‘Next man up’ will be certainly in place this week.

“I feel like the guys that are going to be the next man up – which I won’t divulge at this point – are going to be ready to play based off practice we’ve had this week.”

Broadcast information

TV broadcast: ESPNU (Play-by-play: Mike Couzens; Analyst: John Congemi)

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

Notes

Western Kentucky is 1-4 all-time against Vanderbilt and 1-3 against the Commodores in Nashville. … The Hilltoppers are looking to go 3-1 in nonconference play for the first time since 2014. The team finished with 2-2 nonconference records in both 2015 and ’16. … WKU’s defense has allowed 175 points this season, the fewest during the school’s FBS era and since 2007. … Twenty-two Toppers on offense or defense have earned their first career starts at WKU this season – the fourth-most nationally. … White (51 career touchdown passes) needs one TD pass to break a tie with Kawaun Jakes for second place on the school’s all-time list.{&end}