Western Kentucky redshirt freshman wide receiver Cameron Flowers (80) celebrates a touchdown with teammates redshirt senior running back George Hart III (9) and redshirt junior wide receiver Moussa Barry (18) in the annual Red and White Spring Showcase scrimmage game at Houchens-Smith Stadium on Saturday, April 12, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS

Western Kentucky football and Conference USA announced game times and television networks for the 2025 season on Thursday.

The Hilltoppers will be one of the first programs in the country to open the 2025 season when they face Sam Houston in a Week 0 CUSA game at Houchens-Smith Stadium on Aug. 23. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

WKU will follow with a 6 p.m. home game against North Alabama, which will be streamed on ESPN+, on Aug. 30.

The kickoff time for WKU’s Sept. 6 game at Toledo is set for 6 p.m. CT and the game will be on ESPN+.

The Hilltoppers return home after an off week for a Sept. 20 game against Nevada. Kickoff against the Wolf Pack is set for 6 p.m., and the game will be on ESPN platforms.

WKU hits the road for back-to-back games against CUSA newcomers following the home matchup with Nevada. The Hilltoppers will travel to Missouri State for a 6 p.m. CT game on Sept. 27, and will follow with a 6 p.m. CT game at Delaware on Oct. 3. The game against Missouri State will be on ESPN platforms, while the Delaware game will be televised by CBS Sports Network.

The Hilltoppers will return to Houchens-Smith Stadium for a 7 p.m. game against FIU on Oct. 14. The matchup with the Panthers will be televised on ESPNU.

WKU will finish its October midweek schedule with a 6:30 p.m. CT game at Louisiana Tech on Oct. 21. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

November will start with back-to-back games at Houchens-Smith Stadium, and both will be on ESPN platforms. WKU will face New Mexico State in a 2:30 p.m. Homecoming game on Nov. 1. The Hilltoppers welcome Middle Tennessee on Nov. 15 for a 2:30 p.m. game.

WKU will travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to face LSU on Nov. 22. The game time and television network will be announced at a later date.

The Hilltoppers close the regular season at Jax State on Nov. 29. Kickoff against the Gamecocks is set for 1 p.m. CT and the game will be on ESPN Pplatforms.

All games designated as ESPN platforms are subject to the 12-day selection window and all kick times are subject to change based upon television placement.

The 2025 CUSA Championship game on Friday, Dec. 5, will air on CBS Sports Network. The title game will kick off at 6 p.m. CT.

The 2025 CUSA alignment will feature the 10 teams from last season – WKU, FIU, Jax State, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico State, Sam Houston and UTEP – as well as Delaware and Missouri State, the league’s two newcomers in 2025.

This marks the third season of “Weekday CUSA,” which will see all October league matchups played on midweek evenings. CUSA’s broadcast partners will share the October weeknight football games on linear television across CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU. Of last season’s 18 CUSA October midweek contests, eight of those games were decided by single digits, while six were one-score games, including two in overtime.

WKU finished the 2024 season with an 8-6 overall record, and earned berths in both the CUSA Championship Game and the Boca Raton Bowl.