SLIDE SHOW: Hilltoppers drubbed 52-12 by Jax State in CUSA title game
Published 3:08 am Saturday, December 7, 2024
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers offensive lineman Stacey Wilkins (71) walks off the field after a turnover with Jacksonville State Gamecocks safety Zechariah Poyser (18) and Jacksonville State Gamecocks cornerback Jabari Mack (4) celebrating in the background during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Jacksonville State Gamecocks linebacker Morven Joseph (19) grabs the facemask of Western Kentucky Hilltoppers quarterback Caden Veltkamp (10) during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers head coach Tyson Helton looks at the scoreboard as he walks off the field during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Jacksonville State Gamecocks safety Zechariah Poyser (18) breaks up a pass intended for Western Kentucky Hilltoppers wide receiver Easton Messer (8) during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers running back Elijah Young (3) is brought down by Jacksonville State Gamecocks safety Malcolm Jones (12) during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
The Hilltoppper special teams attempts to block a PAT by Jacksonville State Gamecocks place kicker Garrison Rippa (37) during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers wide receiver Kisean Johnson (0) stretches for a pass with Jacksonville State Gamecocks safety Cai Mayowa (17) defending during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers running back Elijah Young (3) is brought down at the line of scrimmage by Jacksonville State Gamecocks linebacker Morven Joseph (19) during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers running back Elijah Young (3) runs past would be tackler Jacksonville State Gamecocks safety Fred Perry (6) during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers wide receiver Easton Messer (8) has a pass go off hi fingertips with Jacksonville State Gamecocks safety Zechariah Poyser (18) defending during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers head coach Tyson Helton yells at the officials during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
The Hilltoppper special teams attempts to block a PAT by Jacksonville State Gamecocks place kicker Garrison Rippa (37) during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers quarterback Caden Veltkamp (10) passes from the pocket during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers wide receiver Easton Messer (8) is tackled by Jacksonville State Gamecocks safety Antonio Carter (8) during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers linebacker Sebastian Benjamin (9) stops Jacksonville State Gamecocks running back Tre Stewart (28) during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers offensive lineman Stacey Wilkins (71) reacts to an offensive turnover during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers defensive lineman Hosea Wheeler (0) and Western Kentucky Hilltoppers linebacker Sebastian Benjamin (9) stop Jacksonville State Gamecocks running back Tre Stewart (28) during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers running back Elijah Young (3) is brought down at the line of scrimmage by Jacksonville State Gamecocks linebacker Morven Joseph (19) during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Jacksonville State Gamecocks linebacker Morven Joseph (19) grabs the facemask of Western Kentucky Hilltoppers quarterback Caden Veltkamp (10) during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers quarterback Caden Veltkamp (10) is hit by a Jacksonville State defender as he releases the ball the during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Jacksonville State Gamecocks cornerback Derek Carter (13) breaks up a pass intended for Western Kentucky Hilltoppers wide receiver Dalvin Smith (17) during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
Big Red and Jacksonville State’s mascot , Cocky, get into a dance-off during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
The Hilltoppers take the field for the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
The Big Red Marching Band plays during a timeout during the CUSA football conference championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
The Big Red Marching Band performs at the start of the Conference USA football championship game at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Al., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel)
The Hilltoppers fell 52-12 to the Jacksonville State Gamecocks in the CUSA football championship Friday, Dec. 6, 2024 in Jacksonville, Al.
About Joe Imel
Joe Imel is the Regional Publisher of the Bowling Green Daily News, as well as seven other CMG newspapers in Kentucky and Tn. The Daily News has been publishing for more than 169 years in Southcentral Kentucky. Imel began his journalism career 37 years ago as a reporter for the McLean County News, later the Hardin County Independent and finally arrived at the Daily News as a photojournalist in 1991. He rose through the newsroom ranks as chief photographer, photo editor, assistant managing editor, director of digital operations, general manager of WDNZ-TV, a low-power TV station owned by the paper, and later promoted to general manager for the Gaines family. He continues in that role with CMG. Imel studied photojournalism at Western Kentucky University. He is an award-winning photographer that continues to pick up his cameras when he is not listening to the police scanner and tweeting to more than 80,000 followers. He and his wife, Tracy, reside in Bowling Green. They have a son that works in politics in Washington, D.C.
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