Eastern Kentucky at Western Kentucky

6 p.m. Saturday

Houchens-Smith Stadium

Bowling Green

Online stream: Flofootball.com

Radio: WPTQ-105.3 FM,

WWKU-1450 AM

Starting lineups

COLONELS

OFFENSE

Ht. Wt. Yr.

QUARTERBACK

7 Tim Boyle 6-4 233 r-Sr.

RUNNING BACK

4 LJ Scott 6-0 222 r-Jr.

-or- 20 Ethan Thomas 5-11 203 Jr.

-or- 6 Jason Lewis 6-3 253 r-So.

-or- 23 Daryl McClesky Jr. 5-9 186 So.

TIGHT END

43 Dan Paul 6-3 253 r-Jr.

-or- 89 Clayton Schmerber 6-6 249 Jr.

WIDE RECEIVERS

11 Neiko Creamer 6-3 224 r-Jr.

9 Ryan Markush 6-2 189 Sr.

SLOT RECEIVER

82 Alex Cabrera 6-0 184 So.

LEFT TACKLE

64 Cameron Kowalewski 6-5 277 r-Jr.

LEFT GUARD

75 De’jour Simpson 6-3 320 So.

CENTER

63 Kagen Skidmore 6-2 306 Sr.

RIGHT GUARD

66 Chance Edwards 6-5 320 r-Sr.

RIGHT TACKLE

57 Ja’HShaun Seider 6-2 307 r-So.

KICKER

76 Lucas Williams 6-1 193 r-Sr.

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE ENDS

44 Aaron Patrick 6-4 236 Jr.

98 Luder Jean Louis 6-4 223 r-Sr.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES

90 Josiah Bennett 6-3 294 Sr.

70 Connor Foos 6-4 275 So.

LINEBACKERS

53 Jeffrey Canady 6-0 232 r-Sr.

49 Damon Lowe 6-2 241 So.

45 Corey Glass 5-10 217 Jr.

NICKELBACK

12 Cornelius Floyd 5-11 175 Sr.

LEFT CORNERBACK

1 Nigel Bethel II 5-9 189 Sr.

RIGHT CORNERBACK

32 Buck Solomon 6-0 180 Sr.

SAFETIES

38 Kobie Grace 5-9 191 Sr.

41 Eric Reed 5-9 208 r-Sr.

PUNTER

19 Keith Wrzuszczak 5-11 212 Sr.

HILLTOPPERS

OFFENSE

Ht. Wt. Yr.

QUARTERBACK

14 Mike White 6-4 225 r-Sr.

RUNNING BACK

32 D’Andre Ferby 6-1 225 r-Jr.

WIDE RECEIVER

11 Lucky Jackson 6-1 185 r-So.

16 Quin Jernighan 6-3 210 r-So.

-or- 6 Devin Nixon 6-0 190 r-So.

1 Nacarius Fant 5-9 185 Sr.

-or- 8 Kylen Towner 5-8 175 r-Sr.

TIGHT END

19 Deon Yelder 6-4 255 r-Sr.

LEFT TACKLE

75 Jimmie Sims 6-4 295 r-Sr.

LEFT GUARD

51 Brandon Ray 6-2 300 r-Sr.

CENTER

64 Dennis Edwards 6-1 315 r-Jr.

RIGHT GUARD

63 Miles Pate 6-2 320 r-So.

RIGHT TACKLE

69 Matt Nord 6-6 310 r-Sr.

KICKER

37 Ryan Nuss 5-9 200 r-Jr.

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE ENDS

42 Derik Overstreet 6-2 250 Sr.

43 Carson Jordan 6-2 255 Jr.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES

56 Evan Sayner 6-3 300 r-Jr.

3 Chris Johnson 6-1 285 Sr.

LINEBACKERS

25 Masai Whyte 6-0 225 r-Jr.

4 Joel Iyiegbuniwe 6-1 230 r-Jr.

NICKELBACK

1 Leverick Johnson 6-0 185 Sr.

CORNERBACKS

7 Joe Brown 5-10 195 Sr.

22 DeAndre Farris 5-10 190 r-Jr.

-or- 24 Roger Cray 5-10 170 Fr.

SAFETIES

9 Drell Greene 5-11 200 Jr.

8 Marcus Ward 6-3 220 Gr.

-or- 2 Devon Key 6-1 205 r-Fr.

PUNTER

49 Jake Collins 6-1 210 r-Jr.

*Starting lineups subject to change

Position-by-position breakdown

Quarterback: Mike White enters 2017 as the Conference USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and is ready to build off a splendid first year behind center for Western Kentucky. Eastern Kentucky’s Tim Boyle played QB at Connecticut from 2013-15. He was recruited there by former Huskies assistant and current Hilltopper defensive coordinator Clayton White. ADVANTAGE: WKU

Running back: D’Andre Ferby fought a sprained ankle during camp but practiced this week and is expected to play. Quinton Baker is suspended because of his involvement in an offseason fight. Glasgow native Marquez Trigg could see a good number of carries. WKU

Wide receivers: Nicholas Norris and Taywan Taylor are gone. Now it’ll be up to Lucky Jackson, Nacarius Fant, Quin Jernighan and Co. to pick up where Norris and Taylor left off. Cameron Echols-Luper was a key August addition to the Tops’ WRs group. WKU

Offensive line: The strength of this line sits in returning starters Brandon Ray at left guard and Dennis Edwards at center. Tackles Matt Nord and Jimmie Sims have plenty of playing experience, and coaches have raved about right guard Miles Pate. WKU

Defensive line: The EKU player WKU coaches and players have mentioned the most is defensive end Aaron Patrick. He was chosen to the Hero Sports 2016 FCS Sophomore All-American Team. The Toppers’ D-line is deeper though, anchored by seniors Chris Johnson and Derik Overstreet. WKU

Linebackers: Clayton White’s new defense calls for two linebackers on the field most plays. Joel Iyiegbuniwe and new starter Masai Whyte will be called upon to show a variety of skills. Colonels LB Jeffrey Canady was chosen as a second-team preseason All-American by TyrantScouting.com. WKU

Secondary: This is the strength of the WKU defense, although the group took a hit last month when cornerback De’Andre Simmons went down with a season-ending knee injury. DeAndre Farris and freshman Roger Cray will both get chances to seize that spot early this season. WKU

Special teams: EKU punter Keith Wrzuszczak was named a second-team preseason All-American by STATS. But the Hilltoppers have the edge here thanks to return men Fant and Kylen Towner. WKU

Brad’s picks

Saturday’s contest is intriguing because it’s the first game of coach Mike Sanford’s Western Kentucky tenure and the Hilltoppers’ first meeting against their longtime archrival EKU since 2008.

As for the action on the field? WKU returns one of the best rosters among FBS Group of Five schools, while EKU is a middling FCS squad. This’ll be over early.

Western Kentucky 45, Eastern Kentucky 10

Season record: 0-0