Lightning didn’t strike Houchens-Smith Stadium on Saturday night, but the stormy weather surely put a charge into Western Kentucky’s defense.

Following a 75-minute weather delay from the flashing lightning, the Tops emerged from the locker room refreshed and recharged against Toledo. After erasing an 11-point deficit to take their first lead midway through the fourth quarter, the Hilltoppers made back-to-back stands in the red zone to keep the Rockets out and preserve a wild 26-21 come-from-behind victory.

“Just very proud of our guys,” WKU coach Tyson Helton said. “They faced so much adversity tonight and responded every single time. Very unique game. I’ve been a part of a lot of games, but we had a weather delay, we were down and things aren’t going well, but somehow, some way, we found a way to win the game.

“I cannot say enough about our defense. Every single time, they responded. They were tested big time tonight and they stepped up to the plate. I can’t thank them enough for that. A lot of big plays out there tonight when we needed them the most and just really proud of this football team. We’ve just got to keep growing. Big win for us tonight.”

Clinging to a five-point lead after redshirt sophomore quarterback Caden Veltkamp’s 3-yard touchdown run put the Tops up 26-21 with 5:16 to play, WKU stood firm on defense when senior safety Devonte’ Matthews intercepted Toledo quarterback Tucker Gleason’s heave to the end zone on fourth-and-15.

Mathews’ pick in the end zone gave the Tops the ball at their own 20-yard line with just 53 seconds left. WKU tried to run to burn game clock, but Veltkamp fumbled on the first play from scrimmage – the play was originally ruled dead, but after a lengthy review game officials reversed the call and gave Toledo (3-1) the ball back at the Tops’ 19 with 37 seconds to play.

The Rockets had the ball down to the WKU 4 in two plays, but back-to-back penalties pushed them back 15 yards and set up the Hilltoppers’ final defensive stand. The Tops brought pressure again, and Gleason fired a pass toward the end zone – Mathews was there, snaring the ball at the goal line and dragging his foot inbounds to make the interception.

“I just knew I had to get a foot down to win the game,” Mathews said.

WKU (3-1) fell behind 21-10 when Gleason connected with tight end Anthony Torres on a 7-yard touchdown pass with 8:13 left in the third quarter. Then came the lightning delay and the opportunity to reset – the Tops took full advantage of that break.

“We really just regrouped and got back to what we needed to do for the whole game,” Mathews said. “Get on the drawing board, and stopping their run and stopping the pass.”

The Hilltoppers scored the game’s final 16 points – and it was the defense that got the rally going after WKU punter Cole Maynard pinned Toledo at its own 2-yard line. The Tops brought a heavy rush and redshirt senior linebacker Devon Lynch led the surge to catch Rockets running back Connor Walendzak in the end zone for a safety with 39 seconds left in the third quarter.

WKU’s offense got rolling in the fourth quarter. Veltkamp, making his first collegiate start in place of injured starter TJ Finley, had trouble replicating the success he’d had the previous week in a relief outing against Middle Tennessee when he passed for 398 yards and five touchdowns against a tougher Toledo defense.

But Veltkamp found a little of that magic in the fourth quarter when he hooked up with Easton Messer on a long completion – 49 yards, but a holding penalty pushed the team back 10 yards. It didn’t matter. Veltkamp completed an 11-yard pass to Kisean Johnson, then ran it into the end zone on the next play for a 7-yard touchdown that got the Tops within 21-19 with 10:43 to play.

Veltkamp (20 of 30 passing for 242 yards) got another shot after the Tops forced the Rockets into a quick three-and-out series, and the redshirt sophomore finished off an 11-play, 65-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to get the Hilltoppers their first lead.

“I’m thankful for the defense, for sure,” said Veltkamp, who passed for one touchdown and ran for two more while also throwing a pair of interceptions. “Obviously it was not my best personal game, but our offense rallied in the fourth quarter coming out of that little break that we had, so I was really proud of our offense as a whole. Then the defense coming up with two stops in the red zone, bailing me out. First start as a win, you’ll take it every day, so I’m happy for our team that we got the win today.”

Down two touchdowns, the Tops’ offense finally came to life late in the second quarter. Held to just 70 yards of total offense in their first four possessions, the Hilltoppers went 63 yards in just two plays to half that deficit. Veltkamp connected with Bryce Childress on a 19-yard completion for a first down. Then after a stoppage for the two-minute warning, WKU senior wide receiver Kesean Johnson beat his defender on single coverage and Veltkamp dropped in a 44-yard touchdown pass with 1:53 left in the first half.

The Tops caught a break to start the second half when Gleason mishandled a high snap and fumbled, with WKU linebacker Anthony Brackenridge pouncing on the loose ball for a fumble recovery at the Rockets’ 22. The Tops didn’t move much from there, as Veltkamp gained four yards on back-to-back runs before George Hart III was thrown backward for a 3-yard loss on a screen. Lucas Carneiro’s 39-yard field goal got the Tops within four at 14-10 with 13:02 left in the third.

The Rockets regrouped with an 80-yard touchdown drive. Gleason kept the chains moving with a pair of long third-down completions to running back Jacquez Stuart – one for 34 yards, the other for 27 – then found Torres for the second time on a 7-yard touchdown pass with 8:13 left in the third.

Immediately after, the game went into a weather delay due to lightning in the area. Many in the announced crowd of 19,127 didn’t stick around for the finish.

Veltkamp stretched his consecutive completions streak to 19 straight to open the game but tossed an interception to Rockets defensive back Maxen Hook when he tried to thread double coverage to connect with Dalvin Smith near the end zone.

Toledo came up empty on a fourth-down try at the WKU 20 when Gleason came up a yard short on a fourth-and-5 with Brackenridge making the stop.

The Rockets broke through on their next possession, with Gleason capping a 10-play, 63-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to put his team up 7-0 with 13:18 left in the first half.

Toledo doubled its lead later in the second when Bryson Hammer’s 43-yard punt return set up the Rockets at the Tops’ 43. Nine plays later, Gleason found Torres on a 14-yard touchdown pass.

Gleason was 19 of 33 passing for 200 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. The Tops made it a tough night for the senior with six quarterback hurries, a pair of sacks, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries, plus Mathews’ two crucial interceptions.

“Really, it was just stay focused on our keys and when the opportunity comes, just make the most of it and just play together for real, run to the ball and make our tackles,” WKU redshirt senior linebacker Kylan Guidry said. “That’s it.”

The Hilltoppers will wrap up their non-conference schedule this coming Saturday with a road game against Boston College. Game time is 11 a.m. in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

FLO RIDA TO PERFORM OCT. 30 PREGAME CONCERT

WKU announced that award-winning rapper Flo Rida will perform a free, pregame concert on Oct. 30 prior to WKU’s home football game against Kennesaw State.

The one-hour concert will begin at 5 p.m. with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. at Houchens-Smith Stadium. South Lawn will open at 2:30 p.m. for the concert festivities and space is available on a first-come basis. Pop-up tents for tailgating will be permitted on the perimeter of lower South Lawn, but space in the middle will be reserved and left open for those to enjoy the concert.{&end}