Steven Duncan thinks his Western Kentucky team is on the verge of something special.

“We’re ready to put it all together,” the quarterback said Saturday after his team’s 20-17 loss to Marshall. “This team is really good. We’re really freaking good.

“I believe in every single one of these guys. They’re determined and they’re ready to bounce back.”

The Hilltoppers sit 1-4 after their latest defeat, a three-point loss in their Conference USA opener. Of those four losses, three have come by three points each.

WKU’s first such defeat came 31-28 on Sept. 8, courtesy of FCS program Maine. The Black Bears reeled off 31 straight points after the Toppers led 21-0, then blocked kicker Ryan Nuss’ attempt at a game-tying field goal in the final minute.

Louisville was the next team to deliver WKU a heartbreaking defeat, 20-17 on Sept. 15. The Hilltoppers led 14-0 but couldn’t put away the Cardinals, who clawed back, took the lead late and held on when Nuss’ game-tying field goal attempt at the buzzer went just wide.

WKU momentarily reversed its close-game fortunes Sept. 22 at Ball State. Duncan came off the bench and led the Tops to three second-half touchdowns, including two over the final five minutes, in a 28-20 victory.

“Ball State was a game where we were essentially in a one-point game and got a touchdown late,” coach Mike Sanford said. “But that was one of those games, too, that was really going to come down to the end.

“Getting over the hump in that game was big. But tonight (against Marshall), we didn’t get it done.”

Cornerback DeAndre Farris intercepted a pass late Saturday and returned it all the way to the Marshall 11. Duncan and tight end Mik’Quan Deane connected on a shovel-pass touchdown the very next play, putting the Hilltoppers up 17-13 with 6:50 left in the game.

A bitter series of events followed that led to a third three-point defeat.

Linebacker Masai Whyte intercepted Herd QB Isaiah Green and returned the ball to the Marshall 28.

Cornerback Dionte Ruffin was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct on the play. That call sent WKU back 15 yards and out of field goal range.

Ruffin’s penalty proved costly, as the Topper offense couldn’t move the ball and had to punt. Alex Rinella did his job though, pinning the Thundering Herd back at its own 2-yard line with 4:23 left.

ESPN analytics gave WKU an 84.3-percent win probability after that punt.

Green played erratically throughout the game Saturday, but this time he calmly marched his team almost the entire length of the field. He found Obi Obialo for 20 yards on third-and-seven to the Marshall 27 and then Armani Levias for 35 yards to the WKU 38.

Three plays later, on third-and-four, Green and Tyre Brady struck for a 32-yard TD that put the Herd up 20-17 with 1:44 left.

The Hilltopper defense played well most of the night but allowed a 98-yard scoring drive with the game on the line.

“We put a lot of emphasis on finishing out games in the fourth quarter and we didn’t do that tonight,” the redshirt senior Farris said. “We have to execute better.”

WKU found itself at the Marshall 10-yard line in the final minute after Duncan’s 60-yard bomb to wide receiver Jacquez Sloan and 10-yard completion to Deane.

Needing a field goal to tie or touchdown to win the game, the Tops instead turned the ball over. The Herd’s Ryan Bee strip-sacked Duncan, forcing a fumble that Juwon Young recovered, sealing a Marshall win with 24 seconds left.

“They went 98 yards to drive and win the game,” Sanford said. “We had an opportunity on the 10-yard line offensively to go win the game.

“We’ve obviously got to take care of the football. We can’t put the ball in harm’s way. We’ll learn from those situations.”

WKU is now amid its lone bye week of the season. The Hilltoppers’ next contest is Oct. 13 at Charlotte.

The close losses have shrunk WKU’s margin for error, especially when it comes to bowl eligibility. If plays over the last month had broken differently, the team could be 3-2 or even 4-1.

Now a Hilltopper program that has won at least six regular-season games every season since 2011 but must go at least 5-2 the rest of the way to reach that mark again this year.

A win Saturday also would’ve given WKU a leg up in the C-USA East Division race. Now the Toppers face an uphill climb in a division that no team with worse than a 7-1 league record has won since 2011.

Sanford stumped for his “really good football team” after Saturday’s loss and said that after a tough start to the season, it’s on the verge of a breakthrough.

“I do believe in the men in that locker room,” Sanford said. “I believe in those players. I think there are going to be some fun times coming up if we continue to stay together and fight like we are.”