Red Towel Roundtable: Key Hilltoppers victories

Aug 31, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers defensive back Cam Thomas (19) breaks up a pass intended for Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver A.J. Legree (6) during the second half at LP Field. Western Kentucky won 35-26. Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

Fletcher Keel: The Hilltoppers victory over Marshall on Friday was not only impressive, but huge for the Tops football program, no doubt. It also ranks way way up there in terms of all-time football wins. But, I hold the belief that beating the Herd is not the biggest win in WKU history. That distinction, in my mind, belongs to the 2012 team with their victory over Kentucky in Lexington.

Without that game happening, who knows what happens? Do the Hilltoppers go to the Little Ceasers Pizza Bowl? Does Willie Taggart bolt for USF? Does Bobby Petrino come in to replace him? Does WKU move to Conference USA?

So many domino’s fell because of that win, and the more you think about it, the more domino’s that fall. That, and it was the first of many breakout games for one Antonio Andrews. Remember, the Tops were still looking for who would be the workhorse in the first season after Bobby Rainey, and a 125 yard and three touchdown day solidified him as the workhorse we all came to love, and is now playing on Sundays.

The win against Marshall is a sweet one, no doubt about it, and will do wonders in terms of a bowl game this year, as well as confidence going into 2015, but without the win in Lexington in 2012, who knows where this program would be? And that’s a scary, scary thought.

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