DALVIN SMITH
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – WKU Football overcame a 28-point deficit to win the 2023 Famous Toastery Bowl, 38-35, in overtime on Monday at Jerry Richardson Stadium. The 28-point comeback was the fourth largest in college football history for a bowl game.
With the win, WKU finishes the 2023 season with an 8-5 record.
“This is what bowl games are all about,” WKU Head Coach Tyson Helton said. “That’s why we play them. Very proud of our football team. A lot of people stepped up today, a lot of guys that hadn’t played much football. It’s definitely one of the biggest wins I’ve been a part of. I’ve been a part of a lot of good wins, a lot of good wins, but this one will definitely go in the record books. I’ll look back on this one and be very, very proud of this win.
“Just so proud of our football team, how they battled and how they kept playing. They have a warrior spirit, and we talk about it all the time. They showed it tonight.”
Quarterback Caden Veltkamp was named Offensive MVP, going 40-of-52 for 383 yards and five touchdowns – three of them to Dalvin Smith – and Anthony Johnson Jr. was named Defensive MVP with eight tackles and a crucial interception.
WKU had five turnovers in the game, which contributed to Old Dominion jumping out to a 28-0 lead just 1:22 into the second quarter.
Veltkamp, who did not start the game, came into the Famous Toastery Bowl with just six career completions. His 40 completions on Monday set a new WKU record for a bowl game.
“I told these guys, ‘We’re going to win the game.’ As soon as I went in I said, ‘We’re going to win. It’s not a question. We’re going to win the game,'” Veltkamp said. “It took to the very last play to do it, but it’s because of the guys around me. These guys played unreal. The offensive line was great, the protection. I think I took two sacks and both of them were my fault. I threw some OK balls to Dalvin and he just flexed with one hand. These guys around me, they played well. The defense just kept getting stops, kept giving us opportunities, so all credit to these guys, man. I love these guys.”
The Tops made several Sportscenter Top-10 plays in Monday’s game, the first of which was a one-handed touchdown grab by Smith in the corner of the end zone to get WKU on the board, a 28-7 score which stood at the half.
Smith made a second incredible one-handed grab across the middle of the field early in the third quarter, scampering 18 yards into the end zone to trim the ODU lead to 28-14.
“I think it’s just leading up to the point of, we always know we’re using the game – there’s only one game on TV that day, so I just go with that mindset of everyone in America is watching me, so go put on a show,” Smith said. “That’s what I did the past two years.”
After the Monarchs increased the lead to 35-14 with 3:04 left in the third quarter, Elijah Young scored on a 37-yard catch, hurdle and run to make it 35-21 with 14:09 to play.
Smith scored his third TD of the day, a 14-yard reception, with 9:42 to play, to trim the deficit to just seven. That drive was made possible by Johnson’s interception on the deep ball.
The Hilltoppers tied the game with 19 seconds left, as Veltkamp connected with K.D. Hutchinson for a 15-yard touchdown reception on 4th-and-goal from the 15.
WKU won the toss in overtime and chose to play defense, immediately forcing the Monarchs into a 3rd-and-13 before a 15-yard run for first down. Two plays later, ODU found themselves on the one yard line, but the Tops defense would hold strong and then block its second field goal of the game to keep the score tied, 35-35.
“Every huddle, we’re just brothers,” Johnson said. “Offense has our back, defense has each other’s back. We’re just going to fight together as a team. We’re never pointing fingers at each other and we’ll just always keep together. With our brotherhood, we just keep it going and it showed today.”
On WKU’s possession, Veltkamp connected with Easton Messer on 3rd-and-10, with Messer spinning out of the tackle and gaining 13 yards for a first down. After the Hilltoppers centered the ball, Lucas Carneiro drilled a 29-yard field goal to give WKU its third straight bowl victory and seventh bowl win in program history.
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