RICHMOND, Ky — The football version of the Battle of the Bluegrass will renew when Eastern Kentucky University travels to play at Western Kentucky University in 2024, the two schools announced today.
The game will be played on Sept. 7, 2024 at Houchens-Smith Stadium in Bowling Green.
The 2019 season begins for the Colonels on August 29 at Roy Kidd Stadium. Fans can purchase 2019 season tickets NOW by visiting EKUSports.com or calling 844-3-GoBigE. For information or questions about our special theme days and unique game day experiences for groups of 15 or more, call 844-3-GoBigE.
The most recent meeting between Eastern Kentucky and Western Kentucky came on Sept. 2, 2017. Eastern held Western at bay for much of the first half and stayed within striking distance for most of the second half. EKU closed within 10 points twice before falling by 14, 31-17. The Colonels drove the ball to the WKU six yard line as time expired in the game, just missing a chance to set the final margin at seven.
Eastern Kentucky and Western Kentucky have met on the football field 85 times. This will be just the second match-up between the Colonels and Hilltoppers since WKU moved to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) with the start of the 2009 season.
Both schools were among the seven founding members of the Ohio Valley Conference in 1948. Western left the conference after the 1981 season and returned for the 1999 and 2000 seasons. The first meeting between the two teams was in 1914 when EKU won 34-6 in Richmond. The two teams met every year from 1946 to 2000.
Eastern Kentucky is ranked 24th in the Preseason HERO Sports Top 25, 25th in the Lindy’s Sports Preseason Top 25 and 26th in the College Sports Madness Top 44. Eastern ended the 2018 season with four straight wins and were in the conversation for a playoff spot. The Colonels finished 7-4 overall and third in the OVC with a 5-2 mark.
Eastern Kentucky has won two national championships, 21 conference titles and has made 21 playoff appearances. No other Football Championship Subdivision team has won at least two FCS national titles and 20 or more conference championships.
