Western Kentucky has had some packed games at Houchens-Smith Stadium over the years, but this Saturday’s matchup between the Hilltoppers and Big Ten opponent Indiana is expected to bring in one of the largest crowds the facility has ever hosted.
According to Olivia Higgins, WKU’s associate athletic director for marketing, promotions and the ticket office, WKU has less than 2,000 tickets available for Saturday’s game, which is scheduled to kickoff at 7 p.m.
Houchens-Smith Stadium’s capacity is 22,113, so WKU is certainly planning to have a full house when the Hilltoppers take the field Saturday night.
“Super excited to get a Big Ten opponent here – the Indiana Hoosiers – into Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium, not only for our football team to play but for our campus and university,” Higgins said. “We’ll have a lot of visitors on campus, and it’s such a great opportunity for exposure for WKU.”
Higgins said that the anticipation for the Indiana game is similar to what the WKU vs. Vanderbilt game in 2016 received, when 23,674 fans – the largest crowd ever at Houchens-Smith Stadium – showed up to watch an exciting contest that ultimately went into overtime.
Although Higgins and WKU are anticipating another similar environment Saturday, she said that the fans – and especially students – have to show up.
“Now, it’s all in the hands of people showing up,” Higgins said. “It’s in the hands of students showing up because you have to think there’s a lot of reserved sections for students, so they’ve got to show up as well.
“But we’re really, really close to all those Vanderbilt numbers, so it’s looking really good.”
To purchase tickets for WKU-Indiana, fans can go to WKUTickets.com or call the WKU Ticket Office at 1-800-5-BIGRED.