Hilltopper football arrives in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS, La. – WKU football touched down in the Big Easy on Friday, leaving behind a chilly Bowling Green and arriving to a warm 65-degree welcome from Louisiana.

After accepting their invitation to the 2025 New Orleans Bowl earlier this month, the Tops are getting ready to appear in their 12th bowl game in the past 14 seasons.

Being able to close out the year with a bowl is very special to this program and to the large portion of players and staff who are experiencing their first-ever bowl game.

Soon after their arrival, head coach Tyson Helton and Hilltopper running back George Hart III, a Nola local, shared their emotions to be here.

“It’s a blessing,” Hart said. “I played here a lot of times in high school, so it’s cool to have my last collegiate game here. It’s definitely a blessing having my whole family get to see the last one.”

While Helton isn’t a local, this isn’t his first time in New Orleans, so he had his sights set on his favorite food spot pretty quickly.

“When they told us we were headed to New Orleans, we were really excited,” Helton said. “The bowl committee does a great job here and I’m excited to get some of that good seafood. I’m a big oyster’s guy, so I’m going to probably head down to Felix’s and get some oysters here soon.”

And while coach enjoyed his oysters, the rest of the team enjoyed some golf.

Five O Fore Golf hosted the Hilltoppers on their first night of the trip and got to show off, or for some, not show off their swings.

While some had good form and good shots, others definitely should make sure they stick with a career in football.

But with good food, live music and pure entertainment all around, the Tops are off to what is already a super fun start to the bowl weekend, even if that fun includes making fun of their own golf skills.

“ I don’t have no skill with this. I’m terrible,” WKU defensive back Jaylen Lewis said. “But I’m just glad we are having the time to chill, relax and be with each other.”

WKU is set to take on Southern Miss in the 2025 New Orleans Bowl on December 23 inside Caesar’s Superdome.