ESPN CFB Model Tabs Hilltoppers as Preseason C-USA Favorites

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – With college football’s opening weekend just over two months away, many sports outlets across the country are beginning  to release their preseason predictions for the upcoming season.

One of the more reputable and well-renowned sources is an ESPN model called “SP+”, which predicts outcomes based on measures of the most predictable and sustainable aspects of football.

SP+ recently released its season forecast for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and tabbed Tyson Helton’s squad as the preseason favorites to win the Conference USA.

The Tops were a slight favorite over the UAB Blazers, who many have projected to win the C-USA in 2020.

According to SP+, Helton’s second year is projected to follow right in the footsteps of his first season on The Hill, in which his team went 9-4 and 6-2 in conference play.

ESPN’s advanced model gives the Hilltoppers a 68% chance to win between 7 and 9 games this season, with the most likely outcome residing at the 8 win mark.

WKU has a favorite win probability percentage in every game except Week 2 at Indiana and Week 4 at in-state rival Louisville.

Furthermore, the team has a 93.8% chance of making a bowl game this season, which would be the program’s sixth in the last seven years.