Veltkamp recognized as Manning Start of the Week

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Football quarterback Caden Veltkamp was one of eight quarterbacks recognized as Manning Award “Stars of the Week,” the Manning Award, sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, announced Monday.

College football fans can vote for what they think was the best performance from this past weekend HERE. After voting closes on Wednesday at 9 a.m. CT, the top vote-getter will be announced as the Manning Award Quarterback of the Week.

Veltkamp was also named to the Davey O’Brien Award’s Great 8 list for Week 3 on Monday, which adds him to the official Davey O’Brien Award Watch List, and was named Conference USA’s Offensive Player of the Week.

Veltkamp came off the bench in WKU’s 49-21 victory over “100 Miles of Hate” rival Middle Tennessee on Saturday at Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to replace injured starter TJ Finley. Veltkamp threw for 398 yards and five touchdowns on 27-of-30 passing in the win and added a 1-yard rushing touchdown as well.

Veltkamp’s five touchdown passes were the most in a single game by a Hilltopper since he came off the bench in the 2023 Famous Toastery Bowl and threw five touchdowns in WKU’s 38-35 overtime victory over Old Dominion, in which he led a 28-0 comeback – the fourth-largest ever in a bowl game. Saturday marked the 24th time in program history a WKU player had thrown at least five touchdown passes in a game.

Veltkamp’s 256.4 rating was the third-best ever in single game by a WKU quarterback, and his 17 consecutive completions to end the game was the second-longest stretch in a game by a WKU quarterback. His 90% completion percentage was the best mark ever in a game by a Hilltopper quarterback with at least 10 completions.

The Hilltoppers put up over 600 yards of offense and 49 points – the most WKU has scored against the Blue Raiders in a game in Murfreesboro and third-most in a game against the rivals overall – in the win. WKU has now won six straight games against Middle Tennessee and have claimed victories in nine of the last 10 meetings to take a 38-35-1 lead in the series. The 49-21 win on Saturday marked the sixth time in the last 11 meetings WKU has scored 40-plus points against Middle Tennessee. In the 63 meetings prior to 2014, WKU had only scored 40-plus points in a game in the rivalry four times.

The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in 2004 to honor the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates’ bowl performances in its balloting. Since the Manning Award started recognizing Stars of the Week in 2011, 519 different quarterbacks from 133 schools have been recognized. Sixty-six players were honored during the 2023 season.

While the Manning Award selected 29 quarterbacks for its preseason Watch List, additional quarterbacks are expected to be added to the Watch List later in the season. Finalists will be selected in early December and the winner is scheduled to be announced following the College Football Playoff National Championship.

WKU will be back in action at home against Toledo on Saturday, Sept. 21. Kickoff at Houchens-Smith Stadium is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.