BOWLING GREEN — A roller coaster college football career could come to an end this weekend for Western Kentucky linebacker Ben Duvall and 11 other Hilltopper seniors.
The same group that went 0-12 in 2009 — part of a 26-game losing streak that stretched into 2010 and 18-game home losing skid that ended this season — will partake in senior day festivities before WKU's season finale against Troy at Saturday.
"I'm happy that the seniors have fought through all of it," Duvall said. "We've stuck together and kept working hard, and now we're finally fighting our way out of the bottom."
The Hilltoppers (6-5, 6-1 Sun Belt) have run out to their best record since completing a transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2009 behind six straight conference wins. The only loss interrupting that streak came against No. 1 LSU.
A win over Troy (3-7, 2-4) would make the Hilltoppers perfect in Sun Belt revenge games from last season.
EKU, Centre, Georgetown in playoff games
Three Kentucky colleges are engaging in post-season playoff action on Saturday.
■ Eastern Kentucky (7-4) plays host to James Madison (7-4) at noon in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
The teams' first-ever meeting will be televised live on ESPNU.
EKU earned its playoff berth by winning six of its final seven games to capture a share of its 21st Ohio Valley Conference title. Saturday's game marks Eastern Kentucky's first home playoff game since 1994, which was also the last year the Colonels won a playoff game.
■ Centre (9-1) visits Mount Union (11-0) in the NCAA Division III round of 16 at Alliance, Ohio. The teams' first-ever meeting kicks off at noon.
The Colonels, making their first post-season appearance in 90 years, advanced by beating Hampden-Sydney 51-41 last Saturday at Centre.
Mount Union, which beat Benedictine (Ill.) last week, has won 10 NCAA titles and is 70-12 all-time in the Division III playoffs.
■ Georgetown College makes its first appearance in the NAIA quarterfinals in six years when the Tigers (11-0) host St. Francis (9-2) of Fort Wayne, Ind., at 1:30 p.m.
Saint Francis is coached by Kevin Donley, who won a national championship as Georgetown's coach in 1991. Donley is second all-time on Georgetown's victories list, behind the current Tigers coach, Bill Cronin.
This is the teams' seventh post-season meeting. Georgetown won in 1999, 2000 and 2002. Saint Francis won in 2003, 2004 and 2005.
Top 25
No. 8 Houston 48, Tulsa 16: Case Keenum threw for 457 yards and five touchdowns, Patrick Edwards had 181 yards receiving and four scores and No. 8 Houston earned a spot in the Conference USA championship game by beating host Tulsa.
The Cougars (12-0, 8-0) set a school season record by winning their 12th game.
No. 22 Nebraska 20, Iowa 7: Rex Burkhead, who started the week with his right foot in a walking boot, ran for 160 yards and a touchdown on a school-record 38 carries as No. 22 Nebraska defeated Iowa.
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