The Zeitgeist List · Rivalries

100 Miles of Hate

Middle Tennessee6-12Western Kentucky
Regional Program IV#123 of 138–Regional Program II#90 of 138–
See both programs’ full 91-year Zeitgeist History, side by side →
This year’s game — the live preview →
1 player crossed straight to the rival since 2021 — the turncoat ledger →

Western Kentucky leads the all-time series 12-6. They've met 18 times since 2007. Western Kentucky has won the last 7.

Current season

Vegas win totals and transfer-portal swing right now, plus what fans are actually saying — not history, this year.

Middle Tennessee
Transfer portal
-1
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: +1
Western Kentucky
Transfer portal
+0
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: -7

Stature & the series, 2007–2025

Both programs’ standing over time, each line named at its end, with every meeting beneath — read down to see who was bigger and who won. (Stature is each program’s season-by-season standing on the Zeitgeist List, 1936–present — one score blending on-field performance, program achievement, and roster talent.)

program stature over timeMiddle TennesseeWestern Kentuckyevery meeting (bar height = margin; dark: Middle Tennessee won, gray: Western Kentucky won)20002020

The identity war

Middle Tennessee has been the more pass-heavy program more often than not.

Across 19 seasons of real play-level data (2008–2026), Middle Tennessee led 10 and Western Kentucky led 9.

more passmore runMiddle TennesseeWestern Kentucky20082010201220142016201820202022202420262011Middle Tennessee 18.6 ptsWestern Kentucky won 36-332014Western Kentucky 17.2 ptsMiddle Tennessee won 50-472021Western Kentucky 16.3 ptsWestern Kentucky won 48-21
Source team_season_stats (CFBD season totals) · pass rate = passAttempts ÷ (passAttempts + rushingAttempts)

Western Kentucky once won 7 in a row. The biggest win was Middle Tennessee by 38 in 2009. The biggest crowd, 24,911, was in 2014.

The coaching duels

Rick Stockstill vs Tyson Helton0-5
Rick Stockstill vs David Elson2-1
Rick Stockstill vs Willie Taggart2-1
Rick Stockstill vs Jeff Brohm1-2
Rick Stockstill vs Mike Sanford Jr.1-1
Derek Mason vs Tyson Helton0-2

The draft ledger

Every NFL Draft pick either program has produced since the modern era began, decade by decade.

Draft picks
17-20
Western Kentucky leads
1st-rounders
0-0
Since
1967
First CFBD-carried draft class
Middle TennesseeWestern Kentucky
1970s0-2
1980s2-0
1990s6-0
2000s3-3
2010s5-10
2020s1-5

Best picks, either side

2017Forrest Lamp Offensive Guard · Los Angeles ChargersRd 2, pick 6#38 overall
2003Tyrone Calico Wide Receiver · Tennessee TitansRd 2, pick 28#60 overall
2016Kevin Byard Safety · Tennessee TitansRd 3, pick 1#64 overall
2024Malachi Corley Wide Receiver · New York JetsRd 3, pick 1#65 overall
2017Taywan Taylor Wide Receiver · Tennessee TitansRd 3, pick 8#72 overall
2002Joseph Jefferson Defensive Back · Indianapolis ColtsRd 3, pick 9#74 overall
2022DeAngelo Malone Outside Linebacker · Atlanta FalconsRd 3, pick 18#82 overall
1993Mike CaldwelI Linebacker · Cleveland BrownsRd 3, pick 27#83 overall

Recent meetings

Gate premium

Middle Tennessee1.15×its own average home crowd

A modest gap over a small sample of games — real, but not a dramatic swing.

2025Western Kentucky42-26
2024Western Kentucky49-21
2023Western Kentucky31-10
2022Western Kentucky35-17
2021Western Kentucky48-21
2020Western Kentucky20-17
2019Western Kentucky31-26
2018Middle Tennessee29-10
2017Western Kentucky41-38
2016Western Kentucky44-43Middle Tennessee — decided by 1
2015Western Kentucky58-28
2014Middle Tennessee50-47Western Kentucky — decided by 3
2012Middle Tennessee34-29
2011Western Kentucky36-33Middle Tennessee — decided by 3

Every meeting since 2018, play by play

Each line is Middle Tennessee’s chance to win through that meeting. Middle Tennessee is 0-2 in the meetings since 2018 that were still close in the fourth quarter.

2024Western Kentucky 49-21Middle Tennessee lost 21-49 vs Western Kentucky. Chance to win started at 20%, low under 1%, high 29%.
2023Western Kentucky 31-10Middle Tennessee lost 10-31 at Western Kentucky. Chance to win started at 32%, low 1%, high 40%.
2022Western Kentucky 35-17Middle Tennessee lost 17-35 vs Western Kentucky. Chance to win started at 33%, low under 1%, high 57%.
2021Western Kentucky 48-21Middle Tennessee lost 21-48 at Western Kentucky. Chance to win started at 17%, low under 1%, high 23%.
2020Western Kentucky 20-17Middle Tennessee lost 17-20 vs Western Kentucky. Chance to win started at 28%, low 5%, high 55%.
2019Western Kentucky 31-26Middle Tennessee lost 26-31 at Western Kentucky. Chance to win started at 33%, low 3%, high 77%.
2018Middle Tennessee 29-10Middle Tennessee won 29-10 vs Western Kentucky. Chance to win started at 84%, low 82%, high better than 99%.

Meetings with their own story page

11 meetings in our archive, 2015 to 2025.