Reed to Corley for 3 long TDs, Western Kentucky holds off Louisiana Tech 35-28

Updated Oct. 6, 2023 12:04 a.m. ET

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RUSTON, Va. (AP) — Malachi Corley hauled in three long touchdown from Austin Reed in a dominant first half and Western Kentucky held on to defeat Louisiana Tech 35-28 on Thursday night.

Corley, who had touchdowns covering 70, 48 and 29 yards in the first half, finished with eight catches for a career-high 207 yards, gaining 142 yards after the catch. Reed was 19 of 34 for 297 yards but after the big-play first half had just 41 yards in the second half..

Markese Steep and Davion Ervin-Poindexter ran for touchdowns for the Hilltoppers (4-2, 2-0 Conference USA), who had 371 of their 426 total yards before the break.

Western Kentucky only had two first downs in the second half but Anthony Johnson Jr., picked off Jack Turner with 1:40 to play sealed the win.

Turner threw for a touchdown and ran for another, both in the third quarter, when the Bulldogs (3-4, 2-1) got back in the game.

Turner was 21 of 41 with Smoke Harris catching 11 for 117 yards. Tyre Shelton had 118 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. Shelton's second touchdown, with 3:09 to play, had Western Kentucky on the rocks.

The Hilltoppers had 175 yards on just 12 plays in the first quarter. Steep scored on a 56-yard run. and Ervin-Poindexter bulled in from a yard out three plays after Virginal Marshall returned an interception 40 yards to the La Tech 16.

Corley's long touchdown was his 210th career reception, moving up to second on the WKU career list.

The Bulldogs led 7-0 after Reed was intercepted on the second snap of the game and Shelton scored on a 25-yard run but they trailed 35-7 at the half.

Louisiana Tech played without second leading tackler Brevan Randle who was suspended indefinitely after stomping on the head of a UTEP play in last week's game.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll

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Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

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Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

Malachi Corley

Austin Reed