MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) - Kawaun Jakes threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Bobby Rainey in the second overtime to give Western Kentucky a 36-33 victory over Middle Tennessee on Thursday night.
Rainey, the Sun Belt Conference rushing leader, ran for 146 yards and a touchdown and caught six passes for 57 yards for the Hilltoppers (1-4, 1-1). Jakes completed 17 of 34 passes for 222 yards.
Logan Kilgore was 23 of 47 for 282 yards and two touchdowns for Middle Tennessee (1-3, 0-2). William Pratcher ran for 106 yards, and D.D. Kyles gained 96 yards and scored a touchdown.
After Middle Tennessee's Alan Gendreau made a 22-yard field goal to tie it at 16, Josh Evans returned the kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown for Western Kentucky to make it 23-16.
Middle Tennessee answered with Kilgore connecting with Anthony Amos on an 8-yard, fourth-down touchdown pass with 4:55 left. Western Kentucky had a chance to win in regulation, but Shubert Bastien blocked Casey Tinius' 46-yard field goal attempt as time ran out.
In overtime, Kadeem Jones scored the second of his two touchdowns on a 1-yard run for Western Kentucky.
Middle Tennessee answered with Kilgore's 25-yard TD pass to Sancho McDonald.
In the second overtime, Middle Tennessee settled for Gendreau's 23-yard field goal.
