CHARLOTTE – WKU (8-5) erased a 28-0 first half deficit to come back and win the Famous Toastery Bowl 38-35 in overtime on Monday afternoon over Sun Belt foe Old Dominion (6-7). It marked the fourth-largest comeback in bowl history.
 
Despite five turnovers and a 28-point deficit, the Hilltoppers and redshirt freshman QB Caden Veltkamp completed an incredible comeback. Veltkamp, came on in relief with the Tops down 21-0 midway through the opening quarter. The Bowling Green, Kentucky, native completed 40-52 passes for 383 yards with five touchdowns and one interception, as well as 53 yards on the ground.
 
Veltkamp connected with WR Dalvin Smith on a highlight-reel, one-handed 14-yard touchdown to put the Hilltoppers on the board and cut the lead to 28-7 midway through the second quarter. Smith finished with nine catches for 77 yards and three scores.
 
The pair connected again before the close to the half to cut the Old Dominion lead to 28-14, as Smith plucked another one-handed grab out of the air on his way to the end zone.
 
Old Dominion extended its lead to 35-14 late in the third quarter, but WKU would not go away. Veltkamp hooked up with RB Elijah Young on another highlight-worthy play, this a 37-yard rail route, where Young hurdled a defender on his path to the end zone down the ODU sideline.
 
DB Anthony Johnson, Jr., then intercepted a Grant Wilson pass on a deep ball to get the possession back for the Hilltoppers. Veltkamp then picked out Smith for a 14-yard scoring strike across the middle in the back of the end zone to cut the lead to 35-28. Johnson finished with a team-high eight tackles and the interception.
 
After another defensive stop, WKU was driving again, but the fifth Tops turnover seemed to potentially cut the comeback short. ODU recovered the fumble and returned it inside the WKU 35. ODU then attempted a 47-yard field goal, which was blocked by Marshall Jackson, to keep hope alive.
 
Inside three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Veltkamp orchestrated the game-tying 64-yard touchdown drive. Veltkamp connected with WR K.D. Hutchinson on fourth and goal from the 15 to tie the game at 35-35 with just 19 seconds to play.
 
In overtime, a goal line stand by the Hilltoppers allowed for a false start penalty to push the ball back to the six. ODU then opted for another field goal try, which was also blocked, this time by Talique Allen.
 
WKU was able to then drive inside the ODU 15-yard line, thanks in large part to a great individual effort by WR Easton Messer, who broke a tackle to pick a first down on third and long. That set up K Lucas Carneiro, who made the game-winning 29-yard field goal to give the Hilltoppers their fourth bowl victory in the past five years (and third straight), all under head coach Tyson Helton. Messer finished with seven catches for 68 yards in the win.
 
Conference USA improved to 2-1 during bowl season and is now 2-0 against Sun Belt competition. The fourth and final bowl game involving a CUSA school pits No. 23 Liberty (13-0) against No. 8 Oregon (11-2) on Monday, Jan. 1, at 12 p.m. CT in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on ESPN.