Bowling Green, KY (Sports Network) - Shawn Southward rushed for 139 yards and four touchdowns as the Troy Trojans defeated the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, 40-20, in a Sun Belt Conference battle at L.T. Smith Stadium.

Levi Brown threw for 251 yards and one touchdown for Troy (7-2, 6-0 SBC), which has won seven straight games.

The Hilltoppers (0-9, 0-5) were paced by Kawaun Jakes who threw for 185 yards and one score. Jakes also rushed for 121 yards and one touchdown for WKU, which currently holds the nation's longest losing streak at 17 games.

The Hilltoppers took an early 7-0 advantage when Jakes scored on a seven-yard touchdown run.

Less than two minutes later Brown hit Zack Marcum with a 10-yard touchdown pass, tying the game at seven apiece.

Western Kentucky regained the lead early in the second stanza when Jakes connected with Marcus Vasquez for an 18-yard touchdown pass.

However, the Trojans answered back immediately, as Southward rumbled into the end zone on a two-yard run.

Casey Tinius' 29-yard field goal put the Hilltoppers back on top with just over five minutes remaining in the opening half.

Less than two minutes later the Trojans answered back with a five-yard touchdown run by Harris.

The Hilltoppers cut their deficit to one point in the final seconds of the second quarter when Tinius nailed a 43-yard field goal.

The second half was dominated by Southward, as Troy's tailback scored the only three touchdowns of the half. Southward scored on a one-yard run and a 10-yard run in the third quarter, and found the end zone on a 39-yard scamper in the fourth frame.