| Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1908; 117 years ago[a] | ||
| Athletic director | Todd Stewart | ||
| Head coach | Tyson Helton 7th season, 52–33 (.612) | ||
| Stadium | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium (capacity: 22,000) | ||
| Location | Bowling Green, Kentucky | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FBS | ||
| Conference | Conference USA | ||
| All-time record | 618–427–30[1] (.589) | ||
| Bowl record | 11–6 (.647) | ||
| Claimed national titles | |||
| Div. I FCS:2002 | |||
| Conference titles | |||
| SIAA:1932 OVC:1952,1963,1970,1971,1973,1975,1978,1980,2000,2002 C-USA:2015,2016 | |||
| Conference division titles | |||
| C-USA East:2015,2016,2021 | |||
| Consensus All-Americans | 5 | ||
| Rivalries | Middle Tennessee (rivalry) Eastern Kentucky (rivalry) Murray State (rivalry) | ||
| Colors | Red and white[2] | ||
| Fight song | Stand Up and Cheer! | ||
| Mascot | Big Red | ||
| Marching band | Big Red Marching Band | ||
| Outfitter | Nike | ||
| Website | WKUSports.com | ||
TheWestern Kentucky Hilltoppers football program is acollege football team that representsWestern Kentucky University. The team competes at theNCAA Division IFootball Bowl Subdivision level and represents the university as a member ofConference USA in the Eastern division. The2002 team was theFCS national champion. The program has 13 conference championships (1SIAA, 9OVC, 1Gateway, 2Conference USA) and 7FBS-level bowl game victories. The Hilltoppers play their home games atHouchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium inBowling Green, Kentucky and the team's head football coach isTyson Helton.
Western Kentucky first fielded a football team in 1908 but did not start playing sanctioned games until the 1913 season. M.A. Leiper and Roy Manchester are the first noted coaches for WKU. The two men teamed up to coach the Hilltoppers for their inaugural season which solely consisted of a 20–0 win over Elizabethtown. J.L. Arthur then took over the program for three years from 1914 to 1916, coaching a total of 14 games, 6 of which were againstEastern Kentucky.
From 1917 to 1919 the Hilltoppers didn't compete in football from due to World War I. In 1920, L. T. Smith, whose name bears the Hilltoppers' home stadium, took the reins and coached the team for two seasons. From1922 to1928, the Hilltoppers saw their first success as CoachE.A. Diddle took over the football program for seven seasons leading them to four winning seasons while also coaching theWestern Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team. Diddle, who was a dual-athlete himself, encouraged his players to participate in multiple sports so they could stay in shape. His first team set a school record for wins that would stand for 41 years and his last team claimed to be state champions.[3] When he retired from coaching football in 1928, Diddle posted a record of 38–24–2. The Hilltoppers outscored opponents 171–7 in Diddle's final year of coaching the program. After Diddle left the football program to focus on coaching basketball, WKU football went through a series of instability in coaching but also a series of 9 winning seasons.
In 1929,Carl "Swede" Anderson took over as head coach leading the Hilltoppers to a 7–3 record before leaving to take the head coach job over theKansas State freshman football team. In 1934, Carl Anderson returned for a second stint with the Hilltoppers where he served as head coach through the1937 season posting a 24–9–3 record with wins over EKU in all four seasons. The Hilltoppers were very successful in this era posting an outstanding a 60–20–4 record. After Anderson left the hill once again, this time to be an assistant coach atIndiana, the Hilltoppers selectedGander Terry to lead the program. In their four seasons under Terry, the Hilltoppers went 25–9–3 beating rivalsMiddle Tennessee and Eastern Kentucky in every game they played. Terry left the program after the 1941 season following a 4–5–1 record, the Hilltopper's first losing season since 1925. Arnold Winkenhofer took over in 1942 coaching the Toppers for one season before the program was stopped from 1943 to 1945 due to World War II. In 1946, Jesse Thomas returned to the Hill for his second stint as head coach. Thomas only stuck around WKU two more seasons with much less success than his first go around posting a 5–10–2 record.
Jack Clayton provided some much-needed stability to the WKU football program where he served as head coach for 9 seasons. In 1949, after losing the first two games to start the season, Clayton started a freshman quarterback by the name ofJimmy Feix winning 5 of the last 7 games that season. By1952, with Feix now in his senior year, Clayton coached WKU to their firstOhio Valley Conference championship, tied theschool record for wins, and the school's first bowl appearance, winning 34–19 overArkansas State in theRefrigerator Bowl, finishing the season 9–1. Feix became the first WKU football athlete ever to earn All-America honors after posting the highest pass completion percentage in the nation (.612). Under Clayton, the Hilltoppers posted a record of 50–33–2 before he left to coach atNorthwestern Louisiana State College, his alma mater.Nick Denes, who was also aWestern Kentucky Hilltoppers baseball head coach and for whomNick Denes Field is named, coached WKU football for 11 seasons. In his time on the Hill, Denes compiled a 57–39–7 record for a .587 winning percentage. In1963, Denes led the Hilltoppers to their second bowl game victory, defeating Coast Guard 27–0 in theTangerine Bowl, a season where the Hilltoppers went 10–0–1 and set a newschool record for wins. Denes retired after the1967 season following a 42–19 win overMurray State.
After serving under Nick Denes as an assistant coach for all 11 seasons,Jimmy Feix was promoted to head coach. In his 16 seasons at the helm, Feix compiled an impressive 105–56–6 record (.6488). His 14 teams that competed in theOhio Valley Conference went 67–28–2 (.701) in conference play. The Hilltoppers won six Ohio Valley Conference championships between1970 and1980. Feix became the most successful and longest-tenured coach in Western Kentucky football history while leading the Hilltoppers in a transition fromNCAA Division II toNCAA Division I-AA (now FCS). In1973, the Hilltoppers went undefeated in the regular season before competing in the first-year NCAA Division II championship playoffs. They made it to the championship game againstLouisiana Tech coming up just short and finishing the season 12–1, setting a newschool record for wins that still stands. In1975, the Hilltoppers made the playoff field again advancing to the title game for the second time, but once again having to settle for runner-up honors finishing their season with an 11–2 record.[4] Feix was named OVC Coach of the Year in 1973,1978 and 1980 and remains the winningest football coach in WKU history.[5] Feix coached 16 athletes who followed him on the list of WKU football All-Americans.
Feix retired as head coach moving to work in Alumni Affairs for two years before taking over as director of athletics in 1986. In his vacancy, the Hilltoppers hired formerVanderbilt assistantDave Roberts to be the head coach with hopes of continuing what Feix started. Roberts struggled through his first three seasons posting a record 10–22–1 before turning things around. In1987 and1988 Roberts took the Hilltoppers to theNCAA Division I-AA playoffs coming up short to rival EKU both years. After the 1988 season, Roberts left Western Kentucky for theNortheast Louisiana head coaching job. Though going 16–8 in his last two season, Roberts left with a 26–30–1 record becoming the first Hilltopper coach to leave with a losing record in over 60 years.
Jack Harbaugh served as the Hilltoppers head football coach for 14 seasons, compiling a 91–68 record, three 10+ win seasons, two conference championships (OVC2000, Gateway2002) and the 2002Division I-AA National Championship.[6] Harbaugh took the Hilltopper football program from the depths of despair in the early 1990s to its best stretch since the legendaryJimmy Feix coached on the Hill. In 1992, WKU was on the verge of losing its football program after a state-mandated $6.1 million budget cut. Harbaugh was notified of the plans to shut down the program just before spring practice was about to begin. Having already made up his mind that he was not going to quit, he talked with his players left them a choice: accept defeat and leave, or fight to stay. Now known as the 1992 "Save the Program" team, every player decided to stay, fight, and work to save WKU football.[7] While Harbaugh and the team did their part, former WKU quarterback, coach and athletics director at the time, Jimmy Feix, started an emergency fundraising campaign writing letters and making calls to former WKU players, urging them to buy season tickets. All the efforts paid off and on April 30, 1992, the WKU Board of Regents voted to allow football to stay but with a reduced budget.[8] The Hilltoppers finished the 1992 season with a losing record of 4–6. As the budget remained tight over the next few years WKU managed an 8–3 record in1993 before having back-to-back losing seasons.
No one ever doubted Harbaugh's ability to coach but he clearly needed better players. In 1994, with unwavering faith in their father, both of his sons,Jim Harbaugh andJohn Harbaugh, decided to help however they could. While still playing in the NFL, Jim joined the WKU football coaching staff as an NCAA-certified unpaid assistant which allowed him to recruit. John, on the other hand, was a coach atCincinnati and could rely on his scouting services, deep contacts, and endless high school game footage to help out.[9] Jim set out and started contacting recruits, his first beingWillie Taggart, an All-American and four-year starter at quarterback for WKU. Jim also recruited future NFL playersRod Smart andMel Mitchell to WKU as well as 17 players on the 2002 national championship team.[10] The Hilltoppers went 7–4 in 1996 and returned to theNCAA Playoffs in1997 behind the arm and legs of quarterback Willie Taggart, which started a long series of winning seasons. Jack and his wife Jackie are credited with saving the program which led to being honored in 2012 with naming rights to the stadium club atL. T. Smith Stadium. This was 20 years after the 1992 "Save the Program" season and 10 years after the 2002 championship season.[11]
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After serving onHarbaugh's coaching staff seven seasons,David Elson was promoted to head coach where he led the Hilltoppers for seven seasons.[12] Elson's first four seasons as head coach were at theDivision I-AA level (now FCS) where he picked up where Harbaugh left and posted four straight winning seasons, a record of 30–17, and two playoff berths. On November 2, 2006, prior to the end of the season, WKU's board of regents voted in favor of moving from NCAA Division I-AA toNCAA Division I-A football (now FBS) and would be joining theSun Belt Conference in all sports by 2009.[13] The move allowed WKU to add 22 scholarships by 2009 and increase the overall football budget by an estimated $2.5 million by the time the transition was complete.[14]
In2007, the Hilltoppers began the transition to NCAA Division I FBS as Independents, considered a reclassifying school for both the 2007 and 2008 seasons due to NCAA rules. The Hilltoppers were not eligible to participate in a Sun Belt Conference Championship or a berth in a bowl game until the 2009 season. Knowing it wasn't going to be easy, and without the motivation of being eligible to compete for a championship, Elson and the Hilltoppers set two team goals that season; to win seven games and to go undefeated at home. Both goals required at least one win over an FBS team. If the Hilltoppers won seven games, they got rings.[15] They were able to accomplish the first of those goals, going 7–5 that season as they beat long-time rivalMTSU in Murfreesboro, but were unable to hold offTroy at home; both of which were FBS schools and members of the Sun Belt Conference. That win over MTSU in 2007 would be the last major win for the Hilltoppers under Elson. The 2008 season shed a truer light to the transition as the Hilltoppers went 2–10 with no wins over FBS opponents, only beating their two other long-time rivals and FCS-level opponentsEKU andMurray State. Things only got worse for the Hilltoppers in 2009 after they finally became full members of the Sun Belt Conference. WKU lost every game that season, going 0–12, posting their worst record in school history. Elson was hopeful to survive the transition as he asked for patience in building the program, but on November 9, 2009, prior to the end of the season, athletic director, Wood Selig had enough and fired Elson.[16] The Hilltoppers went 39–44 under Elson, going 9–27 in his final three seasons (1–26 against FBS opponents).
WKU Quarterback Legend,Willie Taggart, returned to his alma mater as head football coach in 2010 after leaving his position asStanford running backs coach,[17] where he served underJack Harbaugh's sonJim Harbaugh.[18] In their first year under Taggart, coming off a winless season under Elson, WKU finally broke their 26-game losing streak with a 54–21 win atUL Lafayette. The Hilltoppers finished 2–10 that season. From there, Taggart is credited with getting WKU's football program back on track after posting back to back 7–5 regular seasons that included an upset ofKentucky in Lexington in 2012. That was Western Kentucky's first win over aSEC opponent in program history. Despite the surprising 7–5 record in2011, a season in which the Hilltoppers went 7–1 in their final eight games, they were not invited to a bowl game. It wasn't until the following year,2012, that the Hilltoppers were invited to their first FBS-level bowl game, theLittle Caesar's Bowl.
On December 7, 2012, prior to their December 26 bowl game, Taggart left WKU to accept the head football coach position atSouth Florida.[19]Lance Guidry, WKU's defensive coordinator was named interim head coach and led the Hilltoppers to their first bowl appearance as an FBS member. In a valiant but unsuccessful effort, WKU was defeated 21–24 byCentral Michigan.[20] Taggart, who started all four years as the Hilltoppers quarterback from 1995 to 1998 under Jack Harbaugh, ran a run-heavy West Coast style offense that helped develop leading rushers,Bobby Rainey andAntonio Andrews. Rainey was named Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2010 and 2011 whileQuanterus Smith won Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year in 2012.
FormerLouisville,Atlanta Falcons andArkansas head coachBobby Petrino was hired as the new head football coach following Taggart's departure.[21] In the news conference announcing Petrino's hiring in December 2012, athletic director Todd Stewart called it a "landmark moment" in the history of WKU football.[22] Keeping the programs momentum going, on April 1, 2013, it was announced that WKU would joinConference USA in all sports effective July 1, 2014, the following season.[23] In their first game under Petrino and to start the season, the Hilltoppers won their second straight game over SEC opponentKentucky, playing at a neutral site in Nashville, Tennessee.[24] The Hilltoppers finished the2013 regular season 8–4, posting their best record since 2004, but were once again snubbed from a bowl appearance.[25] In WKU's last season as members of the Sun Belt,Antonio Andrews won Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year while Xavius Boyd won Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year. WKU became the first school in league history to sweep the top three honors with just two players.[26] On January 8, 2014, it was announced that Petrino would leave WKU to return toLouisville to accept the head football coach position.[27]
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After one season as offensive coordinator for the Hilltoppers,Jeff Brohm was promoted to the program's head football coach, replacing Petrino.[28] In their first season under Brohm and as members ofConference USA, WKU went 8–5. Highlights of the season include upsetting undefeated and No. 24 rankedMarshall, in Huntington, 67–66 in overtime[29] (effectively starting a rivalry between the two schools) as well as winning thePopeyes Bahamas Bowl, their first FBS bowl win with a 49–48 victory overCentral Michigan.[30] Brohm is credited with developing leading quarterbackBrandon Doughty who led the FBS in passing yards and passing touchdowns in2014 with 4,830 yards and 49 touchdowns respectively. Doughty was named 2014Sammy Baugh Trophy winner as well as 2014 Conference USA Most Valuable Player.[31]
In2015, Brohm led WKU to a ten-win regular season, highlighted by an undefeated conference record, WKU's first appearance in the top 25, and aConference USA Championship beatingSouthern Miss 45–28. The Hilltoppers went on to defeatSouth Florida, who was coached by former Hilltopper quarterback and coachWillie Taggart, in theMiami Beach Bowl 45–35, ending the season with a 12–2 record and ranked 24th in the nation.[32] QuarterbackBrandon Doughty again led the FBS in passing yards with 5,055, and passing touchdowns with 48, but also led in pass completion percentage with 71.9 and total yards per play with 8.7. Doughty was named the C-USA Most Valuable Player for a second straight year becoming the first player in league history to win the award in back-to-back seasons. In2016, Brohm led WKU to their second consecutive 10+ win season for the first time in school history and their second straight C-USA Football Championship title. WKU beatLaTech 58–44 in a revenge match becoming just the second team to repeat as C-USA champions in back-to-back years and the first team in C-USA to host the championship and win in back-to-back years.[33]
On December 5, 2016, it was announced that Jeff Brohm would be leaving to take the head coach position atPurdue and that defensive coordinatorNick Holt would be filling in as interim head coach leading into their bowl game.[34] Holt led the Hilltoppers to their 3rd straight bowl victory beatingMemphis 51–31 in theBoca Raton Bowl finishing the season 11–3. In his three seasons as head coach Jeff Brohm posted an outstanding 30–10 record, 17–2 at home, and 20–5 against Conference USA opponents. With the bowl win under Coach Holt, that brought their total wins over three years to 31 becoming a dominant force in Conference USA and among theGroup of Five.[35]
Leaving his job as offensive coordinator atNotre Dame,Mike Sanford returned to WKU, this time as head coach, after serving as quarterbacks coach underWillie Taggart in 2010.[36] Sanford also served on the same coaching staff as Taggart underJim Harbaugh atStanford. During his first year at WKU, the team went 6–7, losing in the2017 Cure Bowl to Georgia State, 27–17. After a string of losses to open the 2018 campaign, including a home loss to FCS-levelMaine 31–28 (a game in which WKU had once held a 21–0 lead), WKU limped to a 3–9 finish. Despite winning their final two games, including a road upset of Louisiana Tech, WKU fired Mike Sanford on November 25, 2018.[37] Mike Sanford finished his WKU tenure with a 9–16 record, and a 6–10 record against Conference USA opponents.
On November 26, 2018, WKU announced the hire ofTennessee offensive coordinatorTyson Helton as the new Hilltoppers head coach.[38] Helton came back to WKU after formerly holding the role of OC at WKU in 2014–2015 underJeff Brohm before he was hired by his brotherClay Helton as the quarterbacks coach atUSC.[39]
In hisfirst year as head coach, Helton was able to turn the program around and finished the season 8–4 including a statement 45–19 win over theArkansas Razorbacks. In his first season, Helton won 2019C-USA Coach of the Year. In addition to that honor, DeAngelo Malone won 2019 C-USA Defensive Player of the Year while Ty Storey won C-USA Newcomer of the Year. On December 8, WKU announced it would be accepting an invite to play in the SERVPRO First Responders Bowl in Dallas, TX againstWestern Michigan on December 30, 2019, and won 23–20.
Western Kentucky has had 22 head coaches and two interim head coaches since it began play during the1913 season.[40] Since November 2018,Tyson Helton has served as head coach at Western Kentucky.[41]
WKU won the NCAA Division 1AA football national championship in2002 and finished ranked number 1 in both final 1AA national polls that year.[42] They were NCAA Division 2 national runners-up in1973 and 1975.[43]
| Season | Selector | Coach | Record | Poll |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | NCAA Division I-AA | Jack Harbaugh | 12–3 | 1 |
Western Kentucky has won 13 conference titles, ten outright and three shared. They were an I-AA football independent from 1982 through 1998 and again in 2007 and 2008 while transitioning from FCS to FBS.[44] Additionally, the1928 team defeated all other Kentucky teams on its schedule and claimed to be state champions.[45]
| Year | Conference | Coach | Overall Record | Conference Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association | Ernie Miller | 7–1 | 6–0 |
| 1952† | Ohio Valley Conference | Jack Clayton | 9–1 | 4–1 |
| 1963 | Ohio Valley Conference | Nick Denes | 10–0–1 | 7–0 |
| 1970 | Ohio Valley Conference | Jimmy Feix | 8–1–1 | 5–1-1 |
| 1971 | Ohio Valley Conference | Jimmy Feix | 8–2 | 6–1 |
| 1973 | Ohio Valley Conference | Jimmy Feix | 12–1 | 7–0 |
| 1975† | Ohio Valley Conference | Jimmy Feix | 11–2 | 6–1 |
| 1978 | Ohio Valley Conference | Jimmy Feix | 8–2 | 6–0 |
| 1980 | Ohio Valley Conference | Jimmy Feix | 9–1 | 6–1 |
| 2000 | Ohio Valley Conference | Jack Harbaugh | 11–2 | 7–0 |
| 2002† | Gateway Football Conference | Jack Harbaugh | 12–3 | 6–1 |
| 2015 | Conference USA | Jeff Brohm | 12–2 | 8–0 |
| 2016 | Conference USA | Jeff Brohm | 11–3 | 7–1 |
† Co-champions
In addition to conference championships, Western Kentucky has won 3 conference divisional titles.
| Season | Division | Coach | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Conference USA East | Jeff Brohm | Southern Miss | W 45–28 |
| 2016† | Louisiana Tech | W 58–44 | ||
| 2021 | Tyson Helton | UTSA | L 41–49 |
† Co-champions
The Hilltoppers competed in two "College Division" bowl games prior to the NCAA instituting playoffs for lower division teams in 1973, with a record of 2–0.
| Season | Coach | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Jack Clayton | Refrigerator Bowl | Arkansas State | W 34–19 |
| 1963 | Nick Denes | Tangerine Bowl | Coast Guard | W 27–0 |
WKU played in four bowl games that were part of theNCAA Division II postseason during the 1973 to 1977 timeframe, with a record of 2–2.
| Season | Date | Coach | Bowl | Result | Opponent | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | December 8 | Jimmy Feix | Grantland Rice Bowl | W 28–20 | Grambling Tigers | Semifinal |
| December 15 | Jimmy Feix | Camellia Bowl | L 0–34 | Louisiana Tech Bulldogs | Final | |
| 1975 | December 6 | Jimmy Feix | Grantland Rice Bowl | W 14–3 | New Hampshire Wildcats | Semifinal |
| December 13 | Jimmy Feix | Camellia Bowl | L 14–16 | Northern Michigan Wildcats | Final |
In 2009 WKU completed its transition from Division I-AA/FCS to FBS. All bowl games since then have been at the NCAA Division I FBS level, with a record of 7–4.
| Season | Coach | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Lance Guidry (interim) | Little Caesars Pizza Bowl | Central Michigan | L 21–24 |
| 2014 | Jeff Brohm | Bahamas Bowl | Central Michigan | W 49–48 |
| 2015 | Jeff Brohm | Miami Beach Bowl | South Florida | W 45–35 |
| 2016 | Nick Holt (interim) | Boca Raton Bowl | Memphis | W 51–31 |
| 2017 | Mike Sanford Jr. | Cure Bowl | Georgia State | L 17–27 |
| 2019 | Tyson Helton | First Responder Bowl | Western Michigan | W 23–20 |
| 2020 | Tyson Helton | LendingTree Bowl | Georgia State | L 21–39 |
| 2021 | Tyson Helton | Boca Raton Bowl | Appalachian State | W 59–38 |
| 2022 | Tyson Helton | New Orleans Bowl | South Alabama | W 44–23 |
| 2023 | Tyson Helton | Famous Toastery Bowl | Old Dominion | W 38–35 OT |
| 2024 | Tyson Helton | Boca Raton Bowl | James Madison | L 17–27 |
The NCAA began Division II National Football Championship in 1973. WKU played in the NCAA Division II playoff championship game in 1973 and 1975.[43] NCAA Division I-AA was formed for football in 1978, and WKU moved up from Division II to Division I-AA at that time, and all playoff appearances since then were at the Division I-AA level. WKU won the Division 1AA NCAA championship in 2002.[46] In 2006 the name of Division I-AA was changed to NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). In 2007, WKU initiated the transition to NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and became ineligible for any further playoff appearances. The Hilltoppers' overall playoff record is 12–9.
| Year | Record | Coach | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 12–1 | Jimmy Feix | LehighW 25–16; GramblingW 28–20; Louisiana Tech L 34–0 (NCAA Runners-up) |
| 1975 | 11–2 | Jimmy Feix | N. IowaW 14–12; New HampshireW 14–3; N. Michigan L 16–14 (NCAA Runners-up) |
| 1987 | 7–4 | Dave Roberts | Eastern Kentucky L 40–17 |
| 1988 | 9–4 | Dave Roberts | Western IllinoisW 35–32; Eastern Kentucky L 41–24 |
| 1997 | 10–2 | Jack Harbaugh | Eastern KentuckyW 42–14; Eastern Washington L 38–21 |
| 2000 | 11–2 | Jack Harbaugh | Florida A&MW 27–0; Appalachian State L 17–14 |
| 2001 | 8–4 | Jack Harbaugh | Furman L 24–20 |
| 2002 | 12–3 | Jack Harbaugh | Murray StW 59–20; W. IllinoisW 31–28; GA SouthernW 31–28; McNeese StW 34–14 (NCAA Champions) |
| 2003 | 9–4 | David Elson | Jacksonville StateW 45–7; Wofford L 34–17 |
| 2004 | 9–3 | David Elson | Sam Houston State L 54–24 |
Traditionally, the logo for Western Kentucky athletics was a diagonal "WKU" lettering. The primary logo was switched in 2003 to a red towel with an embossed "WKU" wordmark in white.[47] Red and white are the primary colors of the football uniforms. Historically, there has also been an occasional gray or black alternate uniform.
On August 13, 2016, WKU released 2 new (red home and white away) jerseys with 3 pants (red, white, and black.) The houndstooth design from legendary coach, Jimmy Feix's fedora is used on team shirts and down the stripe of the helmet. The university's cupola is inscribed on the chest plate and the line from the school's alma mater "We shall never fail thee" is written on the bottom of the jersey. On the pants, visibility of "Hilltoppers" lettering down the side of the pants increases with intensity of the game.[48]
The Hilltoppers had a long relationship with Russell Athletic, which became the sports program's apperal outfitter in 2007 for all of their team uniforms as the contract was initially renewed through 2016, before the program switched and madeNike its official team outfitter the very next year, in 2017.[49] The 2017 Nike brand official uniform reveal, which was hosted byDJ Khaled, included three full uniform sets: a red jersey with white pants and a chrome helmet, a white jersey with black pants and a chrome helmet, and an all white kit complete with the classic white helmet.[49][50]
In 2023, the WKU football program introduced new Nike uniforms, which featured a new, larger but consistent and traditional striping pattern across the helmets (white, black and chrome), jerseys and pants, as well as drop shadow numbers.[51] The football team's helmets added a metallic red facemask and larger "WKU" decals than before, including their primary towel logo and “Tops” script, which appears on two versions of the black and white helmets, which also appears on the pants.[51][52]
| Position | Name | Years | Team(s) | Drafted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TE | Tyler Higbee | 2016–present | Rams | 2016: 4th Rnd, 110th by LA |
| OT | George Fant | 2016–present | Seahawks,Jets | |
| G | Forrest Lamp | 2017–present | Seahawks,Bills,Saints | 2017: 2nd Rnd, 38th by LAC |
| WR | Taywan Taylor | 2017–present | Titans,Browns,Texans,Breakers | 2017: 3rd Rnd, 72nd by TEN |
| LB | Joel Iyiegbuniwe | 2018–present | Bears,Seahawks | 2018: 4th Rnd, 115th by CHI |
| QB | Mike White | 2018–present | Cowboys,Jets,Dolphins | 2018: 5th Rnd, 171st by DAL |
| TE | Deon Yelder | 2018–present | Saints,Kansas City Chiefs,Football Team,Titans,Buccaneers,Giants,Cardinals | |
| QB | Bailey Zappe | 2022–present | Patriots | 2022: 4th Rnd, 137th by NE |
| DL | DeAngelo Malone | 2022–present | Falcons | 2022: 3rd Rnd, 82nd by ATL |
| DL | Brodric Martin | 2023–present | Lions | 2023: 3rd Rnd, 96th by DET |
| QB | Austin Reed (American football) | 2024– present | Bears |
| Position | Name | Years | Team(s) | Drafted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TE | Jack Doyle | 2013–2021 | Titans,Colts | |
| E | Pete Marcus | 1944 | Washington | |
| LB | Dale Lindsey | 1965–1973 | Cleveland,New Orleans | 1965: 7th Rnd, 97th by CLE |
| RB | Clarence "Jazz" Jackson Jr. | 1974–1976 | New York | 1974: 16th Rnd, 395th by NYJ |
| DB | Virgil Livers | 1975–1979 | Chicago | 1975: 4th Rnd, 83rd by CHI |
| C/G | David Carter | 1977–1985 | Houston,New Orleans | 1977: 6th Rnd, 165th by HOU |
| WR | Darryl Drake | 1979, 1983 | Washington,Cincinnati | |
| DB | Davlin Mullen | 1983–1986 | New York | 1983: 8th Rnd, 217th by NYJ |
| DB | Carl Brazley | 1987 | San Diego | |
| LB | Paul Gray | 1987 | Atlanta | 1984: 10th Rnd, 264th by NO |
| G | Pete Walters | 1987 | Philadelphia | |
| WR | Keith Paskett | 1987 | Green Bay | |
| DE | Tim Mooney | 1987 | Philadelphia | |
| DB | Mark Johnson | 1987 | Cincinnati | |
| RB | Rod "He Hate Me" Smart | 2001–2005 | Philadelphia,Carolina | |
| CB | Joe Jefferson | 2002–2005 | Indianapolis | 2002: 3rd Rnd, 74th by IND |
| DB | Mel Mitchell | 2002–2007 | New Orleans,New England | 2002: 5th Rnd, 150th by NO |
| LB | Sherrod Coates | 2003–2004 | Cleveland | |
| FB | Jeremi Johnson | 2003–2009 | Cincinnati | 2003: 4th Rnd, 118th by CIN |
| WR | Bobby Sippio | 2007 | Kansas City | |
| G | Anthony Oakley | 2005–2007 | Chicago | |
| RB | Bobby Rainey | 2012–2017 | Baltimore,Cleveland,Tampa Bay,New York | |
| DE | Quanterus Smith | 2013–2014 | Denver | 2013: 5th Rnd, 146th by DEN |
| LB | Andrew Jackson | 2014 | Indianapolis | 2014: 6th Rnd, 203rd by IND |
| TE | Mitchell Henry | 2015 | Green Bay,Denver | |
| FS | Jonathan Dowling | 2014–2016 | Oakland,Miami,Buffalo | 2014: 7th Rnd, 247th by OAK |
| RB | Antonio Andrews | 2014–2016 | Tennessee | |
| CB | Prince Charles Iworah | 2016–2017 | San Francisco | 2016: 7th Rnd, 249th by SF |
| QB | Brandon Doughty | 2016–2018 | Miami,Arizona | 2016: 7th Rnd, 223rd by MIA |
| OT | Darrell Williams Jr.. | 2017–2018 | San Francisco |
Western Kentucky has retired four jersey numbers.[40]: 143
| Western Kentucky Hilltoppers retired jerseys | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Player | Pos. | Tenure | No. ret. | |
| 1 | Willie Taggart | QB | 1995–1998 | 1999 | |
| 24 | Virgil Livers | CB | 1971–1974 | 2001 | |
| 44 | Dale Lindsey | LB | 1963–1964 | 2007 | |
| 66 | Jimmy Feix | QB | 1949–1952 | 1999 | |
| Award[53] | Name | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year | Nick Denes | 1963 1973, 1978, 1980 2000 |
| Division I-AAAFCA Coach of the Year | Jack Harbaugh | 2002 |
| Gateway Football Conference Freshman of the Year | Justin Haddix | 2003 |
| Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year | Antonio Andrews | 2013 |
| Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year | Bobby Rainey | 2010, 2011 2013 |
| Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year | Quanterus Smith Xavius Boyd | 2012 2013 |
| Sammy Baugh Trophy Award Winner | Brandon Doughty | 2014 |
| Conference USA Most Valuable Player | Brandon Doughty | 2014, 2015 |
| Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year | DeAngelo Malone | 2019 |
| Conference USA Newcomer of the Year | Ty Storey | 2019 |
| Conference USA Coach of the Year | Tyson Helton | 2019 |
| Conference USA Most Valuable Player | Bailey Zappe | 2021 |
Five players have been designated by the NCAA as "Consensus All-Americans" as of 2017.[40]: 137
| Player | Position | Year |
|---|---|---|
| James Edwards | FS | 1987 |
| Bobby Sippio | CB | 2000 |
| Mel Mitchell | S | 2001 |
| Chris Price | G | 2002 |
| Buster Ashley | T | 2004 |
WKU has several historic rivalries that stem from its time in theOhio Valley Conference. Since WKU's transition to theFootball Bowl Subdivision in 2007, two of these rivalry games are no longer played on an annual basis.
100 Miles of Hate is the name of the long-standing rivalry withMiddle Tennessee. As WKU's oldest rivalry the two programs played together for several decades in theOhio Valley Conference before both became members of theSun Belt Conference and then transitioned toConference USA about the same time. The name comes from the fact that the two universities are separated by about 100 miles.
| Games played | First meeting | Last meeting | Win streak | Wins | Losses | Ties | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 73 | 1914, MTSU 47–0 | 2023, WKU 38–10 | 5, WKU (2019–2023) | 37 | 35 | 1 | .507 |
WKU has an inactive rivalry withEastern Kentucky. The two programs have met 84 times in football since 1914. The rivalry has taken a hiatus since leaving EKU behind as WKU transitioned to FBS in 2009. The programs scheduled a one-game match-up in 2017 in which WKU won 31–17 in Bowling Green, KY.
| Games played | First meeting | Last meeting | Win streak | Wins | Losses | Ties | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85 | 1914, EKU 34–6 | 2017, WKU 37–13 | 3, WKU (2007–2017) | 47 | 35 | 3 | .571 |
WKU has an inactive rivalry with nearbyMurray State. The two programs have met 67 times since the rivalry began in 1931. The Red Belt trophy was introduced to the rivalry series in 1978 when Murray's athletic trainer failed to pack a belt for the Racers' road trip and was loaned one by legendary WKU athletic trainer Bill "Doc E" Edwards.[54]
| Games played | First meeting | Last meeting | Win streak | Wins | Losses | Ties | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 67 | 1931, WKU 7–0 | 2008, WKU 50–9 | 4, WKU (1999–2008) | 36 | 24 | 7 | .589 |
Announced schedules as of November 4, 2025.[55]
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2031 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vsNorth Alabama | atNevada | atBall State | Ball State | atIndiana | atSouth Florida |
| atToledo | atGeorgia | Miami (OH) | atMiami (OH) | ||
| Nevada | atIndiana | ||||
| atLSU | Mercyhurst |
Here's what the Tops will be wearing on the field in 2017
The apparel company is the connection.
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