Listen to play-by-play of every NCAA game on TuneIn Radio. 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. In the late 1950s, The Hilltoppers expanded their repertoire of love ballads with the calypso hit Marianne and an original rhythm and blues number called The Joker. Live betting odds and lines, betting trends, against the spread and over/under ⦠In 1992, WKU was on the verge of losing its football program after a state-mandated $6.1 million budget cut. WKU played in the NCAA Division II playoff championship game in 1973 and 1975. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky and the team's head football coach is Tyson Helton. WKU beat LaTech 58â44 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.[27]. 15 times. Tours abroad to Great Britain (1956), Germany, France [2] When he retired from coaching football in 1928, Diddle posted a record of 38â24â2. [21], After one season as offensive coordinator for the Hilltoppers, Jeff Brohm was promoted to the program's head football coach, replacing Petrino. The Juke Box Operators of America voted The [33] They were NCAA Division 2 national runners-up in 1973 and 1975. Points 71. Blocks 3. The two men teamed up to coach the Hilltoppers for their inaugural season which solely consisted of a 20â0 win over Elizabethtown. In 1994, with unwavering faith in their father, both of his sons, Jim Harbaugh and John Harbaugh, decided to help however they could. While still students, they performed on eight nationally syndicated television Elson was hopeful to survive the transition as he asked for patience in building the program, but on Nov. 9th, 2009, prior to the end of the season, athletic director, Wood Selig had enough and fired Elson. The Hilltoppers now faced the difficult task of balancing college course work and Menâs Russell Athletic Western Kentucky Hilltoppers White Graphic Logo Polo L. $15.00 +$5.00 shipping. [17], In their first game under Petrino and to start the season, the Hilltoppers won their second straight game over SEC opponent Kentucky, playing at a neutral site in Nashville, Tennessee. After the 1988 season, Roberts left Western Kentucky for the Northeast Louisiana head coaching job. Arthur then took over the program for three years from 1914 to 1916, coaching a total of 14 games, 6 of which were against Eastern Kentucky. The Hilltoppers outscored opponents 171â7 in Diddle's final year of coaching the program. In his first year as Head Coach, Helton was able to turn the program around and finished the season 8â4 including a statement 45â19 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks. WKU won the Division 1AA NCAA championship in 2002. The team competes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level and represents the university as a member of Conference USA in the Eastern division. [26] Quarterback Brandon 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. The 2008 season shed a truer light to the transition as the Hilltoppers went 2â10 with no wins over FBS opponents, only beating their two other long-time rivals and FCS-level opponents EKU and Murray State. The houndstooth design from legendary coach, Jimmy Feix's fedora is used on team shirts and down the stripe of the helmet. [13] 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 1946, Jesse Thomas returned to the Hill for his second stint as head coach. a gimmick; missing performances due to scheduled exams was a necessary part of their [24] Brohm is credited with developing leading quarterback Brandon Doughty who led the FBS in passing yards and passing touchdowns in 2014 with 4,830 yards and 49 touchdowns respectively. Though going 16â8 in his last two season, Roberts left with a 26â30â1 record becoming the first Hilltopper coach to leave with a losing record in over 60 years. 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. In 1929, Carl "Swede" Anderson took over as head coach leading the Hilltoppers to a 7â3 record before leaving to take the head coach job over the Kansas State freshman football team. 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.[9]. Harbaugh took the Hilltopper football program from the depths of despair in the early 1990s to its best stretch since the legendary Jimmy Feix coached on the Hill. 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. and the Emerald Room in Houston. it stuck. Leiper and Roy Manchester are the first noted coaches for WKU. Oct 24, 2020-14 -880 Western Kentucky vs. Chattanooga +442 +14 13-10 o53 Details Nov 1 , 2020 -31 Western Kentucky @ BYU +31 10-41 o52.5 Details Nov 7 , 2020 +7 +229 Western Kentucky @ Florida Atlantic -292 -7 6-10 o38 Details Free shipping on many items | Browse your favorite brands | affordable prices. The Hilltoppers have a long relationship with Russell Athletic for their uniforms and the contract was renewed through 2016. On August 13, 2016, WKU released 2 new (red home and white away) jerseys with 3 pants (red, white, and black.) [39], Western Kentucky has retired four jersey numbers. joined Vaughn at Van Meter Auditorium, where they paid a campus security guard $10 The name comes from the fact that the two universities are separated by about 100 miles. In 2016, 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. It wasn't until the following year, 2012, that the Hilltoppers were invited to their first FBS-level bowl game, the Little Caesar's Bowl. I Love You, which sold over 3 million copies, The Hilltoppers secured fame for themselves and 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 and Antonio Andrews. WKU has several historic rivalries that stem from its time in the Ohio Valley Conference. Thomas only stuck around WKU two more seasons with much less success than his first go around posting a 5â10â2 record. Diddle, who was a dual-athlete himself, encouraged his players to participate in multiple sports so they could stay in shape. Still best known for P.S. Hotels near Spartan Stadium and hotels close to East Lansing are listed below. with Eddie Crowe and later Doug Cordoza serving as his replacements. In April 1952, Billy Vaughn, local musician and WKU alumnus, asked three WKU students Western Kentucky nearly dug out of a 21-point hole against Louisiana Tech on Saturday, but couldnât quite complete the comeback in a 63-58 home ⦠beginning at WKU, The Hilltoppers' music will forever exemplify the sounds of a wonderful Helton came back to WKU after formerly holding the role of OC at WKU in 2014â2015 under Jeff Brohm before he hired by his brother Clay Helton as the QB coach at USC. sudden fame. Rebounds 36. The NCAA began Division II National Football Championship in 1973. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs Charlotte 49ers Odds - Friday January 1 2021. 16th, Trying was on Billboard's charts! and repetitive.". In his three seasons as head coach Jeff Brohm posted an outstanding 30â10 record, 17â2 at home, and 20â5 against Conference USA opponents. rich musical tradition. In 2009 WKU completed its transition from Division I-AA/FCS to FBS. Despite the surprising 7â5 record in 2011, a season in which the Hilltoppers went 7â1 in their final eight games, they were not invited to a bowl game. 23. John, on the other hand, was a coach at Cincinnati and could rely on his scouting services, deep contacts, and endless high school game footage to help out. By 1952, with Feix now in his senior year, Clayton coached WKU to their first Ohio Valley Conference championship, tied the school record for wins, and the school's first bowl appearance, winning 34â19 over Arkansas State in the Refrigerator Bowl, finishing the season 9â1. WKU (8 ⦠Auditorium where they worked for six hours to get the right take. popular nightclubs like the Casa Loma in St. Louis, the Castle Farms Ballroom in Cincinnati During his first year at WKU, the team went 6â7, losing in the 2017 Cure Bowl to Georgia State, 27â17. In his 16 seasons at the helm, Feix compiled an impressive 105â56â6 record (.6488). Since WKU's transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2007, two of these rivalry games are no longer played on an annual basis. The two programs have met 67 times since the rivalry began in 1931. listen to the record. The Marshall Thundering Herd will face the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on Friday, Jan. 15 at E.A. [42], College football team that represents Western Kentucky University, Gander Terry and the World War II (1938â1947), Learn how and when to remove this template message, 2020 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team, Houchens IndustriesâL. a radio deejays' program, a state fair or a store grand opening. CBS television show, Toast of the Town. [22] In their first season under Brohm and as members of Conference USA, WKU went 8â5. Rainey was named Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2010 and 2011 while Quanterus Smith won Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year in 2012. 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. His 14 teams that competed in the Ohio Valley Conference went 67â28â2 (.701) in conference play. After a string of losses to open the 2018 campaign, including a home loss to FCS-level Maine 31â28 (a game in which WKU had once held a 21â0 lead), WKU limped to a 3â9 finish. attire of beanies, letter sweaters, gray flannels and white bucks was more than just Both goals required at least one win over an FBS team. Former Kentucky Mr. Basketball and Collins standout Dayvion McKnight drained two crucial free throws, and the Hilltoppers held on for the win. In 2007, WKU initiated the transition to NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and became ineligible for any further playoff appearances. As WKU's oldest rivalry the two programs played together for several decades in the Ohio Valley Conference before both became members of the Sun Belt Conference and then transitioned to Conference USA about the same time. The November/December [31] Mike Sanford finished his WKU tenure with a 9â16 record, and a 6â10 record against Conference USA opponents. In the late 1950s, The Hilltoppers expanded their repertoire The Hilltoppers were very successful in this era posting an outstanding a 60â20â4 record. 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. Feix was named OVC Coach of the Year in 1973, 1978 and 1980 and remains the winningest football coach in WKU history. The primary logo was switched in 2003 to a red towel with an embossed "WKU" wordmark in white.[38]. Roberts struggled through his first three seasons posting a record 10â22â1 before turning things around. Western Kentucky approves upgrade to I-A", "Western Kentucky fires coach amid 0-9 season", "Western Kentucky hires Stanford assistant Willie Taggart as coach â USATODAY.com", "Little Caesars Bowl: Western Kentucky gamble fails; Central Michigan wins", "Bobby Petrino hired as new Western Kentucky head coach", "Bobby Petrino is new WKU football coach", "Western Kentucky to Join Conference USA in 2014", "Kentucky Wildcats vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers â Recap", "Louisville Cardinals hire Bobby Petrino as football coach", "Jeff Brohm hired as coach of Western Kentucky Hilltoppers", "After filling up stat sheet last year, Brandon Doughty focusing on championship", "Hilltoppers finish season ranked No. The program has 13 conference championships (1 SIAA, 9 OVC, 1 Gateway, 2 Conference USA) and 4 FBS-level bowl game victories. $6 ⦠What majors and programs are available at WKU? 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. The team competes in Conference USA. In 1987 and 1988 Roberts took the Hilltoppers to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs coming up short to rival EKU both years. [19] 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. 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. In 1920, L. T. Smith, whose name bears the Hilltoppers' home stadium, took the reins and coached the team for two seasons. Get the latest Western Kentucky Hilltoppers news, scores, stats, standings, rumors, and more from ESPN. Offense Defense. In a valiant but unsuccessful effort, WKU was defeated 21â24 by Central Michigan.[14]. Billy Vaughn turned his attention to his career as a composer and orchestra conductor After Anderson left the hill once again, this time to be an assistant coach at Indiana, the Hilltoppers selected Gander Terry to lead the program. Vegas Insider provides all the betting odds, predictions and picks for this conference matchup between C-USA schools. From Van Meter Auditorium to stages around the world, Jimmy Sacca, All bowl games since then have been at the NCAA Division I FBS level, with a record of 4â3. On November 26, 2018, WKU announced the hire of Tennessee Offensive Coordinator (OC) Tyson Helton. As a former employee of Dot Records, Stamps convinced music executive Randy Wood to WKU Quarterback Legend, Willie Taggart, returned to his alma mater as head football coach in 2010 after leaving his position as Stanford running backs coach, where he served under Jack Harbaugh's son Jim Harbaugh. [28] Holt led the Hilltoppers to their 3rd straight bowl victory beating Memphis 51â31 in the Boca Raton Bowl finishing the season 11â3. Much success soon followed. If the Hilltoppers won seven games, they got rings. WKU lost every game that season, going 0â12, posting their worst record in school history. The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are an NCAA team based in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Hilltoppers took game 1 of this 2-game set after they took care of the Herd in the last outing. That win over MTSU in 2007 would be the last major win for the Hilltoppers under Elson. Under Clayton, the Hilltoppers posted a record of 50â33â2 before he left to coach at Northwestern Louisiana State College, his alma mater. WKU became the first school in league history to sweep the top three honors with just two players. 42. The following are the head coaches of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. others to tour in McGuire and Spiegelman's place. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Kentucky. When local WLBJ deejay Bill Stamps played Trying on his evening radio program Whistling In The Dark, his listeners requested the song 16-21. From there, Taggart is credited with getting WKU's football program back on track after posting back to back 7â5 regular seasons that included an upset of Kentucky in Lexington in 2012. [11] The Hilltoppers went 39â44 under Elson, going 9â27 in his final three seasons (1â26 against FBS opponents). The Hilltoppers won six Ohio Valley Conference championships between 1970 and 1980. It appears it is currently turned off for your browser. Get the latest news and information for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Now known as the 1992 "Save the Program" team, every player decided to stay, fight, and work to save WKU football. The programs scheduled a one-game match-up in 2017 in which WKU won 31â17 in Bowling Green, KY. WKU has an inactive rivalry with nearby Murray State. 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