1978 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

Last updated

1978 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football
OVC champion
Conference Ohio Valley Conference
Ranking
APNo. T–4
Record8–2 (6–0 OVC)
Head coach
Home stadium Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
Seasons
←  1977
1979  →
1978 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. T–4 Western Kentucky $ 7 –0 –08 –2 –0
No. 8 Eastern Kentucky 6 –1 –08 –2 –0
Tennessee Tech 4 –3 –05 –6 –0
Austin Peay 4 –3 –06 –4 –0
Murray State 2 –5 –04 –7 –0
Morehead State 2 –5 –02 –6 –1
East Tennessee State 2 –5 –04 –7 –0
Middle Tennessee 1 –6 –01 –9 –1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from Associated Press poll

The 1978 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the inaugural 1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season and were led by head coach Jimmy Feix. The NCAA had formed NCAA Division I-AA for football and Western Kentucky, along with the rest of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC), moved up from Division II to I-AA. [1] The Hilltoppers won the OVC championship, but just missed the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. [2] The team finished the season tied for fourth in final national NCAA poll. [3]

Western Kentucky's roster included future National Football League (NFL) players Carl Brazley, Darryl Drake, Ray Farmer, Ricky Gwinn, Lamont Meacham, Eddie Preston, Phil Rich, Troy Snardon, Brad Todd, Tony Towns, and Pete Walters. Towns was selected to play in the Blue-Gray Football Classic and Coach Feix was named OVC Coach of the Year for the second time. The All-Conference Team included Brazley, John Hall, Reginald Hayden, Preston, and Towns. [4]

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 9 Chattanooga *
L 15–4213,500 [5]
September 16at Illinois State *
W 28–612,000
September 23No. 10 Austin Peay
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 17–1315,200
September 30at East Tennessee *
W 27–215,732
October 7No. 6 (D-II) Akron *No. 10
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
L 21–2615,600
October 14at Tennessee Tech
W 26–2016,000
October 21No. 7 Eastern Kentucky
W 17–1619,100
October 28at Morehead State No. 8
W 35–79,000
November 4 Middle Tennessee Dagger-14-plain.pngNo. 7
W 54–019,500
November 18at Murray State No. 4
W 14–69,500

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The 1971 Western Kentucky football team represented Western Kentucky University during the 1971 NCAA College Division football season. The team was led by coach Jimmy Feix and won their second consecutive Ohio Valley Conference championship and the school's fourth overall. The coaching staff included future NFL coach Romeo Crennel. The Hilltoppers’ rankings in the final polls were UPI 12 and AP 6, and finished ranked 1st in Pass Defense in NCAA Division II. The team roster included future NFL players Virgil Livers, John Bushong, Clarence “Jazz” Jackson, and Mike McCoy. Jim Barber was named to the Universal Sports All-American team. The All OVC team included Barber, Terry Kokinda, Bob Morehead, Leo Peckenpaugh, Bill Sykes, and Terry Thompson.

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The 1967 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 1967 NCAA College Division football season. Led by Nick Denes in his 11th and final season as head coach, the Hilltoppers compiled and overall record of 7–1–1 with a mark of 5–1–1 in conference play, placing second in the OVC.

The 1998 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season and were led by All-American quarterback Willie Taggart and head coach Jack Harbaugh. This would be the team's last year as an independent, the next year they would rejoin the Ohio Valley Conference as a football only member. The Hilltoppers primarily ran an option offense and were ranked 3rd in rush offense for NCAA Division I-AA. They missed returning to the NCAA Playoffs and finished the season ranked 19th in final 1AA postseason national poll.

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The 1976 Western Kentucky football team represented Western Kentucky University during the 1976 NCAA Division II football season. Led by ninth-year head coach Jimmy Feix, the Hilltoppers compiled an overall record of 4–5–1 with a mark of 3–4 in conference play, tying for fourth place in the OVC. The team's captain was David Carter.

The 1977 Western Kentucky football team represented Western Kentucky University during the 1977 NCAA Division II football season. Led by tenth-year head coach Jimmy Feix, the Hilltoppers compiled an overall record of 1–8–1 with a mark of 1–5–1 in conference play, placing last out of eight teams in the OVC. The team's captains were Chip Carpenter and Biff Madon.

The 1981 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference during the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 14th-year head coach Jimmy Feix, the Hilltoppers compiled an overall record of 6–5 with a mark of 4–4 on conference play, tying for fourth in the OVC. The team's captains were Greg Gallas, Troy Snardon, Lamont Meacham.

The 1983 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University as an independent during the 1983 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 16th-year head coach Jimmy Feix, the Hilltoppers compiled a record of 2–8–1. The team's captains were Paul Gray and Walter York.

References

  1. ↑ OVC History, retrieved 30 April 2020
  2. ↑ 2017 OVC Football Media Guide, retrieved 30 April 2020
  3. ↑ "Division I-AA". Tallahassee Democrat. Tallahassee, Florida. November 21, 1978. p. 4B. Retrieved May 15, 2017– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  4. ↑ 2019 WKU Football Media Guide retrieved March 31, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Powerful Mocs scortch Western". Messenger-Inquirer. September 10, 1978. Retrieved January 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.


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