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 [6]
September 23No. 10 Austin Peay
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 17–1315,200 [7]
September 30at East Tennessee State
W 27–215,732 [8]
October 7No. 6 (D-II) Akron *No. 10
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
L 21–2615,600 [9]
October 14at Tennessee Tech
W 26–2016,000 [10]
October 21No. 7 Eastern Kentucky
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY (rivalry)
W 17–1619,100 [11]
October 28at Morehead State No. 8
W 35–79,000 [12]
November 4 Middle Tennessee Dagger-14-plain.pngNo. 7
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY (rivalry)
W 54–019,500 [13]
November 18at Murray State No. 4
W 14–69,500 [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football</span> College football team that represents Western Kentucky University

The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football program is a college football team that represents Western Kentucky University. 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. The 2002 team was the FCS national champion. The program has 13 conference championships and 7 FBS-level bowl game victories. The Hilltoppers play their home games at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky and the team's head football coach is Tyson Helton.

The 1973 Western Kentucky football team represented Western Kentucky University during the inaugural 1973 NCAA Division II football season. The team came off an 7–3 record from the prior season and was led by coach Jimmy Feix. They finished the regular season undefeated and won the Ohio Valley Conference championship. The Hilltoppers made the initial NCAA Division II Football Championship, winning their first two playoff games, including a win over Grambling in the Grantland Rice Bowl, before falling in the championship game to Louisiana Tech in the Camellia Bowl. Their rankings in the final polls were UPI 2 and AP 3.

The 1975 Western Kentucky football team represented Western Kentucky University during the 1975 NCAA Division II football season. The team came off an 7–3 record from the prior season and was led by coach Jimmy Feix. They claimed a share of the Ohio Valley Conference championship and returned to the NCAA Division II Football Championship for the second time in three years. One of the highlights of the season was a victory over NCAA Division I Louisville. The Hilltoppers won their first two playoff games, including a win over New Hampshire in the Grantland Rice Bowl, before falling in the championship game to Northern Michigan in the Camellia Bowl. They finished ranked 3rd in both the AP and UPI final polls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team</span> American college football season

The 2001 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 2001 NCAA Division I-AA football season and were coached by Jack Harbaugh. This was the school's first season as a member of the Gateway Football Conference, having won the Ohio Valley Conference championship the previous year. The Hilltoppers were the preseason favorites to win the conference but finished tied for 2nd. They qualified for the NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs where they were defeated by eventual runner-up, Furman. The team was originally scheduled to play Wisconsin on September 14, however, due to the September 11 attacks, all college football games were suspended the following weekend, and the game was played on the 29th.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team</span> American college football season

The 2000 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 2000 NCAA Division I-AA football season and were led by veteran head coach Jack Harbaugh. They won their first conference championship since 1980, going undefeated in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) in just their second year after rejoining as a football-only member; the school was a football independent from 1982 through 1998. The Hilltoppers received the OVC's automatic berth to the NCAA Division I-AA playoff, making it to the quarterfinals. Prior to the start of the season, the OVC gave Western Kentucky an ultimatum, join the conference for all sports or leave. The administration decided to leave and joined the Gateway Football Conference. The Hilltoppers finished the season ranked No. 5 in final national poll by The Sports Network.

The 1980 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 1980 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 14th-year head coach Jimmy Feix, the Hilltoppers compiled and overall record of 9–1 with a mark of 6–1 in conference play, winning the OVC title. However, Western Kentucky was not selected for the NCAA Division I_AA Football Championship playoffs. Instead, the OVC's second-place finisher, Eastern Kentucky, was invited despite the fact that Western had beaten them earlier in the season. This perceived snub was a factor in Western Kentucky's decision to leave the OVC in 1982. The Hilltoppers finished the season ranked fifth in final Associated Press poll.

The 1979 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 1979 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 12th-year head coach Jimmy Feix, the Hilltoppers compiled an overall record of 5–5 with a mark of 3–3 on conference play, placing fourth in the OVC.

The 1968 Western Kentucky football team represented Western Kentucky University during the 1968 NCAA College Division football season. The team was led by coach Jimmy Feix, in his first season as coach, the Hilltoppers compiled an overall record of 7–2–1 with a mark of 5–2 in conference play, placing second in the OVC. The team's captain was Walt Heath.

The 1969 Western Kentucky football team represented Western Kentucky University during the 1969 NCAA College Division football season. The team was led by coach Jimmy Feix, in his second season as coach, the Hilltoppers compiled an overall record of 6–3–1 with a mark of 5–2 in conference play, placing second in the OVC. The team's captains were Romeo Crennel and Bill Rose.

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 1982 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team was an American football team that represented Western Kentucky University as an independent during the 1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 15th-year head coach Jimmy Feix, the Hilltoppers compiled a record of 5–5. The team's captain was Tom Fox.

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.

The 1991 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University as an independent during the 1991 NCAA Division I-AA football season Led by third-year head coach Jack Harbaugh, the Hilltoppers compiled a record of 3–8. The team's captain was Milton Biggins.

The 1981 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team represented Eastern Kentucky University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 18th-year head coach Roy Kidd, the Colonels compiled an overall record of 12–2, with a mark of 8–0 in conference play, and finished as OVC champion. Eastern Kentucky advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game and were defeated by Idaho State.

The 1983 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team represented Eastern Kentucky University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 1983 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 20th-year head coach Roy Kidd, the Colonels compiled an overall record of 7–3–1, with a mark of 6–1 in conference play, and finished as OVC champion. Eastern Kentucky advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA First Round and were defeated by Boston University.

The 1984 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team represented Eastern Kentucky University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 1984 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 21st-year head coach Roy Kidd, the Colonels compiled an overall record of 8–4 with a mark of 6–1 in conference play, winning the OVC title. Eastern Kentucky advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Championship playoffs, where Colonels lost in the first round to fellow OVC member Middle Tennessee.

The 1991 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team represented Eastern Kentucky University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 1991 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 28th-year head coach Roy Kidd, the Colonels compiled an overall record of 12–2, with a mark of 7–0 in conference play, and finished as OVC champion. Eastern Kentucky advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal and were defeated by Marshall in the semifinals.

The 1978 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team represented Eastern Kentucky University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 15th-year head coach Roy Kidd, the Colonels compiled an overall record of 8–2, with a mark of 6–1 in conference play, and finished second in the OVC.

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.
  6. ↑ "Western Kentucky beats ISU, 28–6". The Pantagraph. September 17, 1978. Retrieved September 9, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Western Kentucky tops Austin Peay". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. September 24, 1978. Retrieved September 9, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Western clips East Tennessee". The Paducah Sun. October 1, 1978. Retrieved September 9, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Team effort spells victory for Akron". The Akron Beacon Journal. October 8, 1978. Retrieved September 9, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Heroics by Hall, Hayden help Western tip Tenn. Tech 26–20". The Courier-Journal. October 15, 1978. Retrieved September 9, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "'Toppers win on late kick". Messenger-Inquirer. October 22, 1978. Retrieved September 9, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Hall's arm dooms Eagles". The Park City Daily News. October 29, 1978. Retrieved September 9, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "'Flip' flops, but Western, Skaggs 'Barry' Middle". The Courier-Journal. November 5, 1978. Retrieved September 9, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "OVC crown to Western". The Tennessean. November 19, 1978. Retrieved September 9, 2024– via Newspapers.com.


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