1998 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

Last updated

1998 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
Sports NetworkNo. 19
Record7–4
Head coach
Home stadium L. T. Smith Stadium
Seasons
←  1997
1999  →
1998 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
Morehead State  –  9 –2  
Davidson  –  8 –2  
No. 20 Hofstra  –  8 –3  
No. 22 South Florida  –  8 –3  
No. 19 Western Kentucky  –  7 –4  
Samford  –  6 –5  
Liberty  –  5 –6  
Southern Utah  –  5 –6  
Austin Peay  –  4 –7  
Buffalo  –  4 –7  
Jacksonville  –  4 –5  
La Salle  –  3 –6  
Cal Poly  –  3 –8  
Charleston Southern  –  3 –8  
Saint Mary's  –  2 –8  
Rankings from The Sports Network poll

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. [1] 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. [2]

Western Kentucky's roster included future NFL players Joseph Jefferson, Rod “He Hate Me” Smart, and Ben Wittman. Patrick Goodman, Andy Hape, and Taggart were named to the AP All American team and Taggart was also named I-AA Independent Offensive Player of the Year. The I-AA Independent All-Star Team included Goodman, Hape, Taggart, Delvechio Walls, Bryan Daniel, and Trae Hackett. [3]

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 3 Tennessee–Martin No. 8
W 49–79,000
September 12at No. 16 Murray State No. 7
L 31–3612,198
September 19No. 16 Eastern Kentucky No. 15
L 16–2714,200
September 26at Austin Peay No. 24
W 56–147,600
October 3 New Haven No. 22
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 24–214,600
October 17at No. 12 South Florida No. 19
W 31–2430,083
October 24 Elon Dagger-14-plain.pngNo. 12
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 41–38 OT9,000
October 31at Louisville No. 11
L 34–6332,649
November 7 Southern Illinois No. 18
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 48–284,400 [4]
November 14 Indiana State No. 15
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 42–144,100
November 21at Southwestern Louisiana No. 13
L 24–385,224

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The 1993 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University as an independent during the 1993 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by fifth-year head Jack Harbaugh, the Hilltoppers compiled a record of 8–3. They missed the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs but finished the season ranked No. 19 in final NCAA Division I-AA poll.

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The 1999 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 1999 NCAA Division I-AA football season and were led by head coach Jack Harbaugh. The Hilltoppers rejoined the Ohio Valley Conference as a football only member this year; the school left the OVC in 1982 and had been a football independent since. The team's roster included future NFL players Joseph Jefferson, Rod “He Hate Me” Smart, Sherrod Coates, Mel Mitchell, Bobby Sippio, and Ben Wittman, as well as future NFL coach Jason Michael. Patrick Goodman was named to the AP All American team. The All OVC Team included Goodman, Sippio, Smart, Melvin Wisham, Wittman and Mitchell.

The 1996 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season and were led by quarterback Willie Taggart and head coach Jack Harbaugh. The team was an independent and primarily ran an option offense. Their schedule included top-ranked and eventual undefeated NCAA Division I-AA champion, Marshall. Western Kentucky's roster featured future National Football League (NFL) player Ben Wittman. Joey Stockton and Mike Mills were named to All-American teams. The I-AA Independent All-Star Team included Antwan Floyd, Trae Hackett, Stockton, Turner Goodwin, and Mills.

References

  1. ↑ 2017 OVC Football Media Guide, retrieved 30 April 2020
  2. ↑ "Final Div. I-AA poll". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. December 22, 1998. p. 7C. Retrieved May 20, 2017– via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ WKU Football Media Guide retrieved 31 March 2020.
  4. ↑ Cunningham, Steve (November 8, 1998). "Hilltoppers spare Salukis some heartbreak". The Southern Illinoisan . p. 1C. Retrieved January 15, 2022– via Newspapers.com.


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