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.
David Elson is an American football coach. He is the defensive analyst at Wake Forest University, a position he has held since 2023. Elson served as head football coach at Western Kentucky University (WKU) from 2003 to 2009. He oversaw the transition of Western Kentucky from a Football Championship Subdivision to a Football Bowl Subdivision program, the highest division in college football; in his final season, the Hilltoppers joined the Sun Belt Conference.
The 2008 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University (WKU) during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was David Elson. WKU competed as an NCAA Division I FBS independent team in 2008 before their move to the Sun Belt Conference in 2009. The Hilltoppers played their home games at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers are the athletic teams that represent Western Kentucky University (WKU), located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division I ranks, competing in the Conference USA (C-USA) since the 2014–15 academic year. The Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers previously competed in the Sun Belt Conference from 1982–83 to 2013–14; and in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) from 1948–49 to 1981–82.
The 2009 Florida Atlantic University Owls football team represented Florida Atlantic University in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Howard Schnellenberger and played their home games at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Owls were in their fourth season of competition in the Sun Belt Conference. The Owls finished the season 5–7 and 5–3 in Sun Belt play.
The 2009 FIU Golden Panthers football team represented Florida International University in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Mario Cristobal and played their homes games at the on-campus FIU Stadium. The Golden Panthers finished the season 3–9 and 3–5 in the Sun Belt Conference.
The 2009 Troy Trojans football team represented Troy University in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They played their home games at Movie Gallery Stadium in Troy, Alabama and competed in the Sun Belt Conference. The Trojans won their fourth straight Sun Belt championship going undefeated in conference play (8–0) with a regular season record of 9–3. They were invited to the GMAC Bowl, where they played Mid-American Conference champion Central Michigan and were defeated, 44–41, in two overtimes.
The 2009 Arkansas State Red Wolves football team represented Arkansas State University as a member of the Sun Belt Conference during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by eighth-year head coach Steve Roberts, the Red Wolves compiled an overall record of 4–8 with a mark of 3–5 in conference play, tying for sixth place in the Sun Belt. Arkansas State played home games at ASU Stadium in Jonesboro, Arkansas
The 2009 Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks football team represented University of Louisiana at Monroe as a member of the Sun Belt Conference during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by Charlie Weatherbie in his seventh and final season as head coach, the Warhawks compiled an overall record of 6–6 with a mark of 5–3 in conference play, tying for third place in the Sun Belt. Louisiana–Monroe was bowl eligible, but was not invited to a bowl game. The team played home games at Malone Stadium in Monroe, Louisiana.
The 2009 Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns football team represented the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Ragin' Cajuns were led by eighth year head coach Rickey Bustle and played their home games at Cajun Field. The Ragin' Cajuns finished the season with a record of 6–6 overall and 4–4 in Sun Belt Conference play.
Willie Author Taggart is an American football coach who is the running backs coach for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He has held the head coach position at five NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision programs: Western Kentucky ; South Florida ; Oregon (2017); Florida State ; and Florida Atlantic. At all five schools, he was the first African-American to be hired as the head coach.
The 2010 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University (WKU) in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hilltoppers were led by first-year head coach Willie Taggart and played their home games at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium. They are members of the Sun Belt Conference.
The 2010 Troy Trojans football team represented Troy University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They played their home games at Movie Gallery Stadium in Troy, Alabama and competed in the Sun Belt Conference. They were led by 20th-year head coach Larry Blakeney. They finished the season with a record of 8–5 to win a share of their fifth consecutive Sun Belt title and a 48–21 victory over Ohio in the New Orleans Bowl.
The 2011 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University (WKU) in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hilltoppers were led by second-year head coach Willie Taggart and played their home games at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium. They are members of the Sun Belt Conference. The Hilltoppers finished with a record of 7–5, 7–1 in Sun Belt play to finish in second place. The 7 wins and second place conference finish were the Hilltoppers best results since joining the FBS, until it was surpassed in 2015 with a perfect 8–0 conference record. Despite being bowl eligible, the Hilltoppers were not invited to a bowl.
The 2012 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by third-year head coach Willie Taggart and played their home games at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium. They were a member of the Sun Belt Conference. They finished the season 7–6, 4–4 in Sun Belt play to finish in fifth place. They were invited to the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, their first bowl appearance since joining FBS in 2007, where they were defeated by Central Michigan.
The 2012 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, the 16th edition of the game, was a post-season American college football bowl game that was held on December 26, 2012 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan as part of the 2012–13 NCAA football bowl season.
The 2016 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University (WKU) in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hilltoppers played their home games at the Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and competed in the East Division of Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by third year head coach Jeff Brohm. They finished the season 11–3, 7–1 in C-USA play to win a share of the East Division title with Old Dominion. Due to their head-to-head victory over Old Dominion, Western Kentucky represented the East Division in the Conference USA Championship Game where they defeated Louisiana Tech to be crowned C-USA champions. They were invited to the Boca Raton Bowl where they defeated Memphis. This team led the NCAA in Scoring Offense.
Lance Guidry is an American football coach and former player. He is the defensive coordinator at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, a position he has held since the 2023 season. Guidry served as the head football coach at McNeese State University from 2016 to 2018. He was also the interim head football coach at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio for one game in 2010 and at Western Kentucky University for one game in 2012. Guidry played college football as a defensive back at McNeese State from 1990 to 1993. He was a four-year starter, a team captain, and a two-time All-Southland Conference selection. Guidry ranks 17th on the McNeese all-time tackle leader board and also 10th in interceptions.
The 2016 Conference USA Championship Game was played on Saturday, December 3, 2016, at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and determined the 2016 football champion of Conference USA (C-USA). The game featured the West Division champion Louisiana Tech visiting the East Division champion Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (WKU), with the Hilltoppers winning 58–44. The game was broadcast nationally by ESPN for the 5th consecutive year. The title sponsor was Dynacraft BSC.
The 2020 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team (WKU) represented Western Kentucky University in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hilltoppers played their home games at the Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky, as members of the East Division of Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by second-year head coach Tyson Helton.
