Western Kentucky first fielded a football team in 1908 but did not start playing sanctioned games until the 1913 season. M.A. Leiper and Roy Manchester are the first noted coaches for WKU. The two men teamed up to coach the Hilltoppers for their inaugural season which solely consisted of a 20–0 win over Elizabethtown. J.L. 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.
From 1917 to 1919 the Hilltoppers didn't compete in football from due to World War I. In 1920, L. T. Smith, whose name bears the Hilltoppers' home stadium, took the reins and coached the team for two seasons. From 1922 to 1928, the Hilltoppers saw their first success as Coach E.A. Diddle took over the football program for seven seasons leading them to four winning seasons while also coaching the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team. Diddle, who was a dual-athlete himself, encouraged his players to participate in multiple sports so they could stay in shape. His first team set a school record for wins that would stand for 41 years and his last team claimed to be state champions.[3] When he retired from coaching football in 1928, Diddle posted a record of 38–24–2. The Hilltoppers outscored opponents 171–7 in Diddle's final year of coaching the program. 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.
In 1929, Carl "Swede" Anderson took over as head coach leading the Hilltoppers to a 7–3 record before leaving to take the head coach job over the Kansas State freshman football team. In 1934, Carl Anderson returned for a second stint with the Hilltoppers where he served as head coach through the 1937 season posting a 24–9–3 record with wins over EKU in all four seasons. The Hilltoppers were very successful in this era posting an outstanding a 60–20–4 record. 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. In their four seasons under Terry, the Hilltoppers went 25–9–3 beating rivals Middle Tennessee and Eastern Kentucky in every game they played. Terry left the program after the 1941 season following a 4–5–1 record, the Hilltopper's first losing season since 1925. 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. In 1946, Jesse Thomas returned to the Hill for his second stint as head coach. Thomas only stuck around WKU two more seasons with much less success than his first go around posting a 5–10–2 record.
Jack Clayton provided some much-needed stability to the WKU football program where he served as head coach for 9 seasons. In 1949, after losing the first two games to start the season, Clayton started a freshman quarterback by the name of Jimmy Feix winning 5 of the last 7 games that season. 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 34–19 over Arkansas State in the Refrigerator Bowl, finishing the season 9–1. Feix became the first WKU football athlete ever to earn All-America honors after posting the highest pass completion percentage in the nation (.612). Under Clayton, the Hilltoppers posted a record of 50–33–2 before he left to coach at Northwestern Louisiana State College, his alma mater. Nick Denes, who was also a Western Kentucky Hilltoppers baseball head coach and for whom Nick Denes Field is named, coached WKU football for 11 seasons. In his time on the Hill, Denes compiled a 57–39–7 record for a .587 winning percentage. In 1963, Denes led the Hilltoppers to their second bowl game victory, defeating Coast Guard 27–0 in the Tangerine Bowl, a season where the Hilltoppers went 10–0–1 and set a new school record for wins. Denes retired after the 1967 season following a 42–19 win over Murray State.
Jimmy Feix (1968–1983)
After serving under Nick Denes as an assistant coach for all 11 seasons, Jimmy Feix was promoted to head coach. In his 16 seasons at the helm, Feix compiled an impressive 105–56–6 record (.6488). His 14 teams that competed in the Ohio Valley Conference went 67–28–2 (.701) in conference play. The Hilltoppers won six Ohio Valley Conference championships between 1970 and 1980. Feix became the most successful and longest-tenured coach in Western Kentucky football history while leading the Hilltoppers in a transition from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS). In 1973, the Hilltoppers went undefeated in the regular season before competing in the first-year NCAA Division II championship playoffs. They made it to the championship game against Louisiana Tech coming up just short and finishing the season 12–1, setting a new school record for wins that still stands. In 1975, the Hilltoppers made the playoff field again advancing to the title game for the second time, but once again having to settle for runner-up honors finishing their season with an 11–2 record.[4] Feix was named OVC Coach of the Year in 1973, 1978 and 1980 and remains the winningest football coach in WKU history.[5] Feix coached 16 athletes who followed him on the list of WKU football All-Americans.
Dave Roberts (1983–1988)
Feix retired as head coach moving to work in Alumni Affairs for two years before taking over as director of athletics in 1986. In his vacancy, the Hilltoppers hired former Vanderbilt assistant Dave Roberts to be the head coach with hopes of continuing what Feix started. Roberts struggled through his first three seasons posting a record 10–22–1 before turning things around. In 1987 and 1988 Roberts took the Hilltoppers to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs coming up short to rival EKU both years. After the 1988 season, Roberts left Western Kentucky for the Northeast Louisiana head coaching job. Though going 16–8 in his last two season, Roberts left with a 26–30–1 record becoming the first Hilltopper coach to leave with a losing record in over 60 years.
Jack Harbaugh (1989–2002)
Jack Harbaugh served as the Hilltoppers head football coach for 14 seasons, compiling a 91–68 record, three 10+ win seasons, two conference championships (OVC 2000, Gateway 2002) and the 2002 Division I-AA National Championship.[6] 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. In 1992, WKU was on the verge of losing its football program after a state-mandated $6.1 million budget cut. Harbaugh was notified of the plans to shut down the program just before spring practice was about to begin. 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. Now known as the 1992 "Save the Program" team, every player decided to stay, fight, and work to save WKU football.[7] While Harbaugh and the team did their part, former WKU quarterback, coach and athletics director at the time, Jimmy Feix, started an emergency fundraising campaign writing letters and making calls to former WKU players, urging them to buy season tickets. 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.[8] The Hilltoppers finished the 1992 season with a losing record of 4–6. As the budget remained tight over the next few years WKU managed an 8–3 record in 1993 before having back-to-back losing seasons.
No one ever doubted Harbaugh's ability to coach but he clearly needed better players. 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 playing in the NFL, Jim joined the WKU football coaching staff as an NCAA-certified unpaid assistant which allowed him to recruit. 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.[9] Jim set out and started contacting recruits, his first being Willie Taggart, an All-American and four-year starter at quarterback for WKU. Jim also recruited future NFL players Rod Smart and Mel Mitchell to WKU as well as 17 players on the 2002 national championship team.[10] The Hilltoppers went 7–4 in 1996 and returned to the NCAA Playoffs in 1997 behind the arm and legs of quarterback Willie Taggart, which started a long series of winning seasons. Jack and his wife Jackie are credited with saving the program which led to being honored in 2012 with naming rights to the stadium club at L. T. Smith Stadium. This was 20 years after the 1992 "Save the Program" season and 10 years after the 2002 championship season.[11]
David Elson (2003–2009)
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WK players entering the field in 2005
After serving on Harbaugh's coaching staff seven seasons, David Elson was promoted to head coach where he led the Hilltoppers for seven seasons.[12] Elson's first four seasons as head coach were at the Division I-AA level (now FCS) where he picked up where Harbaugh left and posted four straight winning seasons, a record of 30–17, and two playoff berths. On November 2, 2006, prior to the end of the season, WKU's board of regents voted in favor of moving from NCAA Division I-AA to NCAA Division I-A football (now FBS) and would be joining the Sun Belt Conference in all sports by 2009.[13] 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.[14]
In 2007, the Hilltoppers began the transition to NCAA Division I FBS as Independents, considered a reclassifying school for both the 2007 and 2008 seasons due to NCAA rules. The Hilltoppers were not eligible to participate in a Sun Belt Conference Championship or a berth in a bowl game until the 2009 season. Knowing it wasn't going to be easy, and without the motivation of being eligible to compete for a championship, Elson and the Hilltoppers set two team goals that season; to win seven games and to go undefeated at home. Both goals required at least one win over an FBS team. If the Hilltoppers won seven games, they got rings.[15] They were able to accomplish the first of those goals, going 7–5 that season as they beat long-time rival MTSU in Murfreesboro, but were unable to hold off Troy at home; both of which were FBS schools and members of the Sun Belt Conference. That win over MTSU in 2007 would be the last major win for the Hilltoppers under Elson. The 2008 season shed a truer light to the transition as the Hilltoppers went 2–10 with no wins over FBS opponents, only beating their two other long-time rivals and FCS-level opponents EKU and Murray State. Things only got worse for the Hilltoppers in 2009 after they finally became full members of the Sun Belt Conference. WKU lost every game that season, going 0–12, posting their worst record in school history. Elson was hopeful to survive the transition as he asked for patience in building the program, but on November 9, 2009, prior to the end of the season, athletic director, Wood Selig had enough and fired Elson.[16] The Hilltoppers went 39–44 under Elson, going 9–27 in his final three seasons (1–26 against FBS opponents).
Willie Taggart (2010–2012)
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,[17] where he served under Jack Harbaugh's son Jim Harbaugh.[18] In their first year under Taggart, coming off a winless season under Elson, WKU finally broke their 26-game losing streak with a 54–21 win at UL Lafayette. The Hilltoppers finished 2–10 that season. From there, Taggart is credited with getting WKU's football program back on track after posting back to back 7–5 regular seasons that included an upset of Kentucky in Lexington in 2012. That was Western Kentucky's first win over a SEC opponent in program history. Despite the surprising 7–5 record in 2011, a season in which the Hilltoppers went 7–1 in their final eight games, they were not invited to a bowl game. 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.
On December 7, 2012, prior to their December 26 bowl game, Taggart left WKU to accept the head football coach position at South Florida.[19]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 a valiant but unsuccessful effort, WKU was defeated 21–24 by Central Michigan.[20] 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. 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.
Bobby Petrino (2013)
Former Louisville, Atlanta Falcons and Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino was hired as the new head football coach following Taggart's departure.[21] In the news conference announcing Petrino's hiring in December 2012, athletic director Todd Stewart called it a "landmark moment" in the history of WKU football.[22] Keeping the programs momentum going, on April 1, 2013, it was announced that WKU would join Conference USA in all sports effective July 1, 2014, the following season.[23] 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.[24] The Hilltoppers finished the 2013 regular season 8–4, posting their best record since 2004, but were once again snubbed from a bowl appearance.[25] 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. WKU became the first school in league history to sweep the top three honors with just two players.[26] On January 8, 2014, it was announced that Petrino would leave WKU to return to Louisville to accept the head football coach position.[27]
Jeff Brohm (2014–2016)
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After one season as offensive coordinator for the Hilltoppers, Jeff Brohm was promoted to the program's head football coach, replacing Petrino.[28] In their first season under Brohm and as members of Conference USA, WKU went 8–5. Highlights of the season include upsetting undefeated and No. 24 ranked Marshall, in Huntington, 67–66 in overtime[29] (effectively starting a rivalry between the two schools) as well as winning the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl, their first FBS bowl win with a 49–48 victory over Central Michigan.[30] 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. Doughty was named 2014 Sammy Baugh Trophy winner as well as 2014 Conference USA Most Valuable Player.[31]
In 2015, Brohm led WKU to a ten-win regular season, highlighted by an undefeated conference record, WKU's first appearance in the top 25, and a Conference USA Championship beating Southern Miss 45–28. The Hilltoppers went on to defeat South Florida, who was coached by former Hilltopper quarterback and coach Willie Taggart, in the Miami Beach Bowl 45–35, ending the season with a 12–2 record and ranked 24th in the nation.[32] 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. 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. 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. WKU beat LaTech 58–44 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.[33]
On December 5, 2016, it was announced that Jeff Brohm would be leaving to take the head coach position at Purdue and that defensive coordinator Nick Holt would be filling in as interim head coach leading into their bowl game.[34] Holt led the Hilltoppers to their 3rd straight bowl victory beating Memphis 51–31 in the Boca Raton Bowl finishing the season 11–3. In his three seasons as head coach Jeff Brohm posted an outstanding 30–10 record, 17–2 at home, and 20–5 against Conference USA opponents. With the bowl win under Coach Holt, that brought their total wins over three years to 31 becoming a dominant force in Conference USA and among the Group of Five.[35]
Mike Sanford Jr. (2017–2018)
Leaving his job as offensive coordinator at Notre Dame, Mike Sanford returned to WKU, this time as head coach, after serving as quarterbacks coach under Willie Taggart in 2010.[36] Sanford also served on the same coaching staff as Taggart under Jim Harbaugh at Stanford. During his first year at WKU, the team went 6–7, losing in the 2017 Cure Bowl to Georgia State, 27–17. After a string of losses to open the 2018 campaign, including a home loss to FCS-level Maine 31–28 (a game in which WKU had once held a 21–0 lead), WKU limped to a 3–9 finish. Despite winning their final two games, including a road upset of Louisiana Tech, WKU fired Mike Sanford on November 25, 2018.[37] Mike Sanford finished his WKU tenure with a 9–16 record, and a 6–10 record against Conference USA opponents.
Tyson Helton (2019–present)
WK v Army game in 2019
On November 26, 2018, WKU announced the hire of Tennessee offensive coordinator Tyson Helton as the new Hilltoppers head coach.[38] Helton came back to WKU after formerly holding the role of OC at WKU in 2014–2015 under Jeff Brohm before he was hired by his brother Clay Helton as the quarterbacks coach at USC.[39]
In his first year as head coach, Helton was able to turn the program around and finished the season 8–4 including a statement 45–19 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks. In his first season, Helton won 2019 C-USA Coach of the Year. 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. On December 8, WKU announced it would be accepting an invite to play in the SERVPRO First Responders Bowl in Dallas, TX against Western Michigan on December 30, 2019, and won 23–20.
Western Kentucky has had 22head coaches and two interim head coaches since it began play during the 1913 season.[40] Since November 2018, Tyson Helton has served as head coach at Western Kentucky.[41]
Championships
National championships
WKU won the NCAA Division 1AA football national championship in 2002 and finished ranked number 1 in both final 1AA national polls that year.[42] They were NCAA Division 2 national runners-up in 1973 and 1975.[43]
Western Kentucky has won 13 conference titles, ten outright and three shared. They were an I-AA football independent from 1982 through 1998 and again in 2007 and 2008 while transitioning from FCS to FBS.[44] Additionally, the 1928 team defeated all other Kentucky teams on its schedule and claimed to be state champions.[45]
The Hilltoppers competed in two "College Division" bowl games prior to the NCAA instituting playoffs for lower division teams in 1973, with a record of 2–0.
In 2009 WKU completed its transition from Division I-AA/FCS to FBS. All bowl games since then have been at the NCAA Division I FBS level, with a record of 7–3.
The NCAA began Division II National Football Championship in 1973. WKU played in the NCAA Division II playoff championship game in 1973 and 1975.[43] NCAA Division I-AA was formed for football in 1978, and WKU moved up from Division II to Division I-AA at that time, and all playoff appearances since then were at the Division I-AA level. WKU won the Division 1AA NCAA championship in 2002.[46] In 2006 the name of Division I-AA was changed to NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). In 2007, WKU initiated the transition to NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and became ineligible for any further playoff appearances. The Hilltoppers' overall playoff record is 12–9.
Traditionally, the logo for Western Kentucky athletics was a diagonal "WKU" lettering. The primary logo was switched in 2003 to a red towel with an embossed "WKU" wordmark in white.[47] Red and white are the primary colors of the football uniforms. Historically, there has also been an occasional gray or black alternate uniform.
On August 13, 2016, WKU released 2 new (red home and white away) jerseys with 3 pants (red, white, and black.) The houndstooth design from legendary coach, Jimmy Feix's fedora is used on team shirts and down the stripe of the helmet. The university's cupola is inscribed on the chest plate and the line from the school's alma mater "We shall never fail thee" is written on the bottom of the jersey. On the pants, visibility of "Hilltoppers" lettering down the side of the pants increases with intensity of the game.[48]
The Hilltoppers had a long relationship with Russell Athletic, which became the sports program's apperal outfitter in 2007 for all of their team uniforms as the contract was initially renewed through 2016, before the program switched and made Nike its official team outfitter the very next year, in 2017.[49] The 2017 Nike brand official uniform reveal, which was hosted by DJ Khaled, included three full uniform sets: a red jersey with white pants and a chrome helmet, a white jersey with black pants and a chrome helmet, and an all white kit complete with the classic white helmet.[49][50]
In 2023, the WKU football program introduced new Nike uniforms, which featured a new, larger but consistent and traditional striping pattern across the helmets (white, black and chrome), jerseys and pants, as well as drop shadow numbers.[51] The football team's helmets added a metallic red facemask and larger "WKU" decals than before, including their primary towel logo and “Tops” script, which appears on two versions of the black and white helmets, which also appears on the pants.[51][52]
Romeo Crennel – former defensive coordinator for Houston Texans, former head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs 2012, Cleveland Browns 2005–2008
Joe Bugel – former head coach of the Oakland Raiders 1997
Willie Taggart – current RBs coach for Baltimore Ravens, former head coach of the FAU Owls, former head coach of the Florida State Seminoles, former head coach of the Oregon Ducks, former South Florida Bulls head coach, and former WKU head coach from 2010 to 2012, and played QB from 1995 to 1998
Nick Denes (1957–1967, head coach) – namesake of Nick Denes Field
Jimmy Feix (1968–1983, head coach; 1957–1967, assistant coach; 1986–1991, athletic director) – Winningest coach in WKU history; 1973, 1978, and 1980 Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year; 1973 and 1975 NCAA Division II National Runners-up, and namesake of Feix Field in L.T. Smith Stadium.
Jack Harbaugh (1989–2002, head coach) – 2000 Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year, 2002 AFCA Coach of the Year (FCS), 2002 FCS National Champion
Bobby Petrino (2013) – Current Arkansas offensive coordinator. former coach at Missouri State, University of Louisville, University of Arkansas, and the NFL Atlanta Falcons spent 13 months as head coach at WKU before returning to Louisville in January 2014
WKU has several historic rivalries that stem from its time in the Ohio Valley Conference. Since WKU's transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2007, two of these rivalry games are no longer played on an annual basis.
100 Miles of Hate is the name of the long-standing rivalry with Middle Tennessee. 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 name comes from the fact that the two universities are separated by about 100 miles.
WKU has an inactive rivalry with Eastern Kentucky. The two programs have met 84 times in football since 1914. The rivalry has taken a hiatus since leaving EKU behind as WKU transitioned to FBS in 2009. The programs scheduled a one-game match-up in 2017 in which WKU won 31–17 in Bowling Green, KY.
WKU has an inactive rivalry with nearby Murray State. The two programs have met 67 times since the rivalry began in 1931. 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.[54]
1 2 Londergan, Joe (August 13, 2017). "WKU Unveils new Nike uniforms". UnderdogDynasty.com. Retrieved September 17, 2023. Here's what the Tops will be wearing on the field in 2017
Jack Avon Harbaugh is an American football coach and former player. He served as the head football coach at Western Michigan University from 1982 to 1986 and Western Kentucky University from 1989 to 2002, compiling a career college football head coaching record of 116–95–3. In his final year at Western Kentucky, he led the 2002 Hilltoppers to an NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship title. In 2023, Harbaugh came out of retirement to become assistant head coach of the Michigan Wolverines under his son Jim and helped lead the team to win the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship.
Jeffrey Scott Brohm is an American college football coach and former professional quarterback. He is the head football coach at his alma mater, the University of Louisville, a position he has held since the 2023 season. Brohm played college football for the Louisville Cardinals under coach Howard Schnellenberger from 1989 to 1993. He played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons from 1994 to 2000 and the XFL in 2001. Brohm served as the head football coach at Western Kentucky University from 2014 to 2016 and Purdue University from 2017 to 2022.
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.
James Wyne Feix was an American football player and coach. He served as head football coach at Western Kentucky University 1968 to 1983, compiling a record of 106–56–6.
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 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 2013 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University (WKU) in the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by first year head coach Bobby Petrino 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 8–4, 4–3 in Sun Belt play to finish in a four-way tie for second place. Despite being bowl eligible, they were not selected to play in a bowl game. This was their last season as a member of the Sun Belt as they moved to Conference USA in the 2014 season.
The 2014 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented the Western Kentucky University (WKU) in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by first-year head coach Jeff Brohm and played their home games at the Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium. This was the team's first year as a Conference USA member and playing in the East Division. They finished the season 8–5, 4–4 in C-USA play to finish in a three-way tie for third place in the East Division. They were invited to the Bahamas Bowl where they defeated Central Michigan.
The 2015 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University (WKU) in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season as members of the East Division of Conference USA. Led by second year head coach Jeff Brohm, they played their home games at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky. They finished the season 12–2, 8–0 in C-USA play to be champions of the East Division. They represented the East Division in the Conference USA Football Championship Game where they defeated Southern Miss to win their first ever C-USA championship. They were invited to the Miami Beach Bowl where they defeated South Florida. They led the NCAA in Passing Efficiency, tied the school record for victories and were also ranked in the FBS AP Top 25 for the first time in program history.
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.
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 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 2017 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team (WKU) represented Western Kentucky University in the 2017 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 first-year head coach Mike Sanford Jr. The Hilltoppers finished the season 6–7, 4–4 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for third place in the East Division. They received an invite to the Cure Bowl where they lost to Georgia State.
The 2018 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team (WKU) represented Western Kentucky University in the 2018 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 Mike Sanford Jr. They finished the season 3–9, 2–6 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for sixth place in the East Division.
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.
The 2007 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University (WKU) during the 2007 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The team's head coach was David Elson. It was the team's first and only season as an NCAA Division I FCS independent team as they made the transition from the Gateway Conference of Division I-AA to the Sun Belt Conference of the FBS. The Hilltoppers played their home games at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
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