2015 WKU Hilltoppers football team

2015 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football
C-USA champion
C-USA East Division champion
Miami Beach Bowl champion
Conference Conference USA
Division East Division
Ranking
AP No. 24
2015 record 12–2 (8–0 C-USA)
Head coach Jeff Brohm (2nd as HC; 3rd Overall year)
Offensive coordinator Tyson Helton (2nd year)
Defensive coordinator Nick Holt (3rd year)
Home stadium Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
(Capacity: 22,113)
2015 Conference USA football standings
Conf     Overall
Team   W   L         W   L  
East Division
#24 WKU x$   8 – 0         12 – 2  
Middle Tennessee   6 – 2         7 – 6  
Marshall   6 – 2         10 – 3  
FIU   3 – 5         5 – 7  
Old Dominion   3 – 5         5 – 7  
Florida Atlantic   3 – 5         3 – 9  
Charlotte   0 – 8         2 – 10  
West Division
Southern Miss x   7 – 1         9 – 5  
Louisiana Tech   6 – 2         9 – 4  
UTSA   3 – 5         3 – 9  
UTEP   3 – 5         5 – 7  
Rice   3 – 5         5 – 7  
North Texas   1 – 7         1 – 11  
Championship: WKU 45, Southern Miss 28
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
As of 8:39, January 12, 2015 (UTC); Rankings from AP Poll

The 2015 WKU 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 were also ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time in program history.

Previous season

The Hilltoppers finished the 2014 season 8–5 overall and 4–4 in conference play. WKU biggest win and upset was against season closer Marshall by 67–66 in overtime, Marshall's first and only loss of their season making them ineligible for a berth in a New Year's Six Bowl. WKU became bowl eligible after defeating UTSA and was invited to play in the inaugural Bahamas Bowl, the first international bowl game since 2010. The Hilltoppers defeated the Central Michigan Chippewas, 49–48.

Schedule

Western Kentucky announced their 2015 football schedule on February 2, 2015. The 2015 schedule consist of five home and seven away games in the regular season. The Hilltoppers will host CUSA foes Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, and Middle Tennessee, and will travel to Florida International (FIU), North Texas, Old Dominion, and Rice.[1]

Date Time Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
September 3 7:00 p.m. at Vanderbilt* Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, TN SECN W 14–12   30,307
September 10 7:00 p.m. Louisiana Tech Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY FS1 W 41–38   17,515
September 19 3:00 p.m. at Indiana* Memorial Stadium • Bloomington, IN ESPNews L 35–38   44,823
September 26 2:30 p.m. Miami (OH)* Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY CBSSN W 56–14   20,320
October 3 2:30 p.m. at Rice Rice Stadium • Houston, TX FSN W 49–10   20,124
October 10 11:00 a.m. Middle Tennessee Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY (100 Miles of Hate) FSN W 58–28   16,993
October 15 6:30 p.m. at North Texas Apogee Stadium • Denton, TX CBSSN W 55–28   10,155
October 24 6:00 p.m. at No. 5 LSU* Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA ESPNU L 20–48   101,561
October 31 11:00 a.m. at Old Dominion Foreman Field • Norfolk, VA FSN W 55–30   20,118
November 7 11:00 a.m. Florida Atlanticdagger Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY FSN W 35–19   18,421
November 21 1:30 p.m. at FIU FIU Stadium • Miami, FL FCS W 63–7   14,380
November 27 11:00 a.m. Marshall Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY FS1 W 49–28   17,687
December 5 11:00 a.m. Southern Miss Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY (C–USA Championship) ESPN2 W 45–28   16,823
December 21 1:30 p.m. vs. South Florida* No. 25 Marlins Park • Miami, FL (Miami Beach Bowl) ESPN W 45–35   21,712
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Central Time.
Schedule source:[2]

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. ( ) = First place votes.
Week
Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Final 
AP RV RV RV NR NR NR RV RV NR NR RV RV RV RV 25 24 
Coaches NR NR RV NR NR NR NR RV NR RV RV RV RV RV RV RV 
CFP Not released NR NR NR NR NR NR Not released

Game notes

at Vanderbilt

1 2 3 4 Total
Hilltoppers 0 0 7 7 14
Commodores 0 3 0 9 12
Overall record Last meeting Result
0–3 1938 VANDY, 12–0

Louisiana Tech

1 2 3 4 Total
Bulldogs 0 17 7 14 38
Hilltoppers 14 13 11 3 41
Overall record Last meeting Result
1–3 2014 LT, 59–10

at Indiana

1 2 3 4 Total
Hilltoppers 7 21 0 7 35
Hoosiers 7 10 21 0 38
Overall record Last meeting Result
0–2 2010 IND, 38–21

Miami (OH)

1 2 3 4 Total
RedHawks 0 7 0 7 14
Hilltoppers 21 28 0 7 56
Overall record Last meeting Result
First meeting

at Rice

1 2 3 4 Total
Hilltoppers 21 14 0 14 49
Owls 3 7 0 0 10
Overall record Last meeting Result
First meeting

Middle Tennessee

1 2 3 4 Total
Blue Raiders 7 7 7 7 28
Hilltoppers 28 24 3 3 58
Further information: 100 Miles of Hate
Overall record Last meeting Result
29–33–1 2014 MTSU, 50–47 3OT

at North Texas

1 2 3 4 Total
Hilltoppers 14 20 14 7 55
Mean Green 0 14 0 14 28
Overall record Last meeting Result
2–4 2012 WKU, 25–24

at LSU

1 2 3 4 Total
Hilltoppers 0 7 6 7 20
#5 Tigers 7 7 20 14 48
Overall record Last meeting Result
0–1 2011 LSU, 42–9

at Old Dominion

1 2 3 4 Total
Hilltoppers 10 21 10 14 55
Monarchs 3 7 7 13 30
Overall record Last meeting Result
1–0 2014 WKU, 66–51

Florida Atlantic

1 2 3 4 Total
Owls 7 6 6 0 19
Hilltoppers 0 14 14 7 35
Overall record Last meeting Result
1–5 2014 FAU, 45–38

at Florida International

1 2 3 4 Total
Hilltoppers 21 14 21 7 63
Panthers 0 0 0 7 7
Overall record Last meeting Result
4–4 2012 WKU, 14–6

Marshall

1 2 3 4 Total
Thundering Herd 0 14 7 7 28
Hilltoppers 7 28 6 8 49
Overall record Last meeting Result
2–4 2014 WKU, 67–66 OT

Southern Miss (C–USA Championship Game)

1 2 3 4 Total
Golden Eagles 7 14 7 0 28
Hilltoppers 7 14 10 14 45
Overall record Last meeting Result
1–0 2012 WKU, 42–17

South Florida (Miami Beach Bowl)

1 2 3 4 Total
#25 Hilltoppers 0 10 28 7 45
Bulls 7 7 7 14 35
Overall record Last meeting Result
2–4 2010 USF, 24–12

References

  1. ↑ "Hilltoppers Announce 2015 Football Schedule and Season Ticket Plans" (Press release). Western Kentucky University Department of Athletics. February 2, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  2. ↑ "2015 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
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