2015 WKU Hilltoppers football team
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 Atlantic |
|
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. Homecoming. #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 |
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
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National championship seasons in bold |