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American college football season
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 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.[ 1]
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 .[ 2]
Date Time Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance 7:00 p.m. at Vanderbilt * SECN W 14–1230,307
7:00 p.m. Louisiana Tech FS1 W 41–3817,515
September 19 3:00 p.m. at Indiana * ESPNews L 35–3844,823
September 26 2:30 p.m. Miami (OH) * Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY CBSSN W 56–1420,320
October 3 2:30 p.m. at Rice FSN W 49–1020,124
October 10 11:00 a.m. Middle Tennessee FSN W 58–2816,993
6:30 p.m. at North Texas CBSSN W 55–2810,155
October 24 6:00 p.m. at No. 5 LSU * ESPNU L 20–48101,561
October 31 11:00 a.m. at Old Dominion FSN W 55–3020,118
November 7 11:00 a.m. Florida Atlantic Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY FSN W 35–1918,421
November 21 1:30 p.m. at FIU FCS W 63–714,380
11:00 a.m. Marshall Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY FS1 W 49–2817,687
December 5 11:00 a.m. Southern Miss ESPN2 W 45–2816,823
December 21 1:30 p.m. vs. South Florida * No. 25 ESPN W 45–3521,712
*Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to game All times are in Central time
Schedule source: [ 3]
Rankings
Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Final AP RV RV RV — — — RV RV — — RV RV RV RV 25 24 Coaches — — RV — — — — RV — RV RV RV RV RV RV RV CFP Not released — — — — — — Not released
Game summaries
at Vanderbilt
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
0
0
7
7
14
Commodores
0
3
0
9
12
Louisiana Tech
1
2
3
4
Total
Bulldogs
0
17
7
14
38
Hilltoppers
14
13
11
3
41
at Indiana
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
7
21
0
7
35
Hoosiers
7
10
21
0
38
Miami (OH)
1
2
3
4
Total
RedHawks
0
7
0
7
14
Hilltoppers
21
28
0
7
56
at Rice
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
21
14
0
14
49
Owls
3
7
0
0
10
Middle Tennessee
1
2
3
4
Total
Blue Raiders
7
7
7
7
28
Hilltoppers
28
24
3
3
58
at North Texas
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
14
20
14
7
55
Mean Green
0
14
0
14
28
at LSU
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
0
7
6
7
20
#5 Tigers
7
7
20
14
48
at Old Dominion
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
10
21
10
14
55
Monarchs
3
7
7
13
30
Florida Atlantic
1
2
3
4
Total
Owls
7
6
6
0
19
Hilltoppers
0
14
14
7
35
at Florida International
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
21
14
21
7
63
Panthers
0
0
0
7
7
Marshall
1
2
3
4
Total
Thundering Herd
0
14
7
7
28
Hilltoppers
7
28
6
8
49
Southern Miss (C–USA Championship Game)
1
2
3
4
Total
Golden Eagles
7
14
7
0
28
Hilltoppers
7
14
10
14
45
South Florida (Miami Beach Bowl)
1
2
3
4
Total
#25 Hilltoppers
0
10
28
7
45
Bulls
7
7
7
14
35
References
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold