Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football: Difference between revisions
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[[Willie Taggart]] returned to his alma mater as head football coach from his position as [[Stanford Cardinal football|Stanford]] running backs coach, where he served under Jack Harbaugh's son [[Jim Harbaugh]].<ref>http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/sunbelt/2009-11-23-western-kentucky-taggart_N.htm</ref> In Taggart's three seasons, the Hilltoppers went 2–10, then back to back 7–5 seasons that included an upset of [[Kentucky Wildcats football|Kentucky]] in Lexington in 2012. That was Western Kentucky's first win over an [[Southeastern Conference|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. In 2012, Taggart led WKU to its first bowl appearance as an FBS member, the 2012 Little Caesar's Bowl, a game they lost to [[Central Michigan Chippewas football|Central Michigan]].<ref>http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2012-12-26/little-caesars-pizza-bowl-central-michigan-beats-western-kentucky-zurlon-tipton-</ref> Taggart, a former running back himself, ran a run-heavy West Coast offense that helped develop leading rushers [[Bobby Rainey]] and [[Antonio Andrews]]. Taggart left after the 2012 season to accept the head football coach position at [[South Florida Bulls football|South Florida]].<ref>http://www.gousfbulls.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=7700&ATCLID=205822229</ref> |
[[Willie Taggart]] returned to his alma mater as head football coach from his position as [[Stanford Cardinal football|Stanford]] running backs coach, where he served under Jack Harbaugh's son [[Jim Harbaugh]].<ref>http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/sunbelt/2009-11-23-western-kentucky-taggart_N.htm</ref> In Taggart's three seasons, the Hilltoppers went 2–10, then back to back 7–5 seasons that included an upset of [[Kentucky Wildcats football|Kentucky]] in Lexington in 2012. That was Western Kentucky's first win over an [[Southeastern Conference|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. In 2012, Taggart led WKU to its first bowl appearance as an FBS member, the 2012 Little Caesar's Bowl, a game they lost to [[Central Michigan Chippewas football|Central Michigan]].<ref>http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2012-12-26/little-caesars-pizza-bowl-central-michigan-beats-western-kentucky-zurlon-tipton-</ref> Taggart, a former running back himself, ran a run-heavy West Coast offense that helped develop leading rushers [[Bobby Rainey]] and [[Antonio Andrews]]. Taggart left after the 2012 season to accept the head football coach position at [[South Florida Bulls football|South Florida]].<ref>http://www.gousfbulls.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=7700&ATCLID=205822229</ref> |
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===Bobby Petrino era ( |
===Bobby Petrino era (2013–2014)=== |
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[[File:Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino.jpg|thumb|Coach Petrino]] |
[[File:Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino.jpg|thumb|Coach Petrino]] |
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Former [[Arkansas Razorbacks football|Arkansas]] head coach [[Bobby Petrino]] was hired as the new head football coach following Taggart's departure.<ref>http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/eye-on-college-football/21347707</ref> In the news conference announcing Petrino's hiring in December 2012, athletic director Todd Stewart called the hiring a "landmark moment" in the history of WKU football.<ref>http://www.wdrb.com/story/20306247/bobby-petrino-is-new-wku-fo</ref> Petrino led the team to a second straight win over Kentucky in August 2013, his first game as the Hilltoppers head football coach.<ref>http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=332430098</ref> The Hilltoppers finished the 2013 regular season with an 8-4 record but were snubbed from a bowl appearance. |
Former [[Arkansas Razorbacks football|Arkansas]] head coach [[Bobby Petrino]] was hired as the new head football coach following Taggart's departure.<ref>http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/eye-on-college-football/21347707</ref> In the news conference announcing Petrino's hiring in December 2012, athletic director Todd Stewart called the hiring a "landmark moment" in the history of WKU football.<ref>http://www.wdrb.com/story/20306247/bobby-petrino-is-new-wku-fo</ref> Petrino led the team to a second straight win over Kentucky in August 2013, his first game as the Hilltoppers head football coach.<ref>http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=332430098</ref> The Hilltoppers finished the 2013 regular season with an 8-4 record but were snubbed from a bowl appearance. |
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On April 1, 2013, it was announced that Western Kentucky would join [[Conference USA]] in all sports effective July 1, 2014.<ref>http://www.conferenceusa.com/genrel/040113aac.html</ref> |
On April 1, 2013, it was announced that Western Kentucky would join [[Conference USA]] in all sports effective July 1, 2014.<ref>http://www.conferenceusa.com/genrel/040113aac.html</ref> |
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In January 2014, Petrino announced that he would accept an offer to return to [[Louisville Cardinals football|Louisville]] as head football coach.<ref>http://www.wdrb.com/story/24396284/pat-forde-u-of-l-close-to-hiring-bobby-petrino-as-head-football-coach</ref> |
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==Logos and uniforms== |
==Logos and uniforms== |
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Revision as of 12:12, 9 January 2014
| Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| File:WesternKentuckyHilltoppers.png | |||
| First season | 1908 | ||
| Stadium | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium (capacity: 22,000) | ||
| Field surface | FieldTurf | ||
| Location | Bowling Green, Kentucky | ||
| League | NCAA Division I (FBS) | ||
| All-time record | 511–349–30 (.591) | ||
| Bowl record | 2–1 (.667) | ||
| Claimed national titles | 1 (FCS) | ||
| Conference titles | 11 (7 Division II, 4 FCS) | ||
| Colors | Red and White | ||
| Fight song | Stand Up and Cheer! | ||
| Mascot | Big Red | ||
| Marching band | Big Red Marching Band | ||
| Rivals | Eastern Kentucky Colonels Murray State Racers Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders | ||
| Website | WKU Official Athletic Site | ||
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football program is a college football team that represents Western Kentucky University (WKU). The team is currently a member of the Sun Belt Conference, which is a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The program has 1 national championship (FCS/I-AA), 11 conference championships (1 SIAA, 9 OVC and 1 Gateway) and 5 Consensus All-Americans. The position of head football coach is currently vacant. The Hilltoppers play their home games at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky.[1]
History
Early history
Western Kentucky first fielded a football team in 1908. The program's first coaches were M.A. Leiper and Roy Manchester. The Hilltoppers didn't compete in football from 1917-1919 because of World War I. L.T. Smith, whose name bears the Hilltoppers' home stadium, coached the team for two seasons from 1920-1921.
Edgar Diddle era (1922–1928)
Better known for serving as Western Kentucky's iconic basketball coach, Edgar Diddle coached the Hilltoppers football team for seven seasons. The Hilltoppers had their first football successes under Diddle, who was a dual athlete himself and encouraged his players to do the same so they could stay in shape.
Carl Anderson era (1929 and 1934–1937)
Carl Anderson served two stints as Western Kentucky's head football coach. Anderson posted a 31-12-3 record as the Hilltoppers head football coach.
Jimmy Feix era (1968–1983)
Jimmy Feix is the most successful coach in Western Kentucky football history. He complied a 105-56-6 record in 16 seasons as head coach. He led the transition from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS). His teams won six Ohio Valley Conference championships and two Division II runners-up in 1973 and 1975. Feix was also a six-time OVC Coach of the Year. His winning percentage (.6488) is also the highest among all coaches in Western Kentucky football history.
Dave Roberts era (1984–1988)
Dave Roberts took over the Hilltoppers football program after Feix's retirement. Roberts posted a 26-30-1 record in five seasons as head football coach. He left after the 1988 season to accept the head football coach position at Louisiana-Monroe.
Jack Harbaugh era (1989–2002)
Jack Harbaugh served as the Hilltoppers head football coach for 14 seasons, compiling a 91-68 record, one conference championship and the 2002 Division I-AA National Championship.
David Elson era (2003–2009)
Coach David Elson led the Hilltoppers for six seasons, five of which were at the Division I-A level and the last being WKU's first season in Division I-A (now FBS) as members of the Sun Belt Conference. A dismal 0-12 record in 2009 led to Elson's firing.
Willie Taggart era (2010–2012)
Willie Taggart returned to his alma mater as head football coach from his position as Stanford running backs coach, where he served under Jack Harbaugh's son Jim Harbaugh.[2] In Taggart's three seasons, the Hilltoppers went 2–10, then back to back 7–5 seasons that included an upset of Kentucky in Lexington in 2012. That was Western Kentucky's first win over an 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. In 2012, Taggart led WKU to its first bowl appearance as an FBS member, the 2012 Little Caesar's Bowl, a game they lost to Central Michigan.[3] Taggart, a former running back himself, ran a run-heavy West Coast offense that helped develop leading rushers Bobby Rainey and Antonio Andrews. Taggart left after the 2012 season to accept the head football coach position at South Florida.[4]
Bobby Petrino era (2013–2014)
Former Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino was hired as the new head football coach following Taggart's departure.[5] In the news conference announcing Petrino's hiring in December 2012, athletic director Todd Stewart called the hiring a "landmark moment" in the history of WKU football.[6] Petrino led the team to a second straight win over Kentucky in August 2013, his first game as the Hilltoppers head football coach.[7] The Hilltoppers finished the 2013 regular season with an 8-4 record but were snubbed from a bowl appearance.
On April 1, 2013, it was announced that Western Kentucky would join Conference USA in all sports effective July 1, 2014.[8]
Logos and uniforms
Traditionally, the logo for Western Kentucky athletics was a diagonal "WKU" lettering. Although the "WKU" is still in use, the primary logo was switched in 2003 to a red towel with an embossed “WKU” wordmark in white.[9]
The Hilltoppers have a long relationship with Russell Athletic for their uniforms and the contract was renewed through 2016. Red and white are the primary colors of the football uniforms with an occasional gray or black uniform.
Before the 2011 season, head coach Willie Taggart announced new uniforms that were worn through the 2012 season. The highlight of the design were 2 shoulder stripes and featured bold "WKU" lettering on the chest.[10] During the 2012 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, the Hilltoppers wore an alternate gray uniform with the same design template.[11]
On July 18, 2013, head coach Bobby Petrino held a launch event for new uniforms for the 2013 football season. Photos had already been released of chrome football helmets a few months after he was hired. Three WKU uniforms were released at the event and each design was paired with a chrome helmet. The new black alternate uniform received the most attention on social media.[12] The white away uniform included red sleeves in the design and all three pants had "Hilltoppers" lettering down the side.[13] The red design included black sleeves and all three uniforms had the Western Kentucky seal as a watermark in the numbers.[14]
All-time Sun Belt records
- Statistics correct as of the end of the 2011-12 college football season
This table includes all Sun Belt games from 2009, the year the Hilltoppers joined the Sun Belt Conference. It includes only games that were Sun Belt conference games, and does not include postseason games.
| Opponent | Games | Win | Loss | Pct. | PF | PA | First Meeting | Last Meeting | Streak | Most recent win |
| Arkansas State | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 | 104 | 98 | 2009 | 2012 | 1 win | 2012, 26-13 |
| Florida Atlantic | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333 | 59 | 46 | 2009 | 2011 | 1 win | 2011, 20-0 |
| Florida International | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333 | 51 | 74 | 2009 | 2011 | 1 win | 2011, 10-9 |
| Louisiana–Lafayette | 3 | 2 | 1 | .667 | 118 | 74 | 2009 | 2011 | 2 win | 2011, 42-23 |
| Louisiana–Monroe | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333 | 80 | 84 | 2009 | 2011 | 1 win | 2011, 31-28 (OT) |
| Middle Tennessee | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333 | 86 | 122 | 2009 | 2011 | 1 win | 2011, 36-33 (2OT) |
| North Texas | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333 | 86 | 122 | 2009 | 2011 | 1 win | 2011, 31-21 |
| South Alabama | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| Troy | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 | 106 | 112 | 2009 | 2012 | 2 win | 2012, 31-26 |
| Totals | 24 | 9 | 15 | .375 | 633 | 693 |
NCAA affiliations
1910-1937: Member
1937-1973: Member, NCAA College Division
1973-1978: Member, NCAA Division II
1978-2008: Member, NCAA Division I - Football Championship Subdivision
2008–present: Member, NCAA Division I - Football Bowl Subdivision
Conference affiliations
1913-1926: NCAA Independent
1927-1942: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
1942-1945: NCAA College Division Independent
1946-1947: Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
1948-1981: Ohio Valley Conference
1982-1998: Football Championship Subdivision Independent
1999-2000: Ohio Valley Conference
2001-2006: Gateway Football Conference
2007: Football Championship Subdivision Independent
2008: Football Bowl Subdivision Independent
2009–2014: Sun Belt Conference
2014-: Conference USA
National championships
| Year | Selector | Coach | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | NCAA Division I-AA | Jack Harbaugh | 12-3-0 |
Conference championships
| Year | Conference | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1932 | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association | 7-1-0 |
| 1952 | Ohio Valley Conference | 9-1-0 (co-champions) |
| 1963 | Ohio Valley Conference | 10-0-1 |
| 1970 | Ohio Valley Conference | 8-1-1 |
| 1971 | Ohio Valley Conference | 8-2-0 |
| 1973 | Ohio Valley Conference | 12-1-0 |
| 1975 | Ohio Valley Conference | 11-2-0 (co-champions) |
| 1978 | Ohio Valley Conference | 8-2-0 |
| 1980 | Ohio Valley Conference | 9-1-0 |
| 2000 | Ohio Valley Conference | 11-2 |
| 2002 | Gateway Football Conference | 12-3 (co-champions) |
Bowl Games
WKU competed in two "College Division" bowl games prior to the NCAA instituting playoffs for lower division teams in 1973. In 2009 WKU completed its transition from Division I-AA/FCS to Division I-A/FBS. All bowl games since then were at the NCAA Division I FBS level.
| Season | Date | Coach | Bowl | Result | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | December 7 | Jack Clayton | Refrigerator Bowl | W 34–19 | Arkansas State |
| 1963 | December 28 | Nick Denes | Tangerine Bowl | W 27–0 | Coast Guard |
| 2012 | December 26 | Lance Guidry (interim) | Little Caesars Pizza Bowl | L 21–24 | Central Michigan |
NCAA Playoff Appearances
The NCAA began Division II National Football Championship in 1973. WKU made NCAA Division II playoff appearances in 1973 and 1975. NCAA Division I-AA was formed for football in 1978, and WKU moved up from Division II to Division 1-AA at that time, and all playoff appearances since then were at the Division 1-AA level. In 2006 the name of Division 1-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.
| Year | Record | Coach | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 12-1 | Jimmy Feix | Lehigh W 25-16; Grambling W 28-20; Louisiana Tech L 0-34 (NCAA Runners-up) |
| 1975 | 11-2 | Jimmy Feix | N. Iowa W 14-12; New Hampshire W 14- 3; N. Michigan L 14-16 (NCAA Runners-up) |
| 1987 | 7-4 | Dave Roberts | Eastern Kentucky L 17-40 |
| 1988 | 9-4 | Dave Roberts | Western Illinois W 35-32; Eastern Kentucky L 24-41 |
| 1997 | 10-2 | Jack Harbaugh | Eastern Kentucky W 42-14; Eastern Washington L 21-38 |
| 2000 | 11-2 | Jack Harbaugh | Florida A&M W 27-0; Appalachian State L 14-17 |
| 2001 | 8-4 | Jack Harbaugh | Furman L 20-24 |
| 2002 | 12-3 | Jack Harbaugh | Murray St W 59-20; W. Illinois W 31-28; GA Southern W 31-28; McNeese St W 34-14 (NCAA Champions) |
| 2003 | 9-4 | David Elson | Jacksonville State W 45-7; Wofford L 17-34 |
| 2004 | 9-3 | David Elson | Sam Houston State L 24-54 |
Hilltoppers in the polls
From 1978 until 2007, WKU competed in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, and as such was eligible for the post-season FCS coaches poll and the Sports Network poll, started in 1993. They have appeared in the final rankings 12 seasons.
| Year | Record | Coaches | Sports Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 8-2-0 | 5 | |
| 1980 | 9-1-0 | 5 | |
| 1987 | 7-4-0 | 11 | |
| 1988 | 9-4-0 | 16 | |
| 1993 | 8-3-0 | NR | 19 |
| 1997 | 10-2 | 7 | 5 |
| 1998 | 7-4 | 22 | 17 |
| 2000 | 11-2 | 7 | 5 |
| 2001 | 8-4 | 10 | 12 |
| 2002 | 12-3 | 1 | 1 |
| 2003 | 9-4 | 8 | 7 |
| 2004 | 9-3 | 11 | 11 |
Notable Hilltoppers in the NFL
Active
RB Bobby Rainey - Baltimore (2012–present)
Former
Carl Brazley - former DB for San Diego (1987).
David Carter - former C for Houston (1977–1983) and New Orleans (1984–1985).
Darryl Drake - former WR for Washington (1979) and Cincinnati (1983).
Curtis Hamilton - former Wr for Chicago (2008), New Orleans (2009)
Clarence "Jazz" Jackson, Jr. - former RB for New York Jets (1974–1976).
Joseph Jefferson - former CB for Indianapolis (2002–2005).
Jeremi Johnson - former FB for Cincinnati (2003-2009) Free Agent (2009-present)
Dale Lindsey - former LB for Cleveland (1965–1972) and New Orleans (1973).
Virgil Livers - former DB for Chicago (1975–1979).
Anthony Oakley - former G for Cleveland (2004) and Chicago (2005–2007)
Rod Smart AKA "He Hate Me" - Former RB for San Diego (2000), Philadelphia (2001), Carolina (2002–2005) and Oakland (2006).
A total of 26 Hilltoppers have been drafted in the NFL.
Notable Hilltopper players
Romeo Crennel - Former Head Coach of the Kansas City Chiefs
Joe Bugel - Former Head Coach of the Oakland Raiders
Willie Taggart - Current University South Florida Bulls Head Coach, former WKU Head Coach from 2010-2012, and played QB from 1995-1998
Jimmy Feix - Former WKU Hilltoppers Head Coach, 1952 Little All-American Quarterback
Eagle "Buddy" Keys - Former Head Coach in the CFL, Grey Cup Champion, member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
Chris Baker - Legendary Florida high school football coach
Notable Hilltopper coaches
Head Coaches
L.T. Smith (1920–1921, Head Coach) - Namesake of L.T. Smith Stadium
E.A. Diddle (1922–1928, Head Coach) - Former WKU Hilltoppers basketball Head Coach
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
Jack Harbaugh (1989–2002, Head Coach) - Former Head Coach - Western Michigan, 2000 Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year, 2002 AFCA Coach of the Year (FCS), 2002 FCS National Champion
Bobby Petrino (2013–Present)
Assistants
Jerry Glanville (1967, DC) - Former Head Coach of the Houston Oilers and the Atlanta Falcons
Jim Harbaugh (1994–2001, Assistant Coach) - Current NFL Head Coach for the San Francisco 49ers, was a certified, unpaid assistant under his father while playing in the NFL
Don Martindale - (2001–03, LB Coach, Defensive Coordinator) Linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens
Tommy Prothro (1942, Assistant Coach) - Former Head Coach - Oregon State and UCLA, Former Head Coach - Los Angeles Rams and San Diego Chargers, member of the College Football Hall of Fame
Retired jerseys
1 - Willie Taggart
24 - Virgil Livers
44 - Dale Lindsey
66 - Jimmy Feix
Individual award winners
- Gateway Football Conference Freshman of the Year
- Justin Haddix - 2003
- Division I-AA AFCA Coach of the Year
- Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year
- Nick Denes - 1963
- Jimmy Feix - 1973, 1978, 1980
- Jack Harbaugh - 2000
All-Americans
WKU has fielded 64 All-Americans, with the first being named in 1952 and the last being named in 2005.
5 have been designated by the NCAA as "Consensus All-Americans" (selected by the AP, the Walter Camp Foundation and the AFCA). They are:
James Edwards (1987)
Bobby Sippio (2000)
Mel Mitchell (2001)
Chris Price (2002)
Buster Ashley (2004)
WKU's total of 5 Consensus All-Americans outpaces BCS programs Duke, Wake Forest, and Iowa State.
Rivalries
WKU has several historic rivalries that stem from its time in the Ohio Valley Conference. Since WKU's move to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2008, two of the three rivalry games are no longer played on an annual basis.
- Battle of the Bluegrass is the name of WKU's rivalry with the Eastern Kentucky Colonels. As WKU's oldest rivalry, the two programs have met 85 times in football since 1914.[15]
- Battle for the Red Belt is the name of WKU's rivalry with the nearby Murray State Racers. 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.[16]
- WKU has a growing in-conference rivalry with the Middle Tennessee that stems from their basketball rivalry. The two programs played together for several decades in the Ohio Valley Conference, and they both moved around the same time to the Sun Belt Conference and then to Conference USA.[17][18]
Future non-conference opponents
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| vs Kentucky (in Nashville) | vs Bowling Green | at Indiana | at Miami (OH) | at Illinois | at Hawaii | ||||
| at Tennessee | at Illinois | vs Miami (OH) | vs Army | ||||||
| vs Morgan State | at Navy | at LSU | |||||||
| vs Navy | vs Army | at Army | |||||||
| at Army |
References
- ^ https://admin.xosn.com/fls/5400//2012-13%20Publications/2012%20WKU%20Football%20Media%20Information%20Guide.pdf
- ^ http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/sunbelt/2009-11-23-western-kentucky-taggart_N.htm
- ^ http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2012-12-26/little-caesars-pizza-bowl-central-michigan-beats-western-kentucky-zurlon-tipton-
- ^ http://www.gousfbulls.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=7700&ATCLID=205822229
- ^ http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/eye-on-college-football/21347707
- ^ http://www.wdrb.com/story/20306247/bobby-petrino-is-new-wku-fo
- ^ http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=332430098
- ^ http://www.conferenceusa.com/genrel/040113aac.html
- ^ UniformCritics.com, Photos and History of Western Kentucky Football Uniforms. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
- ^ UniformCritics.com, Photos of 2011-2012 Red Hilltoppers Football Uniform. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
- ^ UniformCritics.com, Photos of 2012 Gray WKU Football Uniform. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
- ^ UniformCritics.com, Photos of 2013 Western Kentucky Black Alternate Uniform. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
- ^ UniformCritics.com, Photos of 2013 Western Kentucky White Football Uniform. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
- ^ UniformCritics.com, Photos of 2013 Western Kentucky Red Football Uniform. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
- ^ http://www.wkusports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5400&ATCLID=1573894
- ^ http://www.wkusports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5400&ATCLID=1584257
- ^ http://wkuherald.com/sports/article_18463066-ee49-11e0-89b2-0019bb30f31a.html
- ^ http://www.hobnobsmyrna.com/sports/football/item/1033-mtsu-renews-western-kentucky-rivalry-at-home-thursday-night
- ^ "Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Football Schedules and Future Schedules". fbschedules.com. Retrieved 2013-08-12.