{{{year}}} [[{{{team}}} football]]
The 2014 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented 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 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 .
Previous season
The 2013 WKU Hilltoppers football team finished the 2013 season 8–4 overall and 4–3 in Sun Belt Conference play. The Hilltoppers biggest win was against season opener Kentucky by 35–26. WKU became bowl eligible after defeating Army but did not received a bowl invite due to the number of invites the Sun Belt Conference receives. After five years of competing in the Sun Belt, WKU moved to Conference USA on July 1, 2014.[1]
Schedule
Western Kentucky announced their 2014 football schedule on February 3, 2014. The 2014 schedule consist of 6 home games and 6 away games in the regular season. The Hilltoppers will host CUSA foes Old Dominion , UAB , UTEP , and UTSA , and will travel to Florida Atlantic , Marshall , Middle Tennessee , and Louisiana Tech .[2]
The Hilltoppers will play four opponents for the first time this season, Illinois , Old Dominion, UTEP, and UTSA. Western Kentucky will compete for the first time in the East division of Conference USA which has seven schools in total while the West division has six. Due to the two uneven divisions, WKU will only play five schools from the East division and will not play Florida International this season. Western Kentucky will play three teams from the West division, Louisiana Tech, UTEP, and UTSA, which will complete the eight conference games each member of the CUSA has to play.
August 297:00 p.m.Bowling Green *
CBSSN W 59–31 17,215
September 611:00 a.m.at Illinois *
BTN L 34–42 38,561
September 136:00 p.m.at Middle Tennessee
WKU PBS L 47–50 3OT 24,911
September 272:30 p.m.at Navy *
CBSSNW 36–27 30,537
October 46:00 p.m.UAB
Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY L 39–42 14,923
October 1811:00 a.m.at Florida Atlantic
ASN L 38–45 10,915
October 253:00 p.m.Old Dominion
Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY W 66–51 17,886
November 12:00 p.m.at Louisiana Tech
FSN L 10–5920,011
November 83:00 p.m.UTEP †
Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY W 35–2718,472
November 1511:00 a.m.Army *
Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY CBSSNW 52–2416,819
November 2211:00 a.m.UTSA
Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY FSNW 45–712,518
November 2811:00 a.m.at No. 19 Marshall
FS1 W 67–66 OT 23,576
December 2411:00 a.m.vs. Central Michigan *
ESPN W 49–4813,667
Template:CFB Schedule End
Schedule Source: [3]
Game summaries
Bowling Green
1
2
3
4
Total
Falcons
0
10
14
7
31
Hilltoppers
14
17
14
14
59
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
0–1
2007
BGSU, 41–21
Illinois
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
3
14
10
7
34
FIghting Illini
7
7
7
21
42
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
First Meeting
Middle Tennessee
1
2
3
4 OT 2OT 3OT
Total
Hilltoppers
3
21
0
10 7 3 3
47
Blue Raiders
14
10
0
10 7 3 6
50
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
29–33–1
2012
MTSU, 34–29
Navy
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
3
10
9
14
36
Midshipmen
7
6
0
7
20
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
1–2
2013
WKU, 19–7
UAB
1
2
3
4
Total
Blazers
14
0
21
7
42
Hilltoppers
20
7
12
0
39
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
3–2
1997
UAB, 20–16
Florida Atlantic
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
17
14
7
0
38
Owls
7
7
14
17
45
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
1–4
2012
FAU, 37–28
Old Dominion
1
2
3
4
Total
Monarchs
3
27
21
0
51
Hilltoppers
21
21
14
10
66
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
First Meeting
Louisiana Tech
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
7
3
0
0
10
Bulldogs
10
21
21
7
59
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
1–2
1973
La Tech, 34–0
UTEP
1
2
3
4
Total
Miners
17
3
7
0
27
Hilltoppers
7
7
7
14
35
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
First Meeting
Army
1
2
3
4
Total
Black Knights
7
3
14
0
24
Hilltoppers
14
10
14
14
52
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
1–0
2013
WKU, 21–17
UTSA
1
2
3
4
Total
Roadrunners
0
0
0
7
7
Hilltoppers
14
14
7
10
45
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
First Meeting
Marshall
1
2
3
4 OT
Total
Hilltoppers
28
21
0
10 8
67
#19 Thundering Herd
21
21
7
10 7
66
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
1–4
1996
MARSH, 37–3
Central Michigan–Bahamas Bowl
1
2
3
4
Total
Chippewas
7
7
0
34
48
Hilltoppers
21
21
7
0
49
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
0–1
2012
CMU, 24–21
References
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold