2004 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team
2004 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football | |
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Division I-AA Playoffs, Lost First Round | |
Conference | Gateway Football Conference |
Ranking | |
FCS Coaches | No. 11 |
Record | 9–3 (6–1 Gateway) |
Head coach |
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Assistant coach | Willie Taggart |
Home stadium | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 9 Southern Illinois $^ | 7 | – | 0 | 10 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 11 Western Kentucky ^ | 6 | – | 1 | 9 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 25 Northern Iowa | 5 | – | 2 | 7 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Southwest Missouri State | 3 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Western Illinois | 2 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Illinois State | 2 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Youngstown State | 2 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indiana State | 1 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2004 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 2004 NCAA Division I-AA football season and were led by second year head coach David Elson. The team contended for Gateway Football Conference championship but finished 2nd.[1] They made the school's fifth straight appearance in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs; it would end up being WKU's last playoff appearance, as they would initiate transitioning to NCAA Division I-A/FBS in 2006. The Hilltoppers finished the season ranked 11th in final I-AA postseason national poll.[2]
This team included future NFL players Curtis Hamilton, Brian Claybourn, Dan Cline, and Greg Ryan. Claybourn and Buster Ashley were named to the AP All American team. The All-Conference team included Ashley, Claybourn, Deonté Smith, Charles Thompson, Antonio Thomas, Justin Haddix, Erik Losey, Lerron Moore, and Joe Woolridge.[3]
Schedule
Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result |
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September 4 | at No. 13 (D-1A) Kansas State* | No. 13 | L 13–27 | |
September 11 | Concord (WV)* | No. 11 | W 58–0 | |
September 18 | at No. 20 Eastern Kentucky* | No. 11 | W 21–8 | |
October 2 | Youngstown State | No. 6 |
| W 44–19 |
October 9 | at No. 22 Northern Iowa | No. 6 | W 17–10 | |
October 16 | at No. 1 Southern Illinois | No. 4 | L 10–38 | |
October 23 | Indiana State | No. 10 |
| W 31–9 |
October 30 | Illinois State | No. 7 |
| W 24–21 |
November 6 | at Southwest Missouri | No. 5 | W 28–24 | |
November 13 | Western Illinois | No. 5 |
| W 45–3 |
November 20 | at FIU* | No. 3 | W 35–14 | |
November 27 | at No. 9 Sam Houston State* | No. 3 |
| L 24–54 |
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References
- ^ 2019 MVC Football Records, retrieved 30 April 2020
- ^ "Final Div. I-AA poll". The Burlington Free Press. Burlington, Vermont. December 21, 2004. p. 6B. Retrieved May 20, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ WKU Football Media Guide retrieved 31 March 2020.