List of Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football seasons

This is a list of seasons completed by the Western Kentucky college football program. The Hilltoppers represent the Western Kentucky University (WKU) in Conference USA. WKU plays its home games at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky.[1]

Seasons

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
M. A. Leiper & Roy C. Manchester (Independent) (1913)
1913 Leiper / Manchester 1–0
Leiper / Manchester: 1–0
J. L. Arthur (Independent) (1914–1916)
1914 J. L. Arthur 1–2
1915 J. L. Arthur 1–4–2
1916 J. L. Arthur 3–2
J. L. Arthur: 5–8–2
1917 No team
1918 No team
1919 No team
L. T. Smith (Independent) (1920–1921)
1920 L. T. Smith 0–1
1921 L. T. Smith 2–4–1
L. T. Smith: 2–5–1
Edgar Diddle (Independent) (1922–1925)
1922 Edgar Diddle 9–1
1923 Edgar Diddle 5–4
1924 Edgar Diddle 4–5
1925 Edgar Diddle 3–5–1
Edgar Diddle (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1926–1928)
1926 Edgar Diddle 4–4–1 1–2–1 19th
1927 Edgar Diddle 5–4 2–4 T–18th
1928 Edgar Diddle 8–1 5–1 3rd
Edgar Diddle: 38–24–2 7–6–1
Carl Anderson (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1929)
1929 Carl Anderson 7–3 3–3 T–16th
James Elam (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1930–1931)
1930 James Elam 8–1–1 6–1 6th
1931 James Elam 8–4 7–1 4th
James Elam: 16–5–1 13–2
Ernest R. Miller (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1932)
1932 Ernest R. Miller 8–1 6–0 1st
Ernest R. Miller: 8–1 6–0
Jesse Thomas (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1933)
1933 Jesse Thomas 6–2 5–1
Carl Anderson (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1934–1937)
1934 Carl Anderson 4–2–2 4–1–1 T–6th
1935 Carl Anderson 7–3 5–2 13th
1936 Carl Anderson 4–4 3–2 T–14th
1937 Carl Anderson 7–1–1 3–0–1 T–3rd
Carl Anderson: 24–9–3 18–8–2
Gander Terry (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1934–1937)
1938 Gander Terry 7–2 4–1 T–8th
1939 Gander Terry 7–1–1 5–1–1 T–5th
1940 Gander Terry 7–1–1 4–1–1 T–5th
1941 Gander Terry 4–5–1 3–1–1 T–6th
Gander Terry: 25–9–3 16–4–3
Arnold Winkenhofer (Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1942)
1942 Arnold Winkenhofer 3–4–1 2–0–1 T–6th
Arnold Winkenhofer: 3–4–1 2–0–1
1943 No team
1944 No team
1945 No team
Jesse Thomas (Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1946–1947)
1946 Jesse Thomas 2–6 1–3
1947 Jesse Thomas 3–4–2 1–3
Jesse Thomas: 11–12–2 7–7
Jack Clayton (Ohio Valley Conference) (1948–1956)
1948 Jack Clayton 5–4 2–3 5th
1949 Jack Clayton 5–4 2–3 6th
1950 Jack Clayton 6–2–2 3–1–2 2nd
1951 Jack Clayton 4–5 2–4 6th
1952 Jack Clayton 9–1 4–1 T–1st W Refrigerator
1953 Jack Clayton 6–4 2–3 4th
1954 Jack Clayton 7–3 3–2 T–2nd
1955 Jack Clayton 3–6 1–4 5th
1956 Jack Clayton 5–4 2–3 T–3rd
Jack Clayton: 50–33–2 21–24–2
Nick Denes (Ohio Valley Conference) (1957–1967)
1957 Nick Denes 5–3–1 1–3–1 T–4th
1958 Nick Denes 4–5 2–4 T–5th
1959 Nick Denes 5–4 3–3 4th
1960 Nick Denes 2–6–1 1–4–1 T–6th
1961 Nick Denes 6–3 4–2 3rd
1962 Nick Denes 5–3 3–3 5th
1963 Nick Denes 10–0–1 7–0 1st W Tangerine 8
1964 Nick Denes 6–3–1 3–3–1 T–3rd
1965 Nick Denes 2–6–2 1–5–1 7th
1966 Nick Denes 5–5 3–4 6th
1967 Nick Denes 7–1–1 5–1–1 2nd
Nick Denes: 57–39–7 33–32–5
Jimmy Feix (Ohio Valley Conference) (1968–1981)
1968 Jimmy Feix 7–2–1 5–2 T–2nd 17 19
1969 Jimmy Feix 6–3–1 5–2 2nd
1970 Jimmy Feix 8–1–1 5–1–1 1st 9 12
1971 Jimmy Feix 8–2 6–1 1st 12 6
1972 Jimmy Feix 7–3 5–2 2nd
1973 Jimmy Feix 12–1 7–0 1st W Grantland Rice (NCAA Division II Semifinal)
L Camellia (NCAA Division II Championship)
2 3
1974 Jimmy Feix 7–3 5–2 T–2nd
1975 Jimmy Feix 11–2 6–1 T–1st W Grantland Rice (NCAA Division II Semifinal)
L Camellia (NCAA Division II Championship)
3 3
1976 Jimmy Feix 4–5–1 3–4 T–4th
1977 Jimmy Feix 1–8–1 1–5–1 8th
1978 Jimmy Feix 8–2 6–0 1st T–4
1979 Jimmy Feix 5–5 3–3 4th
1980 Jimmy Feix 9–1 6–1 1st 5
1981 Jimmy Feix 6–5 4–4 T–4th
Jimmy Feix (Division I-AA independent) (1982–1983)
1982 Jimmy Feix 5–5
1983 Jimmy Feix 2–8–1
Jimmy Feix: 106–56–6 68–28–2
Dave Roberts (Division I-AA independent) (1984–1988)
1984 Dave Roberts 2–9
1985 Dave Roberts 4–7
1986 Dave Roberts 4–6–1
1987 Dave Roberts 7–4 L NCAA Division I-AA First Round 11
1988 Dave Roberts 9–4 L NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 13
Dave Roberts: 26–30–1
Jack Harbaugh (Division I-AA independent) (1989–1998)
1989 Jack Harbaugh 6–5
1990 Jack Harbaugh 2–8
1991 Jack Harbaugh 3–8
1992 Jack Harbaugh 4–6
1993 Jack Harbaugh 8–3 19
1994 Jack Harbaugh 5–6
1995 Jack Harbaugh 2–8
1996 Jack Harbaugh 7–4
1997 Jack Harbaugh 10–2 L NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 5
1998 Jack Harbaugh 7–4 19
Jack Harbaugh (Ohio Valley Conference) (1999–2000)
1999 Jack Harbaugh 6–5 4–3 T–3rd
2000 Jack Harbaugh 11–2 7–0 1st L NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 5
Jack Harbaugh (Gateway Football Conference) (2001–2002)
2001 Jack Harbaugh 8–4 5–2 T–2nd L NCAA Division I-AA First Round 12
2002 Jack Harbaugh 12–4 7–1 T–1st W NCAA Division I-AA Championship 1
Jack Harbaugh: 91–68 22–6
David Elson (Gateway Football Conference) (2003–2006)
2003 David Elson 9–4 5–2 T–3rd L NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 7
2004 David Elson 9–3 6–1 2nd L NCAA Division I-AA First Round 11
2005 David Elson 6–5 4–3 T–4th
2006 David Elson 6–5 4–3 T–4th
David Elson (NCAA Division I FCS independent) (2007)
2007 David Elson 7–5
David Elson (NCAA Division I FBS independent) (2008)
2008 David Elson 2–10
David Elson (Sun Belt Conference) (2009)
2009 David Elson 0–12 0–8 9th
David Elson: 39–43 19–17
Willie Taggart (Sun Belt Conference) (2010–2012)
2010 Willie Taggart 2–10 2–6 9th
2011 Willie Taggart 7–5 7–1 2nd
2012 Willie Taggart 7–6[n 1] 4–4 5th L Little Caesars Pizza
Willie Taggart: 16–20 13–11
Bobby Petrino (Sun Belt Conference) (2013)
2013 Bobby Petrino 8–4 4–3
Bobby Petrino: 8–4 4–3
Jeff Brohm (Conference USA) (2014–2016)
2014 Jeff Brohm 8–5 4–4 T–3rd (East) W Bahamas
2015 Jeff Brohm 12–2 8–0 1st (East) W Miami Beach 24
2016 Jeff Brohm 11–3[n 2] 7–1 T–1st (East) W Boca Raton
Jeff Brohm: 30–10 19–5
Mike Sanford Jr. (Conference USA) (2017–2018)
2017 Mike Sanford Jr. 6–7 4–4 T–3rd (East) L Cure
2018 Mike Sanford Jr. 3–9 2–6 T–6th (East)
Mike Sanford Jr.: 9–16 6–10
Tyson Helton (Conference USA) (2019–present)
2019 Tyson Helton 9–4 6–2 T–2nd (East) W First Responder
2020 Tyson Helton 5–7 4–3 3rd (East) L LendingTree
2021 Tyson Helton 9–5 7–1 1st (East) W Boca Raton
2022 Tyson Helton 9–5 6–2 T–2nd W New Orleans
2023 Tyson Helton 8–5 5–3 4th W Famous Toastery
Tyson Helton: 40–26 28–11
Total: 615–426–30 (.588)
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Notes

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  1. ^ Willie Taggart departed WKU before the bowl game, which was coached by Lance Guidry.
  2. ^ Jeff Brohm departed WKU before the bowl game, which was coached by Nick Holt.

References

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  1. ^ "Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Historical Data". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved December 18, 2023.