2016 WKU Hilltoppers football team

The 2016 WKU Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University (WKU) in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hilltoppers played their home games at the Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and competed in the East Division of Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by third year head coach Jeff Brohm. They finished the season 11–3, 7–1 in C-USA play to win a share of the East Division title with Old Dominion. Due to their head-to-head victory over Old Dominion, WKU represented the East Division in the Conference USA Championship Game where they defeated Louisiana Tech to be crowned C-USA champions. They were invited to the Boca Raton Bowl where they defeated Memphis. This team led the NCAA in Scoring Offense.[1]

2016 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football
C-USA champion C-USA East Division co-champion Boca Raton Bowl champion
C-USA Championship Game, W 58–44 vs. Louisiana Tech
Boca Raton Bowl, W 51–31 vs. Memphis
Conference	Conference USA
Division	East Division
Ranking
Coaches	No. 23
2016 record	11–3 (7–1 C-USA)
Head coach	Jeff Brohm (regular season, 3rd as HC; 4th overall season)
Co-offensive coordinator	Brian Brohm (1st season)
Co-offensive coordinator	Tony Levine (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Defensive coordinator	Nick Holt (interim HC during bowl, 4th year as DC)
Home stadium	Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium (Capacity: 22,113)

2016 Conference USA football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
Western Kentucky xy$		7	–	1					11	–	3
Old Dominion x		7	–	1					10	–	3
Middle Tennessee		5	–	3					8	–	5
FIU		4	–	4					4	–	8
Charlotte		3	–	5					4	–	8
Marshall		2	–	6					3	–	9
Florida Atlantic		2	–	6					3	–	9
West Division
Louisiana Tech xy		6	–	2					9	–	5
UTSA		5	–	3					6	–	7
Southern Miss		4	–	4					7	–	6
North Texas		3	–	5					5	–	8
Rice		2	–	6					3	–	9
UTEP		2	–	6					4	–	8
Championship: Western Kentucky 58, Louisiana Tech 44
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant Rankings from AP Poll

On December 5, head coach Jeff Brohm resigned to become the head coach at Purdue.[2] He finished at WKU with a record of 30–10, two bowl wins, and two C-USA titles. Defensive coordinator Nick Holt lead WKU in the Boca Raton Bowl.

Schedule

Western Kentucky announced its 2016 football schedule on February 4, 2016. The 2016 schedule consists of 6 home and away games in the regular season. The Hilltoppers will host C–USA foes Florida International (FIU), North Texas, Old Dominion, and Rice, and will travel to Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, and Middle Tennessee.[3]

The team will play four non–conference games, two home games against Houston Baptist from the Southland Conference and Vanderbilt from the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and two road games against Alabama from the SEC as well and Miami (Ohio) from the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 1	7:00 p.m.	Rice	Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	CBSSN	W 46–14	19,286
September 10	2:30 p.m.	at No. 1 Alabama*	Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL	ESPN2	L 10–38	101,821
September 17	2:30 p.m.	at Miami (OH)*	Yager Stadium Oxford, OH	ESPN3	W 31–24	19,822
September 24	3:30 p.m.	Vanderbilt*	Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	CBSSN	L 30–31 ^OT	23,674
October 1	6:00 p.m.	Houston Baptist*	Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	CUSA.tv	W 50–3	17,331
October 6	7:00 p.m.	at Louisiana Tech	Joe Aillet Stadium Ruston, LA	CBSSN	L 52–55	17,978
October 15	1:30 p.m.	at Middle Tennessee	Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium Murfreesboro, TN (100 Miles of Hate)	ESPN3	W 44–43 ^2OT	22,411
October 22	6:00 p.m.	Old Dominion	Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	ASN	W 59–24	18,676
October 29	2:30 p.m.	at Florida Atlantic	FAU Stadium Boca Raton, FL	ASN	W 52–3	9,338
November 5	4:30 p.m.	FIU	Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	beIN	W 49–21	15,516
November 12	2:30 p.m.	North Texas	Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	ESPN3	W 45–7	16,239
November 26	6:00 p.m.	at Marshall	Joan C. Edwards Stadium Huntington, WV	ESPNU	W 60–6	17,397
December 3	11:00 a.m.	Louisiana Tech	Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY (C–USA Championship Game)	ESPN	W 58–44	13,213
December 20	6:00 p.m.	vs. Memphis*	FAU Stadium Boca Raton, FL (Boca Raton Bowl)	ESPN	W 51–31	24,726
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game All times are in Central time

Schedule Source:[4]

Game summaries

Rice

	1	2	3	4	Total
Owls	0	7	7	0	14
Hilltoppers	16	14	6	10	46

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
1–0	2015	WKU, 49–10

at Alabama

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	3	0	0	7	10
#1 Crimson Tide	10	7	7	14	38

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
0–2	2012	BAMA, 35–0

at Miami (OH)

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	0	14	10	7	31
RedHawks	0	3	14	7	24

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
1–0	2015	WKU, 56–14

Vanderbilt

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Commodores	0	7	7	10	7	31
Hilltoppers	7	7	0	10	6	30

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
1–3	2015	WKU, 14–12

Houston Baptist

	1	2	3	4	Total
Huskies	3	0	0	0	3
Hilltoppers	14	16	20	0	50

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
First meeting

at Louisiana Tech

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	14	10	7	21	52
Bulldogs	21	14	17	3	55

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
2–3	2015	WKU, 41–38

at Middle Tennessee

	1	2	3	4	OT	2OT	Total
Hilltoppers	3	17	7	3	7	7	44
Blue Raiders	3	17	0	10	7	6	43

Further information: 100 Miles of Hate

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
30–33–1	2015	WKU, 58–28

Old Dominion

	1	2	3	4	Total
Monarchs	0	14	10	0	24
Hilltoppers	21	31	0	7	59

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
2–0	2015	WKU, 55–30

at Florida Atlantic

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	14	10	14	14	52
Owls	0	3	0	0	3

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
2–5	2015	WKU, 35–19

FIU

	1	2	3	4	Total
Panthers	7	0	0	14	21
Hilltoppers	14	21	14	0	49

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
5–4	2015	WKU, 63–7

North Texas

	1	2	3	4	Total
Mean Green	0	0	7	0	7
Hilltoppers	17	14	14	0	45

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
3–4	2015	WKU, 55–28

at Marshall

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	28	13	9	10	60
Thundering Herd	0	0	6	0	6

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
3–4	2015	WKU, 49–28

vs. Louisiana Tech–C-USA Championship Game

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	17	10	14	3	44
Hilltoppers	24	14	10	10	58

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
2–4	10/6/16	LT, 55–52

vs. Memphis–Boca Raton Bowl

	1	2	3	4	Total
Tigers	10	7	7	7	31
Hilltoppers	14	14	16	7	51

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
2–2–1	1956	MEM, 42–0

Rankings

Further information: 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. т = Tied with team above or below. ( ) = First place votes.

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Final
AP	RV	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	RV	NR	NR	RV	RV
Coaches	RV	RV	RV	RV	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	RV	RV	23
CFP	Not released									NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	Not released

References

1. WKU Football Media Guide retrieved 31 March 2020.
2. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/bigten/2016/12/05/jeff-brohm-western-kentucky-purdue-coaching-vacancy/94993570/
3. "WKU Announces 2016 Football Schedule" (Press release). [Western Kentucky University Department of Athletics. February 4, 2016. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
4. "2016 WKU Hilltoppers Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved February 8, 2016.