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American college football season
The 2017 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team (WKU ) represented
Western Kentucky University in the
2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The Hilltoppers played their home games at the
Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium in
Bowling Green, Kentucky as members of the East Division of
Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by first-year head coach
Mike Sanford Jr. The Hilltoppers finished the season 6–7, 4–4 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for third place in the East Division. They received an invite to the
Cure Bowl where they lost to
Georgia State .
[1]
Preseason 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 led WKU in the Boca Raton Bowl.
[3] On December 14, the school hired Mike Sanford Jr. as head coach.
[4]
In a preseason media vote, the Hilltoppers were picked to win the East Division again, receiving 20 of 28 first place votes.
[5]
Schedule Western Kentucky announced its 2017 football schedule on January 26, 2017. The 2017 schedule consists of 6 home and away games in the regular season. The Hilltoppers will host CUSA foes
Charlotte ,
Florida Atlantic ,
Louisiana Tech , and
Middle Tennessee , and will travel to
FIU ,
Marshall ,
Old Dominion , and
UTEP .
[6]
The Hilltoppers will host two of the four non-conference opponents,
Ball State from the
Mid-American Conference and
Eastern Kentucky from the
Ohio Valley Conference and travel to
Illinois of the
Big Ten Conference and
Vanderbilt from the
Southeastern Conference .
Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance September 2 6:00 p.m.
Eastern Kentucky *
FloSports W 31–1718,614 September 9 7:00 p.m. at
Illinois *
BTN L 7–2041,923 September 16 6:00 p.m.
Louisiana Tech Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY
Stadium L 22–2316,223 September 23 6:00 p.m.
Ball State * Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY Stadium W 33–2117,590 October 7 7:00 p.m. at
UTEP
CUSA.TV W 15–1420,418 October 14 3:30 p.m.
Charlotte Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY FloSports W 45–1416,754 5:00 p.m. at
Old Dominion
CBSSN W 35–3120,118 October 28 3:30 p.m.
Florida Atlantic Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY Stadium L 28–4212,441 November 4 11:00 a.m. at
Vanderbilt *
ESPNU L 17–3126,350 November 11 5:30 p.m. at
Marshall Stadium L 23–3019,516 November 17 7:00 p.m.
Middle Tennessee CBSSN W 41–38 3OT 12,612 6:00 p.m. at
FIU
beIN L 17–4116,199 December 16 2:30 p.m. vs.
Georgia State * CBSSN L 17–2719,585
Schedule Source:
[7] Game summaries Eastern Kentucky
1
2
3
4
Total
Colonels
0
0
14
3
17
Hilltoppers
0
17
7
7
31
At Illinois
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
0
0
0
7
7
Fighting Illini
3
10
7
0
20
Louisiana Tech
1
2
3
4
Total
Bulldogs
3
10
0
10
23
Hilltoppers
8
7
7
0
22
Ball State
1
2
3
4
Total
Cardinals
7
0
7
7
21
Hilltoppers
7
10
0
16
33
At UTEP
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
0
8
7
0
15
Miners
0
14
0
0
14
Charlotte
1
2
3
4
Total
49ers
7
7
0
0
14
Hilltoppers
14
24
0
7
45
At Old Dominion
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
7
14
0
14
35
Monarchs
7
7
17
0
31
Florida Atlantic
1
2
3
4
Total
Owls
10
10
0
22
42
Hilltoppers
7
14
7
0
28
At Vanderbilt
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
7
7
3
0
17
Commodores
14
7
7
3
31
At Marshall
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
7
0
3
13
23
Thundering Herd
0
13
17
0
30
Middle Tennessee
1
2
3
4 OT 2OT 3OT
Total
Blue Raiders
0
3
0
21 7 7 0
38
Hilltoppers
7
0
3
14 7 7 3
41
At FIU
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
3
7
7
0
17
Panthers
3
10
21
7
41
vs Georgia State–Cure Bowl
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
7
3
0
7
17
Panthers
10
3
7
7
27
Coaching staff Source
[8]
References
^
WKU Football Media Guide retrieved 31 March 2020.
^
"Jeff Brohm to leave WKU for Purdue opening" . USA TODAY . Retrieved September 8, 2017 .
^
"With Sanford waiting, WKU focusing on bowl" . The Courier-Journal . Retrieved September 8, 2017 .
^ Stephens, Brad.
"WKU hires Mike Sanford as head football coach" . Bowling Green Daily News . Retrieved September 8, 2017 .
^
"C-USA repeat? WKU, La Tech preseason picks for title rematch" . USA TODAY . Retrieved September 8, 2017 .
^
"Hilltopper Football Announces 2017 Schedule" (Press release). Western Kentucky University Department of Athletics. January 26, 2017. Retrieved January 30, 2017 .
^
"2017 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Football Schedule" . FB Schedules. Retrieved January 30, 2017 .
^
"Western Kentucky University Athletics" . www.wkusports.com . Retrieved September 8, 2017 .
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