2015 WKU Hilltoppers football team

The 2015 WKU Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University (WKU) in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season as members of the East Division of Conference USA. Led by second year head coach Jeff Brohm, they played their home games at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky. They finished the season 12–2, 8–0 in C-USA play to be champions of the East Division. They represented the East Division in the Conference USA Football Championship Game where they defeated Southern Miss to win their first ever C-USA championship. They were invited to the Miami Beach Bowl where they defeated South Florida. They led the NCAA in Passing Efficiency, tied the school record for victories and were also ranked in the FBS AP Top 25 for the first time in program history.[1]

2015 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football
C-USA champion C-USA East Division champion Miami Beach Bowl champion
C-USA Championship Game, W 45–28 vs. Southern Miss
Miami Beach Bowl, W 45–35 vs. South Florida
Conference	Conference USA
	East Division
Ranking
AP	No. 24
2015 record	12–2 (8–0 C-USA)
Head coach	Jeff Brohm (2nd as HC; 3rd Overall season)
Offensive coordinator	Tyson Helton (2nd season)
Defensive coordinator	Nick Holt (3rd season)
Home stadium	Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium (Capacity: 22,113)

2015 Conference USA football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
No. 24 Western Kentucky x$		8	–	0					12	–	2
Middle Tennessee		6	–	2					7	–	6
Marshall		6	–	2					10	–	3
FIU		3	–	5					5	–	7
Old Dominion		3	–	5					5	–	7
Florida Atlantic		3	–	5					3	–	9
Charlotte*		0	–	8					2	–	10
West Division
Southern Miss x		7	–	1					9	–	5
Louisiana Tech		6	–	2					9	–	4
UTSA		3	–	5					3	–	9
UTEP		3	–	5					5	–	7
Rice		3	–	5					5	–	7
North Texas		1	–	7					1	–	11
Championship: Western Kentucky 45, Southern Miss 28
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions * Ineligible for postseason bowl due to transition from FCS As of January 12, 2015; Rankings from AP Poll

Previous season

The Hilltoppers finished the 2014 season 8–5 overall and 4–4 in conference play. WKU biggest win and upset was against season closer Marshall by 67–66 in overtime, Marshall's first and only loss of their season making them ineligible for a berth in a New Year's Six Bowl. WKU became bowl eligible after defeating UTSA and was invited to play in the inaugural Bahamas Bowl, the first international bowl game since 2010. The Hilltoppers defeated the Central Michigan Chippewas, 49–48.

Schedule

Western Kentucky announced their 2015 football schedule on February 2, 2015. The 2015 schedule consist of five home and seven away games in the regular season. The Hilltoppers will host CUSA foes Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, and Middle Tennessee, and will travel to Florida International (FIU), North Texas, Old Dominion, and Rice.[2]

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 3	7:00 p.m.	at Vanderbilt*		Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN	SECN	W 14–12	30,307
September 10	7:00 p.m.	Louisiana Tech		Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	FS1	W 41–38	17,515
September 19	3:00 p.m.	at Indiana*		Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN	ESPNews	L 35–38	44,823
September 26	2:30 p.m.	Miami (OH)*		Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	CBSSN	W 56–14	20,320
October 3	2:30 p.m.	at Rice		Rice Stadium Houston, TX	FSN	W 49–10	20,124
October 10	11:00 a.m.	Middle Tennessee		Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY (100 Miles of Hate)	FSN	W 58–28	16,993
October 15	6:30 p.m.	at North Texas		Apogee Stadium Denton, TX	CBSSN	W 55–28	10,155
October 24	6:00 p.m.	at No. 5 LSU*		Tiger Stadium Baton Rouge, LA	ESPNU	L 20–48	101,561
October 31	11:00 a.m.	at Old Dominion		Foreman Field Norfolk, VA	FSN	W 55–30	20,118
November 7	11:00 a.m.	Florida Atlantic		Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	FSN	W 35–19	18,421
November 21	1:30 p.m.	at FIU		FIU Stadium Miami, FL	FCS	W 63–7	14,380
November 27	11:00 a.m.	Marshall		Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	FS1	W 49–28	17,687
December 5	11:00 a.m.	Southern Miss		Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY (C–USA Championship)	ESPN2	W 45–28	16,823
December 21	1:30 p.m.	vs. South Florida*	No. 25	Marlins Park Miami, FL (Miami Beach Bowl)	ESPN	W 45–35	21,712
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game All times are in Central time

Schedule source:[3]

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	RV	RV	NR	NR	NR	RV	RV	NR	NR	RV	RV	RV	RV	25	24
Coaches	NR	NR	RV	NR	NR	NR	NR	RV	NR	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV
CFP	Not released									NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	Not released

Game summaries

at Vanderbilt

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	0	0	7	7	14
Commodores	0	3	0	9	12

Louisiana Tech

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	0	17	7	14	38
Hilltoppers	14	13	11	3	41

at Indiana

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	7	21	0	7	35
Hoosiers	7	10	21	0	38

Miami (OH)

	1	2	3	4	Total
RedHawks	0	7	0	7	14
Hilltoppers	21	28	0	7	56

at Rice

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	21	14	0	14	49
Owls	3	7	0	0	10

Middle Tennessee

	1	2	3	4	Total
Blue Raiders	7	7	7	7	28
Hilltoppers	28	24	3	3	58

at North Texas

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	14	20	14	7	55
Mean Green	0	14	0	14	28

at LSU

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	0	7	6	7	20
#5 Tigers	7	7	20	14	48

at Old Dominion

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	10	21	10	14	55
Monarchs	3	7	7	13	30

Florida Atlantic

	1	2	3	4	Total
Owls	7	6	6	0	19
Hilltoppers	0	14	14	7	35

at Florida International

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	21	14	21	7	63
Panthers	0	0	0	7	7

Marshall

	1	2	3	4	Total
Thundering Herd	0	14	7	7	28
Hilltoppers	7	28	6	8	49

Southern Miss (C–USA Championship Game)

	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden Eagles	7	14	7	0	28
Hilltoppers	7	14	10	14	45

South Florida (Miami Beach Bowl)

	1	2	3	4	Total
#25 Hilltoppers	0	10	28	7	45
Bulls	7	7	7	14	35

References

1. WKU Football Media Guide retrieved 31 March 2020.
2. "Hilltoppers Announce 2015 Football Schedule and Season Ticket Plans" (Press release). Western Kentucky University Department of Athletics. February 2, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
3. "2015 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved March 23, 2015.