1988 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

American college football season

1988 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football

NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal, L 24–41 at Eastern Kentucky

Conference| Independent
Record| 9–4
Head coach|

* Dave Roberts (5th season)

Home stadium| L. T. Smith Stadium

Seasons

<- 1987

1989 ->

1988 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings

* v
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* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

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Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 2 Georgia Southern ^  |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 10  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. 13 Western Kentucky ^  |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 9  | - | 4  | - | 0
Liberty |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 8  | - | 3  | - | 0
Nicholls State |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
William & Mary |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 1
Towson |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 0
Arkansas State |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
James Madison |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Louisiana Tech |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Northeastern |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Youngstown State |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Lamar |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0

* ^ - NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant

Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

The 1988 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 1988 NCAA Division I-AA football season and were led by head coach Dave Roberts. The team earned their second consecutive NCAA Division I-AA playoff berth, making it to the quarterfinals.[1] The Hilltoppers finished the season ranked 13th in the final national poll.[2]

Western Kentucky's roster included future National Football League (NFL) players Tony Brown, Eddie Godfrey, Anthony Green, Jerome Martin, Xavier Jordan, Dean Tiebout, Jonathan Watts, and Riley Ware. Joe Arnold, Tiebout, and Dewayne Penn were named to the AP All American team.

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Opponent| Rank| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

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September 10| at Morehead State| No. 17|

* Jayne Stadium
* Morehead, KY

| W 34–0| 6,500|
September 17| at No. 15 Middle Tennessee| No. 17|

* Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium
* Murfreesboro, TN

| L 10–13| 10,500|
September 24| No. 8 Eastern Kentucky| |

* L. T. Smith Stadium
* Bowling Green, KY (Battle of the Bluegrass)

| W 16–14| 18,000| [3]
October 1| Austin Peay| No. 14|

* L. T. Smith Stadium
* Bowling Green, KY

| W 28–3| 7,500|
October 8| Illinois State| No. 10|

* L. T. Smith Stadium
* Bowling Green, KY

| W 31–16| 10,200|
October 15| at Southwest Missouri State| No. 8|

* Briggs Stadium
* Springfield, MO

| W 21–14| 8,059| [4]
October 22| at Tennessee Tech| No. 5|

* Tucker Stadium
* Cookeville, TN

| W 20–17| 9,242|
October 29| Chattanooga| No. 5|

* L. T. Smith Stadium
* Bowling Green, KY

| W 31–29| 18,200|
November 5| at Eastern Illinois| No. 5|

* O'Brien Field
* Charleston, IL

| L 0–6| 10,021|
November 12| at Louisville| No. 11|

* Cardinal Stadium
* Louisville, KY

| L 17–35| 31,636|
November 19| North Carolina A&T| No. 16|

* L. T. Smith Stadium
* Bowling Green, KY

| W 44–0| 2,500|
November 26| at No. 3 Western Illinois| No. 13|

* Hanson Field
* Macomb, IL (NCAA Division I-AA First Round)

| W 35–32| 6,000| [5]
December 3| at No. 7 Eastern Kentucky| No. 13|

* Hanger Field
* Richmond, KY (NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal)

| L 24–41| 8,100| [6]

* Homecoming
* Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee Poll released prior to the game

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "WKU Football 2021 Media Guide" (PDF). Bowling Green, Kentucky: Western Kentucky University. p. 180. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
2. ^ "Final NCAA Division I-AA". Daily Press. Newport News, Virginia. November 21, 1988. p. C4. Retrieved May 4, 2017 - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ "Maher gets his kicks as Western Kentucky trips Eastern 16–14". The Courier-Journal. September 25, 1988. Retrieved March 23, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ "Bacon sizzles in Western's 21–14 win". The Courier-Journal. October 16, 1988. Retrieved July 2, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ Branch, Bruce W. (November 27, 1988). "6th interception does it as Western survives Western Illinois comeback". The Courier-Journal. p. C5. Retrieved November 11, 2021 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Harris' 4 touchdowns boost Eastern past Western, into I-AA semifinal". The Courier-Journal. December 4, 1988. Retrieved March 23, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.

* v
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* e

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football

Venues|

* Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium (1968–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Eastern Kentucky: Battle of the Bluegrass
* Middle Tennessee: 100 Miles of Hate
* Murray State: Battle for the Red Belt

Culture & lore|

* Big Red
* "Stand Up and Cheer"

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders

Seasons|

* 1913
* 1914
* 1915
* 1916
* 1917–1919
* 1920
* 1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943–1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

National championship seasons in bold

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1988 NCAA Division I-AA football playoff participants

* Boise State
* The Citadel
* Delaware
* Eastern Kentucky
* Furman
* Georgia Southern
* Idaho
* Jackson State
* Marshall
* Montana
* North Texas
* Northwestern State
* Stephen F. Austin
* UMass
* Western Illinois
* Western Kentucky

Champion – Furman Paladins

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*[Conf]: Conference record
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