2016 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

American college football season

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
Record| 11–3 (7–1 C-USA)
Head coach|

* Jeff Brohm (3rd season; regular season)
* Nick Holt (interim; bowl game)

Co-offensive coordinators|

* Brian Brohm (1st season)
* Tony Levine (1st season)

Offensive scheme| Spread
Defensive coordinator| Nick Holt (4th season)
Base defense| 4–3
Home stadium| Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium

Seasons

← 2015

2017 →

2016 Conference USA football standings

* v
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* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

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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

The 2016 Western Kentucky 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, Western Kentucky 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]

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 the Hilltoppers in the Boca Raton Bowl.

## Schedule

[edit]

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

Western Kentucky's four non-conference games included 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 and Miami (Ohio) from the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

Date| Time| Opponent| Site| TV| Result| Attendance

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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

[4]

## Game summaries

[edit]

### Rice

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total

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Owls  | 0  | 7  | 7  | 0 | 14
Hilltoppers | 16  | 14  | 6  | 10 | 46

### At Alabama

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total

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Hilltoppers  | 3  | 0  | 0  | 7 | 10
#1 Crimson Tide | 10  | 7  | 7  | 14 | 38

### At Miami (OH)

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total

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Hilltoppers | 0  | 14  | 10  | 7 | 31
RedHawks  | 0  | 3  | 14  | 7 | 24

### Vanderbilt

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4| OT | Total

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Commodores | 0  | 7  | 7  | 10| 7 | 31
Hilltoppers  | 7  | 7  | 0  | 10| 6 | 30

### Houston Baptist

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total

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Huskies  | 3  | 0  | 0  | 0 | 3
Hilltoppers | 14  | 16  | 20  | 0 | 50

### At Louisiana Tech

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total

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Hilltoppers  | 14  | 10  | 7  | 21 | 52
Bulldogs | 21  | 14  | 17  | 3 | 55

### At Middle Tennessee

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4| OT| 2OT | Total

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Hilltoppers | 3  | 17  | 7  | 3| 7| 7 | 44
Blue Raiders  | 3  | 17  | 0  | 10| 7| 6 | 43

Further information: 100 Miles of Hate

### Old Dominion

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total

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Monarchs  | 0  | 14  | 10  | 0 | 24
Hilltoppers | 21  | 31  | 0  | 7 | 59

### At Florida Atlantic

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total

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Hilltoppers | 14  | 10  | 14  | 14 | 52
Owls  | 0  | 3  | 0  | 0 | 3

### FIU

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total

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Panthers  | 7  | 0  | 0  | 14 | 21
Hilltoppers | 14  | 21  | 14  | 0 | 49

### North Texas

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total

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Mean Green  | 0  | 0  | 7  | 0 | 7
Hilltoppers | 17  | 14  | 14  | 0 | 45

### At Marshall

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total

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Hilltoppers | 28  | 13  | 9  | 10 | 60
Thundering Herd  | 0  | 0  | 6  | 0 | 6

### Vs. Louisiana Tech–C-USA Championship Game

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total

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Bulldogs  | 17  | 10  | 14  | 3 | 44
Hilltoppers | 24  | 14  | 10  | 10 | 58

### Vs. Memphis–Boca Raton Bowl

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total

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Tigers  | 10  | 7  | 7  | 7 | 31
Hilltoppers | 14  | 14  | 16  | 7 | 51

## Rankings

[edit]

Further information: 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes| Week

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

## References

[edit]

1. ^ WKU Football Media Guide retrieved 31 March 2020.
2. ^ "Jeff Brohm to leave WKU for Purdue opening". USA Today.
3. ^ "WKU Announces 2016 Football Schedule" (Press release). [Western Kentucky University Department of Athletics. February 4, 2016. Archived from the original on February 7, 2016. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
4. ^ "2016 WKU Hilltoppers Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved February 8, 2016.

* v
* t
* 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
* 2025

National championship seasons in bold

* v
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* e

Conference USA football champions

* Houston & Southern Miss (1996)
* Southern Miss (1997)
* Tulane (1998)
* Southern Miss (1999)
* Louisville (2000)
* Louisville (2001)
* Cincinnati & TCU (2002)
* Southern Miss (2003)
* Louisville (2004)
* Tulsa (2005)
* Houston (2006)
* UCF (2007)
* East Carolina (2008)
* East Carolina (2009)
* UCF (2010)
* Southern Miss (2011)
* Tulsa (2012)
* Rice (2013)
* Marshall (2014)
* Western Kentucky (2015)
* Western Kentucky (2016)
* Florida Atlantic (2017)
* UAB (2018)
* Florida Atlantic (2019)
* UAB (2020)
* UTSA (2021)
* UTSA (2022)
* Liberty (2023)
* Jacksonville State (2024)

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*[Conf.]: Conference record
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