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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]
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]
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]
1
2
3
4
Total
Colonels
0
0
14
3
17
Hilltoppers
0
17
7
7
31
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
0
0
0
7
7
Fighting Illini
3
10
7
0
20
1
2
3
4
Total
Bulldogs
3
10
0
10
23
Hilltoppers
8
7
7
0
22
1
2
3
4
Total
Cardinals
7
0
7
7
21
Hilltoppers
7
10
0
16
33
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
0
8
7
0
15
Miners
0
14
0
0
14
1
2
3
4
Total
49ers
7
7
0
0
14
Hilltoppers
14
24
0
7
45
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
7
14
0
14
35
Monarchs
7
7
17
0
31
1
2
3
4
Total
Owls
10
10
0
22
42
Hilltoppers
7
14
7
0
28
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
7
7
3
0
17
Commodores
14
7
7
3
31
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
7
0
3
13
23
Thundering Herd
0
13
17
0
30
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
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
3
7
7
0
17
Panthers
3
10
21
7
41
vs Georgia State–Cure Bowl[ edit ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
7
3
0
7
17
Panthers
10
3
7
7
27
Source[ 8]
^ 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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