# List of Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football seasons

This is a list of seasons completed by the Western Kentucky college football program. The Hilltoppers represent the Western Kentucky University (WKU) in Conference USA. WKU plays its home games at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

## Seasons

| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches$^#$ | AP$^°$ |
| M. A. Leiper & Roy C. Manchester (Independent) (1913) ||||||||
| 1913 | Leiper / Manchester | 1–0 | | | | | |
| Leiper / Manchester: | Leiper / Manchester: | 1–0 | | | | | |
| J. L. Arthur (Independent) (1914–1916) ||||||||
| 1914 | J. L. Arthur | 1–2 | | | | | |
| 1915 | J. L. Arthur | 1–4–2 | | | | | |
| 1916 | J. L. Arthur | 3–2 | | | | | |
| J. L. Arthur: | J. L. Arthur: | 5–8–2 | | | | | |
| 1917 | No team | | | | | | |
| 1918 | No team | | | | | | |
| 1919 | No team | | | | | | |
| L. T. Smith (Independent) (1920–1921) ||||||||
| 1920 | L. T. Smith | 0–1 | | | | | |
| 1921 | L. T. Smith | 2–4–1 | | | | | |
| L. T. Smith: | L. T. Smith: | 2–5–1 | | | | | |
| Edgar Diddle (Independent) (1922–1925) ||||||||
| 1922 | Edgar Diddle | 9–1 | | | | | |
| 1923 | Edgar Diddle | 5–4 | | | | | |
| 1924 | Edgar Diddle | 4–5 | | | | | |
| 1925 | Edgar Diddle | 3–5–1 | | | | | |
| Edgar Diddle (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1926–1928) ||||||||
| 1926 | Edgar Diddle | 4–4–1 | 1–2–1 | 19th | | | |
| 1927 | Edgar Diddle | 5–4 | 2–4 | T–18th | | | |
| 1928 | Edgar Diddle | 8–1 | 5–1 | 3rd | | | |
| Edgar Diddle: | Edgar Diddle: | 38–24–2 | 7–6–1 | | | | |
| Carl Anderson (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1929) ||||||||
| 1929 | Carl Anderson | 7–3 | 3–3 | T–16th | | | |
| James Elam (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1930–1931) ||||||||
| 1930 | James Elam | 8–1–1 | 6–1 | 6th | | | |
| 1931 | James Elam | 8–4 | 7–1 | 4th | | | |
| James Elam: | James Elam: | 16–5–1 | 13–2 | | | | |
| Ernest R. Miller (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1932) ||||||||
| 1932 | Ernest R. Miller | 8–1 | 6–0 | 1st | | | |
| Ernest R. Miller: | Ernest R. Miller: | 8–1 | 6–0 | | | | |
| Jesse Thomas (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1933) ||||||||
| 1933 | Jesse Thomas | 6–2 | 5–1 | | | | |
| Carl Anderson (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1934–1937) ||||||||
| 1934 | Carl Anderson | 4–2–2 | 4–1–1 | T–6th | | | |
| 1935 | Carl Anderson | 7–3 | 5–2 | 13th | | | |
| 1936 | Carl Anderson | 4–4 | 3–2 | T–14th | | | |
| 1937 | Carl Anderson | 7–1–1 | 3–0–1 | T–3rd | | | |
| Carl Anderson: | Carl Anderson: | 24–9–3 | 18–8–2 | | | | |
| Gander Terry (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1934–1937) ||||||||
| 1938 | Gander Terry | 7–2 | 4–1 | T–8th | | | |
| 1939 | Gander Terry | 7–1–1 | 5–1–1 | T–5th | | | |
| 1940 | Gander Terry | 7–1–1 | 4–1–1 | T–5th | | | |
| 1941 | Gander Terry | 4–5–1 | 3–1–1 | T–6th | | | |
| Gander Terry: | Gander Terry: | 25–9–3 | 16–4–3 | | | | |
| Arnold Winkenhofer (Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1942) ||||||||
| 1942 | Arnold Winkenhofer | 3–4–1 | 2–0–1 | T–6th | | | |
| Arnold Winkenhofer: | Arnold Winkenhofer: | 3–4–1 | 2–0–1 | | | | |
| 1943 | No team | | | | | | |
| 1944 | No team | | | | | | |
| 1945 | No team | | | | | | |
| Jesse Thomas (Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1946–1947) ||||||||
| 1946 | Jesse Thomas | 2–6 | 1–3 | | | | |
| 1947 | Jesse Thomas | 3–4–2 | 1–3 | | | | |
| Jesse Thomas: | Jesse Thomas: | 11–12–2 | 7–7 | | | | |
| Jack Clayton (Ohio Valley Conference) (1948–1956) ||||||||
| 1948 | Jack Clayton | 5–4 | 2–3 | 5th | | | |
| 1949 | Jack Clayton | 5–4 | 2–3 | 6th | | | |
| 1950 | Jack Clayton | 6–2–2 | 3–1–2 | 2nd | | | |
| 1951 | Jack Clayton | 4–5 | 2–4 | 6th | | | |
| 1952 | Jack Clayton | 9–1 | 4–1 | T–1st | W Refrigerator | | |
| 1953 | Jack Clayton | 6–4 | 2–3 | 4th | | | |
| 1954 | Jack Clayton | 7–3 | 3–2 | T–2nd | | | |
| 1955 | Jack Clayton | 3–6 | 1–4 | 5th | | | |
| 1956 | Jack Clayton | 5–4 | 2–3 | T–3rd | | | |
| Jack Clayton: | Jack Clayton: | 50–33–2 | 21–24–2 | | | | |
| Nick Denes (Ohio Valley Conference) (1957–1967) ||||||||
| 1957 | Nick Denes | 5–3–1 | 1–3–1 | T–4th | | | |
| 1958 | Nick Denes | 4–5 | 2–4 | T–5th | | | |
| 1959 | Nick Denes | 5–4 | 3–3 | 4th | | | |
| 1960 | Nick Denes | 2–6–1 | 1–4–1 | T–6th | | | |
| 1961 | Nick Denes | 6–3 | 4–2 | 3rd | | | |
| 1962 | Nick Denes | 5–3 | 3–3 | 5th | | | |
| 1963 | Nick Denes | 10–0–1 | 7–0 | 1st | W Tangerine | 8 | |
| 1964 | Nick Denes | 6–3–1 | 3–3–1 | T–3rd | | | |
| 1965 | Nick Denes | 2–6–2 | 1–5–1 | 7th | | | |
| 1966 | Nick Denes | 5–5 | 3–4 | 6th | | | |
| 1967 | Nick Denes | 7–1–1 | 5–1–1 | 2nd | | | |
| Nick Denes: | Nick Denes: | 57–39–7 | 33–32–5 | | | | |
| Jimmy Feix (Ohio Valley Conference) (1968–1981) ||||||||
| 1968 | Jimmy Feix | 7–2–1 | 5–2 | T–2nd | | 17 | 19 |
| 1969 | Jimmy Feix | 6–3–1 | 5–2 | 2nd | | | |
| 1970 | Jimmy Feix | 8–1–1 | 5–1–1 | 1st | | 9 | 12 |
| 1971 | Jimmy Feix | 8–2 | 6–1 | 1st | | 12 | 6 |
| 1972 | Jimmy Feix | 7–3 | 5–2 | 2nd | | | |
| 1973 | Jimmy Feix | 12–1 | 7–0 | 1st | W Grantland Rice (NCAA Division II Semifinal) L Camellia (NCAA Division II Championship) | 2 | 3 |
| 1974 | Jimmy Feix | 7–3 | 5–2 | T–2nd | | | |
| 1975 | Jimmy Feix | 11–2 | 6–1 | T–1st | W Grantland Rice (NCAA Division II Semifinal) L Camellia (NCAA Division II Championship) | 3 | 3 |
| 1976 | Jimmy Feix | 4–5–1 | 3–4 | T–4th | | | |
| 1977 | Jimmy Feix | 1–8–1 | 1–5–1 | 8th | | | |
| 1978 | Jimmy Feix | 8–2 | 6–0 | 1st | | | T–4 |
| 1979 | Jimmy Feix | 5–5 | 3–3 | 4th | | | |
| 1980 | Jimmy Feix | 9–1 | 6–1 | 1st | | | 5 |
| 1981 | Jimmy Feix | 6–5 | 4–4 | T–4th | | | |
| Jimmy Feix (Division I-AA independent) (1982–1983) ||||||||
| 1982 | Jimmy Feix | 5–5 | | | | | |
| 1983 | Jimmy Feix | 2–8–1 | | | | | |
| Jimmy Feix: | Jimmy Feix: | 106–56–6 | 68–28–2 | | | | |
| Dave Roberts (Division I-AA independent) (1984–1988) ||||||||
| 1984 | Dave Roberts | 2–9 | | | | | |
| 1985 | Dave Roberts | 4–7 | | | | | |
| 1986 | Dave Roberts | 4–6–1 | | | | | |
| 1987 | Dave Roberts | 7–4 | | | L NCAA Division I-AA First Round | | 11 |
| 1988 | Dave Roberts | 9–4 | | | L NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal | | 13 |
| Dave Roberts: | Dave Roberts: | 26–30–1 | | | | | |
| Jack Harbaugh (Division I-AA independent) (1989–1998) ||||||||
| 1989 | Jack Harbaugh | 6–5 | | | | | |
| 1990 | Jack Harbaugh | 2–8 | | | | | |
| 1991 | Jack Harbaugh | 3–8 | | | | | |
| 1992 | Jack Harbaugh | 4–6 | | | | | |
| 1993 | Jack Harbaugh | 8–3 | | | | | 19 |
| 1994 | Jack Harbaugh | 5–6 | | | | | |
| 1995 | Jack Harbaugh | 2–8 | | | | | |
| 1996 | Jack Harbaugh | 7–4 | | | | | |
| 1997 | Jack Harbaugh | 10–2 | | | L NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal | | 5 |
| 1998 | Jack Harbaugh | 7–4 | | | | | 19 |
| Jack Harbaugh (Ohio Valley Conference) (1999–2000) ||||||||
| 1999 | Jack Harbaugh | 6–5 | 4–3 | T–3rd | | | |
| 2000 | Jack Harbaugh | 11–2 | 7–0 | 1st | L NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal | | 5 |
| Jack Harbaugh (Gateway Football Conference) (2001–2002) ||||||||
| 2001 | Jack Harbaugh | 8–4 | 5–2 | T–2nd | L NCAA Division I-AA First Round | | 12 |
| 2002 | Jack Harbaugh | 12–4 | 7–1 | T–1st | W NCAA Division I-AA Championship | | 1 |
| Jack Harbaugh: | Jack Harbaugh: | 91–68 | 22–6 | | | | |
| David Elson (Gateway Football Conference) (2003–2006) ||||||||
| 2003 | David Elson | 9–4 | 5–2 | T–3rd | L NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal | | 7 |
| 2004 | David Elson | 9–3 | 6–1 | 2nd | L NCAA Division I-AA First Round | | 11 |
| 2005 | David Elson | 6–5 | 4–3 | T–4th | | | |
| 2006 | David Elson | 6–5 | 4–3 | T–4th | | | |
| David Elson (NCAA Division I FCS independent) (2007) ||||||||
| 2007 | David Elson | 7–5 | | | | | |
| David Elson (NCAA Division I FBS independent) (2008) ||||||||
| 2008 | David Elson | 2–10 | | | | | |
| David Elson (Sun Belt Conference) (2009) ||||||||
| 2009 | David Elson | 0–12 | 0–8 | 9th | | | |
| David Elson: | David Elson: | 39–43 | 19–17 | | | | |
| Willie Taggart (Sun Belt Conference) (2010–2012) ||||||||
| 2010 | Willie Taggart | 2–10 | 2–6 | 9th | | | |
| 2011 | Willie Taggart | 7–5 | 7–1 | 2nd | | | |
| 2012 | Willie Taggart | 7–6 | 4–4 | 5th | L Little Caesars Pizza | | |
| Willie Taggart: | Willie Taggart: | 16–20 | 13–11 | | | | |
| Bobby Petrino (Sun Belt Conference) (2013) ||||||||
| 2013 | Bobby Petrino | 8–4 | 4–3 | | | | |
| Bobby Petrino: | Bobby Petrino: | 8–4 | 4–3 | | | | |
| Jeff Brohm (Conference USA) (2014–2016) ||||||||
| 2014 | Jeff Brohm | 8–5 | 4–4 | T–3rd (East) | W Bahamas | | |
| 2015 | Jeff Brohm | 12–2 | 8–0 | 1st (East) | W Miami Beach | | 24 |
| 2016 | Jeff Brohm | 11–3 | 7–1 | T–1st (East) | W Boca Raton | | |
| Jeff Brohm: | Jeff Brohm: | 30–10 | 19–5 | | | | |
| Mike Sanford Jr. (Conference USA) (2017–2018) ||||||||
| 2017 | Mike Sanford Jr. | 6–7 | 4–4 | T–3rd (East) | L Cure | | |
| 2018 | Mike Sanford Jr. | 3–9 | 2–6 | T–6th (East) | | | |
| Mike Sanford Jr.: | Mike Sanford Jr.: | 9–16 | 6–10 | | | | |
| Tyson Helton (Conference USA) (2019–present) ||||||||
| 2019 | Tyson Helton | 9–4 | 6–2 | T–2nd (East) | W First Responder | | |
| 2020 | Tyson Helton | 5–7 | 4–3 | 3rd (East) | L LendingTree | | |
| 2021 | Tyson Helton | 9–5 | 7–1 | 1st (East) | W Boca Raton | | |
| 2022 | Tyson Helton | 9–5 | 6–2 | T–2nd | W New Orleans | | |
| 2023 | Tyson Helton | 8–5 | 5–3 | 4th | W Famous Toastery | | |
| 2024 | Tyson Helton | 8–6 | 6–2 | 2nd | L Boca Raton | | |
| Tyson Helton: | Tyson Helton: | 48–32 | 34–13 | | | | |
| Total: | Total: | 623–432–30 (.588) | | | | | |
| National championship  Conference title  Conference division title or championship game berth ||||||||
| $^†$Indicates Bowl Coalition, Bowl Alliance, BCS, or CFP / New Years' Six bowl. $^#$Coaches Poll. $^°$AP Poll prior to 1987, The Sports Network poll from 1987 through 2007, and the AP Poll from 2008 onwards. ||||||||