# 2016 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

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.
On December 5, head coach Jeff Brohm resigned to become the head coach at Purdue. 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

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.
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 |
| September 1 | 7:00 p.m. | Rice | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY | CBSSN | W 46–14 | 19,286 |
| September 10 | 2:30 p.m. | at No. 1 Alabama* | Bryant–Denny StadiumTuscaloosa, AL | ESPN2 | L 10–38 | 101,821 |
| September 17 | 2:30 p.m. | at Miami (OH)* | Yager StadiumOxford, OH | ESPN3 | W 31–24 | 19,822 |
| September 24 | 3:30 p.m. | Vanderbilt* | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY | CBSSN | L 30–31 $^{OT}$ | 23,674 |
| October 1 | 6:00 p.m. | Houston Baptist* | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY | CUSA.tv | W 50–3 | 17,331 |
| October 6 | 7:00 p.m. | at Louisiana Tech | Joe Aillet StadiumRuston, LA | CBSSN | L 52–55 | 17,978 |
| October 15 | 1:30 p.m. | at Middle Tennessee | Johnny "Red" Floyd StadiumMurfreesboro, 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 StadiumBowling Green, KY | ASN | W 59–24 | 18,676 |
| October 29 | 2:30 p.m. | at Florida Atlantic | FAU StadiumBoca Raton, FL | ASN | W 52–3 | 9,338 |
| November 5 | 4:30 p.m. | FIU | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY | beIN | W 49–21 | 15,516 |
| November 12 | 2:30 p.m. | North Texas | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY | ESPN3 | W 45–7 | 16,239 |
| November 26 | 6:00 p.m. | at Marshall | Joan C. Edwards StadiumHuntington, WV | ESPNU | W 60–6 | 17,397 |
| December 3 | 11:00 a.m. | Louisiana Tech | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY (C–USA Championship Game) | ESPN | W 58–44 | 13,213 |
| December 20 | 6:00 p.m. | vs. Memphis* | FAU StadiumBoca Raton, FL (Boca Raton Bowl) | ESPN | W 51–31 | 24,726 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from AP Poll released prior to gameAll times are in Central time |||||||

## Game summaries
### Rice

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Owls | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Hilltoppers | 16 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 46 |

### At Alabama

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hilltoppers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| #1 Crimson Tide | 10 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 38 |

### At Miami (OH)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hilltoppers | 0 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 31 |
| RedHawks | 0 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 24 |

### Vanderbilt

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Commodores | 0 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 31 |
| Hilltoppers | 7 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 30 |

### Houston Baptist

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Huskies | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Hilltoppers | 14 | 16 | 20 | 0 | 50 |

### At Louisiana Tech

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hilltoppers | 14 | 10 | 7 | 21 | 52 |
| Bulldogs | 21 | 14 | 17 | 3 | 55 |

### At Middle Tennessee

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | 2OT | Total |
| Hilltoppers | 3 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 44 |
| Blue Raiders | 3 | 17 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 43 |

### Old Dominion

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Monarchs | 0 | 14 | 10 | 0 | 24 |
| Hilltoppers | 21 | 31 | 0 | 7 | 59 |

### At Florida Atlantic

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hilltoppers | 14 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 52 |
| Owls | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |

### FIU

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
| Hilltoppers | 14 | 21 | 14 | 0 | 49 |

### North Texas

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Mean Green | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Hilltoppers | 17 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 45 |

### At Marshall

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hilltoppers | 28 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 60 |
| Thundering Herd | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 |

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

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 17 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 44 |
| Hilltoppers | 24 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 58 |

### Vs. Memphis–Boca Raton Bowl

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Tigers | 10 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
| Hilltoppers | 14 | 14 | 16 | 7 | 51 |

## Rankings

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