WKU Hilltoppers football The WKU Hilltoppers football program is a college football team that represents Western Kentucky University ( WKU ) . The team is currently a member of the Sun Belt Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision ( formerly Division I - A ) member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) . The program has 1 national championship ( FCS / I - AA ) , 11 conference championships ( 1 SIAA , 9 OVC and 1 Gateway ) and 5 Consensus All - Americans . The team is currently coached by Bobby Petrino . The Hilltoppers play their home games at Houchens Industries – L . T . Smith Stadium in Bowling Green , Kentucky . Recent history . In 2007 , led by then - head coach David Elson , WKU ' s football program began the transition from the Football Championship Subdivision to the Football Bowl Subdivision . As part of the transition , they played defending national champion Florida . In 2008 , WKU began play as a Division I FBS football team . Although they were ineligible for a bowl game , they played in a newly expanded L . T . Smith Stadium . Teams played included # 11 Alabama , # 20 VA Tech , # 25 Ball State , Indiana and UK . In 2009 , WKU began play as a new , full FBS member and a new member of the Sun Belt Conference . In non - conference road games , the team faced BCS programs Tennessee and South Florida . In 2010 , the Hilltoppers hired new head coach Willie Taggart , who came from coaching Toby Gerhart as Running Backs coach at Stanford . In 2012 , the Hilltoppers were bowl eligible for the second consecutive season , and were selected to play in the Little Ceasars Pizza Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit on December 26 , 2012 . On December 8 , 2012 , Taggart accepted the head coaching job at South Florida . WKU Defensive Coordinator Lance Guidry was named interim head coach for the Little Ceasars Pizza Bowl . Guidry is 1 - 0 in bowl games , also serving as interim head coach at Miami ( Ohio ) for the 2011 GoDaddy . com Bowl . The RedHawks defeated MTSU 35 - 21 . On December 10 , 2012 , Bobby Petrino was formally announced as WKU ' s head football coach . On December 26 , 2012 , The Guidry - led Hilltoppers fell to Central Michigan in the Little Caesers Pizza Bowl 24 - 21 . Running back Antonio Andrews surpassed Bobby Rainey as the all - time season rushing yards leader in WKU history . Andrews also fell short of breaking Barry Sanders all - purpose yeardage in a season record . All - time Sun Belt records . This table includes all Sun Belt games from 2009 , the year the Hilltoppers joined the Sun Belt Conference . It includes only games that were Sun Belt conference games , and does not include postseason games . NCAA affiliations . 1910 - 1937 : Member < br > 1937 - 1973 : Member , NCAA College Division < br > 1973 - 1978 : Member , NCAA Division II < br > 1978 - 2008 : Member , NCAA Division I - Football Championship Subdivision < br > 2008 – present : Member , NCAA Division I - Football Bowl Subdivision Conference affiliations . 1913 - 1926 : NCAA Independent < br > 1927 - 1942 : Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association < br > 1942 - 1945 : NCAA College Division Independent < br > 1946 - 1947 : Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference < br > 1948 - 1981 : Ohio Valley Conference < br > 1982 - 1998 : Football Championship Subdivision Independent < br > 1999 - 2000 : Ohio Valley Conference < br > 2001 - 2006 : Gateway Football Conference < br > 2007 : Football Championship Subdivision Independent < br > 2008 : Football Bowl Subdivision Independent < br > 2009 – present : Sun Belt Conference Bowl Games . WKU competed in two " College Division " bowl games prior to the NCAA instituting playoffs for lower division teams in 1973 . In 2009 WKU completed its transition from Division I - AA / FCS to Division I - A / FBS . All bowl games since then were at the NCAA Division I FBS level . NCAA Playoff Appearances . The NCAA began Division II National Football Championship in 1973 . WKU made NCAA Division II playoff appearances in 1973 and 1975 . NCAA Division I - AA was formed for football in 1978 , and WKU moved up from Division II to Division 1 - AA at that time , and all playoff appearances since then were at the Division 1 - AA level . In 2006 the name of Division 1 - AA was changed to NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision ( FCS ) . In 2007 , WKU initiated the transition to NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision ( FBS ) and became ineligible for any further playoff appearances . Hilltoppers in the polls . From 1978 until 2007 , WKU competed in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision , and as such was eligible for the post - season FCS coaches poll and the Sports Network poll , started in 1993 . They have appeared in the final rankings 12 seasons . Notable Hilltoppers in the NFL . Active < br > RB Bobby Rainey - Baltimore ( 2012 – present ) Former < br > Carl Brazley - former DB for San Diego ( 1987 ) . < br > David Carter - former C for Houston ( 1977 – 1983 ) and New Orleans ( 1984 – 1985 ) . < br > Darryl Drake - former WR for Washington ( 1979 ) and Cincinnati ( 1983 ) . < br > Curtis Hamilton - former Wr for Chicago ( 2008 ) , New Orleans ( 2009 ) < br > Clarence " Jazz " Jackson , Jr . - former RB for New York Jets ( 1974 – 1976 ) . < br > Joseph Jefferson - former CB for Indianapolis ( 2002 – 2005 ) . < br > Jeremi Johnson - former FB for Cincinnati ( 2003 - 2009 ) Free Agent ( 2009 - present ) < br > Dale Lindsey - former LB for Cleveland ( 1965 – 1972 ) and New Orleans ( 1973 ) . < br > Virgil Livers - former DB for Chicago ( 1975 – 1979 ) . < br > Anthony Oakley - former G for Cleveland ( 2004 ) and Chicago ( 2005 – 2007 ) < br > Rod Smart AKA " He Hate Me " - Former RB for San Diego ( 2000 ) , Philadelphia ( 2001 ) , Carolina ( 2002 – 2005 ) and Oakland ( 2006 ) . A total of 26 Hilltoppers have been drafted in the NFL . Notable Hilltopper players . Romeo Crennel - Former Head Coach of the Kansas City Chiefs < br > Joe Bugel - Former Head Coach of the Oakland Raiders < br > Willie Taggart - Current University South Florida Bulls Head Coach , former WKU Head Coach from 2010 - 2012 , and played QB from 1995 - 1998 < br > Jimmy Feix - Former WKU Hilltoppers Head Coach , 1952 Little All - American Quarterback < br > Eagle " Buddy " Keys - Former Head Coach in the CFL , Grey Cup Champion , member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame < br > KC Armstrong - Former associate producer of " The Howard Stern Show " < br > Chris Baker - Legendary Florida high school football coach Notable Hilltopper coaches . Head Coaches < br > L . T . Smith ( 1920 – 1921 , Head Coach ) - Namesake of L . T . Smith Stadium < br > E . A . Diddle ( 1922 – 1928 , Head Coach ) - Former WKU Hilltoppers basketball Head Coach < br > Jimmy Feix ( 1968 – 1983 , Head Coach ; 1957 - 1967 , Assistant Coach ; 1986 - 1991 , Athletic Director ) - Winningest coach in WKU history ; 1973 , 1978 , and 1980 Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year ; 1973 and 1975 NCAA Division II National Runners - up < br > Jack Harbaugh ( 1989 – 2002 , Head Coach ) - Former Head Coach at Western Michigan , 2000 Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year , 2002 AFCA Coach of the Year ( FCS ) , 2002 FCS National Champion < br > Bobby Petrino ( 2013 – Present ) Assistants < br > Jerry Glanville ( 1967 , DC ) - Former Head Coach of the Houston Oilers and the Atlanta Falcons < br > Jim Harbaugh ( 1994 – 2001 , Assistant Coach ) - Current NFL Head Coach for the San Francisco 49ers , was an unpaid assistant under his father while playing in the NFL < br > Don Martindale - ( 2001 – 03 , LB Coach , Defensive Coordinator ) Linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens Tommy Prothro ( 1942 , Assistant Coach ) - Former Head Coach at Oregon State and UCLA , Former Head Coach of the Los Angeles Rams and the San Diego Chargers , member of the College Football Hall of Fame < br > Retired jerseys . 1 - Willie Taggart < br > 24 - Virgil Livers < br > 44 - Dale Lindsey < br > 66 - Jimmy Feix All - Americans . WKU has fielded 64 All - American s , with the first being named in 1952 and the last being named in 2005 . 5 have been designated by the NCAA as " Consensus All - Americans " ( selected by the AP , the Walter Camp Foundation and the AFCA ) . They are : James Edwards ( 1987 ) < br > Bobby Sippio ( 2000 ) < br > Mel Mitchell ( 2001 ) < br > Chris Price ( 2002 ) < br > Buster Ashley ( 2004 ) WKU ' s total of 5 Consensus All - Americans outpaces BCS programs Duke , Wake Forest , Iowa State and Oregon . Middle Tennessee State Rivalry . WKU has a rivalry with fellow Sun - Belt team Middle Tennessee State that stems from their basketball rivalry .