2002 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

The 2002 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season and were led by head coach Jack Harbaugh in his 14th and final season as head coach. They claimed a share of the Gateway Football Conference championship and made the school’s third straight appearance in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.[1] After a rocky start, the team rallied to win their last 10 games including the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game, beating McNeese State, 34–14, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Hilltoppers finished the season ranked number 1 in both final 1AA postseason national polls.[2]

2002 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football
NCAA Division I-AA champion
Gateway co-champion
ConferenceGateway Football Conference
Ranking
Sports NetworkNo. 1
Record12–3 (7–1 Gateway)
Head coach
Home stadiumL. T. Smith Stadium
2002 Gateway Football Conference standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 1 Western Kentucky +^  6 –1   12 –3  
No. 5 Western Illinois +^  6 –1   11 –2  
Youngstown State  4 –3   7 –4  
Illinois State  4 –3   6 –5  
Indiana State  3 –4   5 –7  
Northern Iowa  2 –5   5 –6  
Southern Illinois  2 –5   4 –8  
Southwest Missouri State  1 –6   4 –7  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll

This team won the school's first NCAA team championship and tied the program record for victories in a season set by the 1973 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team. Their roster included future National Football League (NFL) players Sherrod Coates, Jeremi Johnson, and Brian Claybourn, and future NFL coach Jason Michael. Coates, Chris Price, and Buster Ashley were named to the AP All American team and Harbuagh was named AFCA Coach of the Year Award. The All Conference team included Ashley, Coates, Price, Jeremy Chandler, Erik Dandy, Jon Frazier, and Daniel Withrow.[3]

Schedule
DateTimeOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
August 316:10 pmat Kansas State*No. 18
L 3–4845,844
September 75:30 pmKentucky State*No. 22
W 49–09,500
September 141:30 pmWestern IllinoisNo. 21
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
L 0–146,000[4]
September 215:30 pmNo. 11 Youngstown State
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 13–710,100
September 287:00 pmat No. 2 McNeese State*No. 25
L 13–3816,840
October 54:05 pmat No. 6 Northern Iowa
W 31–1214,684
October 125:30 pmFIU*
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 56–76,000
October 191:30 pmat Southwest Missouri StateNo. 24
W 31–713,002
October 264:30 pmIndiana StatedaggerNo. 22
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 24–711,200
November 24:30 pmIllinois StateNo. 19
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 9–05,600[5]
November 161:30 pmat Southern IllinoisNo. 15
W 48–163,203[6]
November 301:00 pmNo. 23 Murray State*No. 15
W 59–203,300
December 71:00 pmat No. 3 Western Illinois*No. 15
W 31–283,300[7]
December 141:05 pmat No. 2 Georgia Southern*No. 15
W 31–286,573
December 205:30 pmvs. No. 1 McNeese State*No. 15
W 34–1412,360

Game summaries

Kansas State
1 2 3 4 Total
#18 Hilltoppers 0 0 0 3 3
Wildcats 3 31 7 7 48
See also: 2002 Kansas State Wildcats football team

References
  1. 2019 MVC Football Records, retrieved 30 April 2020
  2. "Div. I-AA poll". The Burlington Free Press. Burlington, Vermont. December 24, 2002. p. 6B. Retrieved May 20, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  3. WKU Football Media Guide retrieved 31 March 2020.
  4. Herbst, Rob (September 15, 2021). "Hilltoppers sacked by WIU". The Daily News. p. 1B. Retrieved October 30, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Brown, C. L. (November 3, 2002). "Defense dominates in Western's 9-0 win". The Courier-Journal. p. C9. Retrieved December 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Hilltoppers top Salukis for share of league title". The Courier-Journal. November 17, 2002. p. C9. Retrieved January 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Jauss, Bill (December 8, 2021). "Kicker's premonition turns into truth". Chicago Tribune. p. 3:5. Retrieved October 30, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.


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