2004 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

2004 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football
ConferenceGateway Football Conference
Ranking
Sports NetworkNo. 11
Record9–3 (6–1 Gateway)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorT. J. Weist (2nd season)
Offensive schemeMultiple
Defensive coordinatorMike Dietzel (1st season)
Base defense3–4
Home stadiumL. T. Smith Stadium
Seasons
← 2003
2005 →
2004 Gateway Football Conference standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 9 Southern Illinois $^   7 0     10 2  
No. 11 Western Kentucky ^   6 1     9 3  
No. 25 Northern Iowa   5 2     7 4  
Southwest Missouri State
  3 4     6 5  
Western Illinois   2 5     4 7  
Illinois State   2 5     4 7  
Youngstown State   2 5     4 7  
Indiana State   1 6     4 7  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 2004 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 2004 NCAA Division I-AA football season and were led by second-year head coach David Elson. The team contended for Gateway Football Conference championship but finished 2nd.[1] They made the school's fifth straight appearance in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs; it would end up being WKU's last playoff appearance, as they would initiate transitioning to NCAA Division I-A/FBS in 2006. The Hilltoppers finished the season ranked 11th in final I-AA postseason national poll.[2]

This team included future National Football League (NFL) players Curtis Hamilton, Brian Claybourn, Dan Cline, and Greg Ryan. Claybourn and Buster Ashley were named to the AP All American team. The All-Conference team included Ashley, Claybourn, Deonté Smith, Charles Thompson, Antonio Thomas, Justin Haddix, Erik Losey, Lerron Moore, and Joe Woolridge.[3]

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 4at No. 13 (I-A) Kansas State*No. 13L 13–2746,740
September 11
L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
  • W 58–010,390
    September 18at No. 20 Eastern Kentucky*No. 11W 21–822,700
    October 2Youngstown StateNo. 6
    • L. T. Smith Stadium
    • Bowling Green, KY
    W 44–1911,619
    October 9at No. 22 Northern IowaNo. 6W 17–1012,184
    October 16at No. 1 Southern IllinoisNo. 4L 10–3810,143[4]
    October 23Indiana StatedaggerNo. 10
    • L. T. Smith Stadium
    • Bowling Green, KY
    W 31–97,390
    October 30Illinois StateNo. 7
    • L. T. Smith Stadium
    • Bowling Green, KY
    W 24–217,126[5]
    November 6at Southwest MissouriNo. 5W 28–248,942
    November 13Western IllinoisNo. 5
    • L. T. Smith Stadium
    • Bowling Green, KY
    W 45–37,318[6]
    November 20at
    Riccardo Silva Stadium
  • Miami, FL
  • W 35–143,108
    November 27at No. 4 Sam Houston State*No. 11L 24–549,554[7]

    References

    1. ^ 2019 MVC Football Records, retrieved 30 April 2020
    2. Newspapers.com.Open access icon
    3. ^ WKU Football Media Guide retrieved 31 March 2020.
    4. Newspapers.com
      .
    5. Newspapers.com
      .
    6. Newspapers.com
      .
    7. Newspapers.com
      .