1963 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team
The 1963 Western Kentucky football team represented Western Kentucky State College during the 1963 NCAA College Division football season. The Hilltoppers were led by OVC Coach of the Year Nick Denes, won the Ohio Valley Conference championship, and finished the season undefeated. This team was one of the finest in school history and set a school record for victories.[1] The roster included future NFL players John Mutchler, Dale Lindsey, Jim Burt, and Harold Chambers as well as future NFL coach Joe Bugel.[2] Mutchler was named OVC Defensive Player of the Year.[3]
| 1963 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football | |
|---|---|
OVC champion Tangerine Bowl champion | |
Tangerine Bowl, w 27–0 vs. Coast Guard | |
| Conference | Ohio Valley Conference |
| 1963 record | 10–0–1 (7–0 OVC) |
| Head coach |
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| Assistant coach | Jimmy Feix |
| Captains |
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| 1963 Ohio Valley Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 8 Western Kentucky $ | 7 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 10 | – | 0 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Middle Tennessee | 6 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| East Tennessee State | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee Tech | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Murray State | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Morehead State | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Kentucky | 1 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Austin Peay | 0 | – | 7 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Hilltoppers earned a berth in the Tangerine Bowl, where they defeated the Coast Guard Academy 27-0. Western Kentucky quarterback Sharon Miller was named the game's most valuable player. [4] Mutchler, Chambers, Bugel, Jim Burt, Lindsey, and Bobby Westmoreland were named to the All-OVC team, while John Burt, Eddie Crum, Bob Gebhart, Sharon Miller, and Stan Napper were Honorable Mention.[5]
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 14 | at Southeast Missouri* | Cape Girardeau, MO | W 40–7 | |
| September 21 | at Tampa* | T 14–14 | ||
| September 28 | East Tennessee State | Bowling Green, KY | W 14-6 | |
| October 5 | at Middle Tennessee | W 16–6 | ||
| October 12 | at Austin Peay | No. 17 | W 34–14 | |
| October 19 | at No. 11 Tennessee Tech | No. 10 | Cookeville, TN | W 14–12 |
| October 26 | Evansville* | No. 9 | Bowling Green, KY | W 54–14 |
| November 2 | at Eastern Kentucky | No. 8 | Richmond, KY (Battle of the Bluegrass) | W 29–6 |
| November 9 | Morehead State | No. 7 | Bowling Green, KY | W 17–0 |
| November 23 | Murray State | No. 9 | Bowling Green, KY | W 50–0 |
| December 28 | vs. Coast Guard | No. 8 | W 27–0 | |
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References
- Ruby, Earl (1979). Red Towel Territory: A History Of Athletics At Western Kentucky University. American National Bank and Trust Co. ASIN B00ILIOPAO.
- Pro Football Reference, retrieved 30 April 2020
- 2017 OVC Football Media Guide, retrieved 30 April 2020
- Bassine, Bob (December 29, 1963). "Hilltopper Defense Does Job". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved March 11, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
- WKU Football Media Guide retrieved 31 March 2020.