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 National champion
Gateway Football Conference co-champion
ConferenceGateway Football Conference
Ranking
FCS CoachesNo. 1
2002 record12–3 (7–1 Gateway)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home stadiumHouchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
2002 Gateway Football Conference standings
Conf  Overall
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  
SW 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 school record for victories. Their roster included future NFL players Sherrod Coates, Jeremi Johnson, and Brian Claybourn, as well as future NFL coach Jason Michael. Coates, Chris Price, and Buster Ashley were named to the AP All American team and Harbuagh was named AFCA National Coach Of The Year. The All Conference team included Ashley, Coates, Price, Jeremy Chandler, Erik Dandy, Jon Frazier, and Daniel Withrow.[3]

Schedule
DateTimeOpponentRankSiteResultAttendance
August 316:10 pmat D-1A Kansas State*No. 18
L 3–4845,844[4]
September 75:30 pmKentucky State*No. 22
W 49–09,500[5]
September 141:30 pmWestern IllinoisNo. 21
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
L 0–146,000
September 215:30 pmNo. 11 Youngstown State
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 13–710,100[6]
September 287:00 pmat No. 3 McNeese State*No. 23
L 13–3816,840[7]
October 54:05 pmat No. 6 Northern IowaNo. 25
W 31–1214,684[8]
October 125:30 pmFlorida International*
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 56–76,000[9]
October 191:30 pmat Southwest MissouriNo. 25
W 31–713,002[10]
October 264:30 pmIndiana StateNo. 23
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 24–711,200[11]
November 24:30 pmNo. 25 Illinois StateNo. 21
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 9–05,600[12]
November 161:30 pmat Southern IllinoisNo. 13
W 48–163,203[13]
November 301:00 pmNo. 23 Murray State*No. 15
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY (I-AA Playoffs First Round)
W 59–203,300[14]
December 71:00 pmNo. 2 Western Illinois*No. 15
W 31–283,300[14]
December 141:05 pmNo. 3 Georgia Southern*No. 15
W 31–286,573[15]
December 205:30 pmNo. 1 McNeese State*No. 15
W 34–1412,360[16]

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.
  3. WKU Football Media Guide retrieved 31 March 2020.
  4. "Kansas State 48, W. Kentucky 3 | KSU Wildcats News". Kstatesports.cstv.com. 2002-08-31. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  5. "2002 Western Kentucky University Football Box Score - Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers Official Athletic Site". Wkusports.com. 2002-09-07. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  6. "2002 Western Kentucky University Football Box Score - Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers Official Athletic Site". Wkusports.com. 2002-09-21. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  7. "2002 Western Kentucky University Football Box Score - Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers Official Athletic Site". Wkusports.com. 2002-09-28. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  8. "2002 Western Kentucky University Football Box Score - Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers Official Athletic Site". Wkusports.com. 2002-10-05. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  9. "2002 Western Kentucky University Football Box Score - Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers Official Athletic Site". Wkusports.com. 2002-10-12. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  10. "2002 Western Kentucky University Football Box Score - Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers Official Athletic Site". Wkusports.com. 2002-10-19. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  11. "2002 Western Kentucky University Football Box Score - Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers Official Athletic Site". Wkusports.com. 2002-10-26. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  12. "2002 Western Kentucky University Football Box Score - Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers Official Athletic Site". Wkusports.com. 2002-11-02. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  13. "2002 Western Kentucky University Football Box Score - Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers Official Athletic Site". Wkusports.com. 2002-11-16. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  14. "2002 Western Kentucky University Football Box Score - Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers Official Athletic Site". Wkusports.com. 2002-11-30. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  15. "2002 Western Kentucky University Football Box Score - Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers Official Athletic Site". Wkusports.com. 2002-12-14. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  16. "2002 Western Kentucky University Football Box Score - Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers Official Athletic Site". Wkusports.com. 2002-12-20. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
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