American college football season
The 2018 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team (WKU ) represented Western Kentucky University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The Hilltoppers played their home games at the Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky as members of the East Division of Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by second-year head coach Mike Sanford Jr. They finished the season 3–9, 2–6 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for sixth place in the East Division.[ 1]
On November 25, head coach Mike Sanford Jr. was fired after only two seasons.[ 2] He finished at WKU with a record of 9–16.
Preseason
Award watch lists
Listed in the order that they were released
Conference USA released their preseason media poll on July 17, 2018, with the Hilltoppers predicted to finish in fourth place in the East Division.[ 5]
East Division
Predicted finish
Team
1
Florida Atlantic
2
Marshall
3
Middle Tennessee
4
FIU
5
Western Kentucky
6
Old Dominion
7
Charlotte
Schedule
Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance 8:00 p.m. at No. 4 Wisconsin * ESPN L 3–3474,145
September 8 6:30 p.m. No. 22 (FCS) Maine * ESPN+ L 28–3115,178
September 15 6:30 p.m. at Louisville * ACCRSN L 17–2054,923
September 22 2:00 p.m. at Ball State * ESPN3 W 28–2015,873
September 29 6:30 p.m. Marshall Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY Stadium L 17–2020,811
October 13 2:30 p.m. at Charlotte ESPN+ L 14–4011,610
October 20 6:30 p.m. Old Dominion Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY ESPN+ L 34–3713,269
October 27 6:30 p.m. FIU Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY beIN L 17–3815,138
7:00 p.m. at Middle Tennessee CBSSN L 10–2916,617
November 10 4:00 p.m. at Florida Atlantic Stadium L 15–3414,400
November 17 6:30 p.m. UTEP Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY beIN W 40–166,221
November 24 11:00 a.m. at Louisiana Tech CBSSN W 30–1511,459
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time
Schedule Source: [ 6]
Game summaries
At Wisconsin
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
0
0
3
0
3
No. 4 Badgers
7
17
3
7
34
Maine
1
2
3
4
Total
No. 22 (FCS) Black Bears
0
14
14
3
31
Hilltoppers
21
0
0
7
28
At Louisville
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
7
7
0
3
17
Cardinals
0
3
3
14
20
At Ball State
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
0
7
7
14
28
Cardinals
7
3
3
7
20
Marshall
1
2
3
4
Total
Thundering Herd
7
3
0
10
20
Hilltoppers
3
7
0
7
17
At Charlotte
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
7
0
0
7
14
49ers
6
3
21
10
40
Old Dominion
1
2
3
4
Total
Monarchs
14
3
2
18
37
Hilltoppers
7
17
3
7
34
FIU
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
7
7
14
10
38
Hilltoppers
0
3
0
14
17
At Middle Tennessee
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
3
0
7
0
10
Blue Raiders
10
10
3
6
29
At Florida Atlantic
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
0
9
0
6
15
Owls
10
0
7
17
34
UTEP
1
2
3
4
Total
Miners
0
0
8
8
16
Hilltoppers
27
13
0
0
40
At Louisiana Tech
1
2
3
4
Total
Hilltoppers
14
9
0
7
30
Bulldogs
0
12
3
0
15
References
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold