The 1975 Western Kentucky football team represented Western Kentucky University during the 1975 NCAA Division II football season. The team came off an 7–3 record from the prior season[4] and was led by coach Jimmy Feix. They claimed a share of the Ohio Valley Conference championship and returned to the NCAA Division II Football Championship for the second time in three years.[5] One of the highlights of the season was a victory over NCAA Division I Louisville.[6] The Hilltoppers won their first two playoff games, including a win over New Hampshire in the Grantland Rice Bowl, before falling in the championship game to Northern Michigan in the Camellia Bowl.[7] They finished ranked 3rd in both the AP and UPI final polls.[8][9]
| 1975 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football | |
|---|---|
OVC co-champion Grantland Rice Bowl Champion | |
Camellia Bowl, L 14–16 vs. Northern Michigan | |
| Conference | Ohio Valley Conference |
| Ranking | |
| AP | No. 3 |
| Record | 11–2 (6–1 OVC) |
| Head coach |
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| Captains |
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| Home stadium | L. T. Smith Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 3 Western Kentucky ^ | 6 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee Tech $ | 6 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 12 Eastern Kentucky | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Murray State | 3 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Austin Peay | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Middle Tennessee | 2 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| East Tennessee State | 1 | – | 5 | – | 1 | 2 | – | 8 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Morehead State | 1 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rankings from Associated Press poll
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This team was one of the best in school history and included future National Football League (NFL) players David Carter, Darryl Drake, Rick Caswell, and Biff Madon. Rick Green was named to the AP All American team as well as the OVC Defensive Player of the Year and Feix was named Divisional Kodak College Coach-of-the-Year.[10] The All OVC team included Green, Sheroid Barrett, Chip Carpenter, Walt Herod, John Leathers, and Keith Tandy.[11]
Schedule
edit| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 6 | at Dayton* | W 27–7 | 11,300 | |||
| September 13 | at Louisville* | W 21–17 | 34,700 | |||
| September 20 | Illinois State* | W 24–14 | 15,300 | |||
| September 27 | at Austin Peay | No. 2 | W 30–3 | 6,800 | ||
| October 4 | East Tennessee State | No. 2 |
| W 17–0 | 14,400 | |
| October 18 | Tennessee Tech | No. 2 |
| W 20–7 | 9,000 | |
| October 25 | at No. 4 Eastern Kentucky | No. 2 | L 7–13 | 24,200 | ||
| November 1 | Morehead State | No. 6 |
| W 14–10 | 20,100 | |
| November 8 | at Middle Tennessee | No. 6 | W 24–10 | 11,300 | ||
| November 22 | Murray State | No. 5 |
| W 19–0 | 15,300 | |
| November 29 | at No. 10 Northern Iowa | No. 4 | W 14–12 | 2,500 | ||
| December 6 | vs. New Hampshire | No. 4 |
| W 14–3 | 6,000 | |
| December 13 | vs. No. 5 Northern Michigan | No. 4 |
| L 14–16 | 15,558 | [12] |
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References
edit- ^ "2017 WKU Football Media Guide" (PDF). wkusports.com. Western Kentucky Athletics. p. 164.
- ^ "2017 Ohio Valley Conference Media Guide" (PDF). ovcsports.com. p. 82.
- ^ "2014 Tennessee Tech Football Guide". ttusports.com. Tennessee Tech Athletics. p. 166.
- ^ "Western Kentucky Hilltoppers College Football Scores, Schedules, and Analytics".
- ^ Ruby, Earl (1979). Red Towel Territory: A History Of Athletics At Western Kentucky University. American National Bank and Trust Co. ASIN B00ILIOPAO.
- ^ 1975 WKU Football schedule and results retrieved 2 April 2020.
- ^ NCAA Division 2 Football Championship History retrieved 2 April 2020.
- ^ "Javelinas First in Final AP Poll". Valley Morning Star. Harlingen, Texas. December 20, 1975. p. B3. Retrieved May 28, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "NCAA Division II UPI Final Poll". The Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. November 26, 1975. p. 2-C. Retrieved May 28, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Legendary WKU Coach Feix Named To College Football Hall Of Fame Ballot retrieved 2 April 2020.
- ^ WKU Football Media Guide retrieved 31 March 2020.
- ^ "Glass slipper fits 'Cinderella' Wildcats". Escanaba Daily Press. December 15, 1975. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Final 1975 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
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