Wikipedia

1980 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

The 1980 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 1980 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 14th-year head coach Jimmy Feix, the Hilltoppers compiled and overall record of 9–1 with a mark of 6–1 in conference play, winning the OVC title. However, Western Kentucky was not selected for the NCAA Division I_AA Football Championship playoffs. Instead, the OVC's second-place finisher, Eastern Kentucky, was invited despite the fact that Western had beaten them earlier in the season. This perceived snub was a factor in Western Kentucky's decision to leave the OVC in 1982.[1] The Hilltoppers finished the season ranked fifth in final Associated Press poll.[2]

1980 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football
OVC champion
ConferenceOhio Valley Conference
Ranking
APNo. 5
Record9–1 (6–1 OVC)
Head coach
CaptainBryan Gray, Ricky Gwinn, Pete Walters
Home stadiumHouchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
Seasons
← 1979
1981 →
1980 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 5 Western Kentucky $ 6 – 1 – 0 9 – 1 – 0
No. T–10 Murray State 5 – 2 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
No. T–3 Eastern Kentucky ^ 5 – 2 – 0 10 – 3 – 0
Austin Peay 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Akron 2 – 4 – 1 3 – 7 – 1
Morehead State 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Middle Tennessee 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 8 – 0
Tennessee Tech 1 – 6 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from Associated Press poll

The team's captains were Bryan Gray, Ricky Gwinn, and Pete Walters.[3] Western Kentucky's roster included future National Football League (NFL) players Pete Walters, Davlin Mullen, John Newby, Phil Rich, Troy Snardon, Brad Todd, Donnie Evans, Ray Farmer, Ronnie Fishback, Tom Fox, Paul Gray, Ricky Gwinn, Ron Hunter, Lamont Meacham, and Mike Miller. Walters and Tim Ford were named to All-American teams and Feix was named OVC Coach of the Year for the third time. The All-Conference Team included Barry Bumm, Evans, Farmer, Jerry Flippin, Gwinn, Lamont Meacham, Rich, Snardon, and Walters.[4]

Schedule

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DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 6Evansville*
W 40–1813,000[5]
September 13at Kentucky State*
W 30–85,393[6]
September 20at Akron
W 8–223,506[7]
September 27Austin PeayNo. 8
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 20–1415,500[8]
October 11Youngstown State*No. 5
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 42–1712,500[9]
October 18at Tennessee TechNo. 4
W 28–1711,600[10]
October 25No. 5 Eastern KentuckyNo. 4
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY (rivalry)
W 13–1019,700[11]
November 1Morehead StateNo. 4
W 17–76,000[12]
November 8Middle Tennessee No. 3
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY (rivalry)
W 30–1520,100[13]
November 22at No. 10 Murray StateNo. 2
L 0–4915,800[14]

References

edit
  1. ^ 1982 WKU Football Media Guide retrieved April 8, 2020.
  2. ^ "Final Division I-AA poll". Clarion-Ledger. Jackson, Mississippi. November 24, 1987. p. D1. Retrieved May 15, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. 
  3. ^ "WKU Football 2021 Media Guide" (PDF). Bowling Green, Kentucky: Western Kentucky University. p. 179. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  4. ^ 2017 OVC Football Media Guide, retrieved 30 April 2020
  5. ^ "Hilltopper's offense crushes UE in opener". Evansville Courier and Press. September 7, 1980. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Hilltoppers stop Thorobreds, 30–8". The State Journal. September 14, 1980. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Snardon's late touchdown lifts Western to 8–2 win". The Courier-Journal. September 21, 1980. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Hall gets real relief from WKU win". Messenger-Inquirer. September 28, 1980. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "W. Kentucky runs over Youngstown St". Dayton Daily News. October 12, 1980. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "TTU loses homecoming". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. October 19, 1980. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Griffiths boots winning kick as Western edges Eastern Ky". The Paducah Sun. October 26, 1980. Retrieved March 22, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "WKU, Snardon snare Morehead 17–7". The Tennessean. November 2, 1980. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Western captures OVC title". The Courier-Journal. November 9, 1980. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Murray runs Tops, mascot ragged". The Park City Daily News. November 23, 1980. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.


 

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