2004 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

The 2004 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 2004 NCAA Division I-AA football season and were led by second-year head coach David Elson. The team contended for Gateway Football Conference championship but finished 2nd.[1] They made the school's fifth straight appearance in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs; it would end up being WKU's last playoff appearance, as they would initiate transitioning to NCAA Division I-A/FBS in 2006. The Hilltoppers finished the season ranked 11th in final I-AA postseason national poll.[2]

2004 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football
ConferenceGateway Football Conference
Ranking
Sports NetworkNo. 11
Record9–3 (6–1 Gateway)
Head coach
Home stadiumL. T. Smith Stadium
2004 Gateway Football Conference standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 9 Southern Illinois $^  7 –0   10 –2  
No. 11 Western Kentucky ^  6 –1   9 –3  
No. 25 Northern Iowa  5 –2   7 –4  
Southwest Missouri State  3 –4   6 –5  
Western Illinois  2 –5   4 –7  
Illinois State  2 –5   4 –7  
Youngstown State  2 –5   4 –7  
Indiana State  1 –6   4 –7  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll

This team included future National Football League (NFL) players Curtis Hamilton, Brian Claybourn, Dan Cline, and Greg Ryan. Claybourn and Buster Ashley were named to the AP All American team. The All-Conference team included Ashley, Claybourn, Deonté Smith, Charles Thompson, Antonio Thomas, Justin Haddix, Erik Losey, Lerron Moore, and Joe Woolridge.[3]

Schedule
DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 4at No. 13 (I-A) Kansas State*No. 13
L 13–2746,740
September 11Concord*No. 11
W 58–010,390
September 18at No. 20 Eastern Kentucky*No. 11
W 21–822,700
October 2Youngstown StateNo. 6
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 44–1911,619
October 9at No. 22 Northern IowaNo. 6
W 17–1012,184
October 16at No. 1 Southern IllinoisNo. 4
L 10–3810,143[4]
October 23Indiana StatedaggerNo. 10
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 31–97,390
October 30Illinois StateNo. 7
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 24–217,126[5]
November 6at Southwest MissouriNo. 5
W 28–248,942
November 13Western IllinoisNo. 5
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 45–37,318[6]
November 20at FIU*No. 3
W 35–143,108
November 27at No. 4 Sam Houston State*No. 11
L 24–549,554[7]

References
  1. 2019 MVC Football Records, retrieved 30 April 2020
  2. "Final Div. I-AA poll". The Burlington Free Press. Burlington, Vermont. December 21, 2004. p. 6B. Retrieved May 20, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  3. WKU Football Media Guide retrieved 31 March 2020.
  4. "No. 1 SIU rolls over No. 4 Western". Messenger-Inquirer. October 17, 2004. p. 4B. Retrieved December 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Haddix leads Hilltoppers past Illinois State, 24-21". The Courier-Journal. Associated Press. October 31, 2004. p. C9. Retrieved November 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. Grant, Michael (November 14, 2004). "Hilltoppers run, run, run over Western Illinois, 45-3". The Courier-Journal. p. C9. Retrieved January 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Hilltoppers fall hard in I-AA playoffs, 54–24". The Courier-Journal. November 28, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.


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