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
Division I-AA Playoffs, Lost First Round
ConferenceGateway Football Conference
Ranking
FCS CoachesNo. 11
2004 record9–3 (6–1 Gateway)
Head coach
Assistant coachWillie Taggart
Home stadiumHouchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
2004 Gateway Football Conference standings
Conf  Overall
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 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
DateOpponentRankSiteResult
September 4at No. 13 (D-1A) Kansas State*No. 13
L 13–27
September 11Concord (WV)*No. 11
W 58–0
September 18at No. 20 Eastern Kentucky*No. 11
W 21–8
October 2Youngstown StateNo. 6
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 44–19
October 9at No. 22 Northern IowaNo. 6
W 17–10
October 16at No. 1 Southern IllinoisNo. 4
L 10–38
October 23Indiana StateNo. 10
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 31–9
October 30Illinois StateNo. 7
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 24–21
November 6at Southwest MissouriNo. 5
W 28–24
November 13Western IllinoisNo. 5
  • L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
W 45–3
November 20at FIU*No. 3
W 35–14
November 27at No. 9 Sam Houston State*No. 3
L 24–54
  • *Non-conference game
  • Homecoming
  • Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game

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.
  3. WKU Football Media Guide retrieved 31 March 2020.
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