1998 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

The 1998 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season and were led by All-American quarterback Willie Taggart and head coach Jack Harbaugh. This would be the team’s last year as an independent, the next year they would rejoin the Ohio Valley Conference as a football only member.[1] The Hilltoppers primarily ran an option offense and were ranked 3rd in rush offense for NCAA Division I-AA. They missed returning to the NCAA Playoffs and finished the season ranked 19th in final 1AA postseason national poll.[2]

1998 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football
Conference	Independent
Ranking
FCS Coaches	No. 19
1998 record	7–4
Head coach	Jack Harbaugh (10th season)
Home stadium	Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium

1998 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Morehead State		0	–	0					9	–	2
Davidson		0	–	0					8	–	2
No. 20 Hofstra		0	–	0					8	–	3
No. 22 South Florida		0	–	0					8	–	3
No. 19 Western Kentucky		0	–	0					7	–	4
Samford		0	–	0					6	–	5
St. Johns (NY)		0	–	0					6	–	5
Liberty		0	–	0					5	–	6
Southern Utah		0	–	0					5	–	6
Elon		0	–	0					5	–	6
Austin Peay		0	–	0					4	–	7
Buffalo		0	–	0					4	–	7
Jacksonville		0	–	0					4	–	5
La Salle		0	–	0					3	–	6
Cal Poly		0	–	0					3	–	8
Charleston Southern		0	–	0					3	–	8
Saint Mary's		0	–	0					2	–	8
Rankings from The Sports Network poll

Western Kentucky's roster included future NFL players Joseph Jefferson, Rod “He Hate Me” Smart, and Ben Wittman. Patrick Goodman, Andy Hape, and Taggart were named to the AP All American team and Taggart was also named I-AA Independent Offensive Player of the Year. The I-AA Independent All-Star Team included Goodman, Hape, Taggart, Delvechio Walls, Bryan Daniel, and Trae Hackett.[3]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result
September 3	Tennessee–Martin	No. 8	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 49–7
September 12	at No. 16 Murray State	No. 7	Roy Stewart Stadium Murray, KY (Battle for the Red Belt)	L 31–36
September 19	No. 16 Eastern Kentucky	No. 15	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY (Battle of the Bluegrass)	L 16–27
September 26	at Austin Peay	No. 24	Fortera Stadium Clarksville, TN	W 56–14
October 3	New Haven	No. 22	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 24–21
October 17	at No. 12 South Florida	No. 19	Raymond James Stadium Tampa, FL	W 31–24
October 24	Elon	No. 12	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 41–38 ot
October 31	at Louisville	No. 11	Old Cardinal Stadium Louisville, KY	L 34–63
November 7	Southern Illinois	No. 18	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 48–28
November 14	Indiana State	No. 15	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 42–14
November 21	at Southwestern Louisiana	No. 13	Cajun Field Lafayette, LA	L 24–38
Homecoming Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game

References

1. 2017 OVC Football Media Guide, retrieved 30 April 2020
2. "Final Div. I-AA poll". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. December 22, 1998. p. 7C. Retrieved May 20, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
3. WKU Football Media Guide retrieved 31 March 2020.