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
Conference	Gateway Football Conference
Ranking
FCS Coaches	No. 11
2004 record	9–3 (6–1 Gateway)
Head coach	David Elson (2nd season)
Assistant coach	Willie Taggart
Home stadium	Houchens 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

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result
September 4	at No. 13 (D-1A) Kansas State*	No. 13	KSU Stadium Manhattan, KS	L 13–27
September 11	Concord (WV)*	No. 11	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 58–0
September 18	at No. 20 Eastern Kentucky*	No. 11	Roy Kidd Stadium Richmond, KY (Battle of the Bluegrass)	W 21–8
October 2	Youngstown State	No. 6	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 44–19
October 9	at No. 22 Northern Iowa	No. 6	UNI-Dome Cedar Falls, IA	W 17–10
October 16	at No. 1 Southern Illinois	No. 4	Saluki Stadium Carbondale, IL	L 10–38
October 23	Indiana State	No. 10	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 31–9
October 30	Illinois State	No. 7	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 24–21
November 6	at Southwest Missouri	No. 5	Robert W. Plaster Stadium Springfield, MO	W 28–24
November 13	Western Illinois	No. 5	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 45–3
November 20	at FIU*	No. 3	Riccardo Silva Stadium Miami, FL	W 35–14
November 27	at No. 9 Sam Houston State*	No. 3	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX (I-AA Playoffs First Round)	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.