On December 5, head coach Jeff Brohm resigned to become the head coach at Purdue.[2] He finished at WKU with a record of 30–10, two bowl wins, and two C-USA titles. Defensive coordinator Nick Holt led WKU in the Boca Raton Bowl.[3] On December 14, the school hired Mike Sanford Jr. as head coach.[4]
In a preseason media vote, the Hilltoppers were picked to win the East Division again, receiving 20 of 28 first place votes.[5]
Western Kentucky announced its 2017 football schedule on January 26, 2017. The 2017 schedule consists of 6 home and away games in the regular season. The Hilltoppers will host CUSA foes Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Tech, and Middle Tennessee, and will travel to FIU, Marshall, Old Dominion, and UTEP.[6]
The Hilltoppers will host two of the four non-conference opponents, Ball State from the Mid-American Conference and Eastern Kentucky from the Ohio Valley Conference and travel to Illinois of the Big Ten Conference and Vanderbilt from the Southeastern Conference.
Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
---|
September 2 | 6:00 p.m. | Eastern Kentucky* | | FloSports | W 31–17 | 18,614 |
September 9 | 7:00 p.m. | at Illinois* | | BTN | L 7–20 | 41,923 |
September 16 | 6:00 p.m. | Louisiana Tech | - Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
- Bowling Green, KY
| Stadium | L 22–23 | 16,223 |
September 23 | 6:00 p.m. | Ball State* | - Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
- Bowling Green, KY
| Stadium | W 33–21 | 17,590 |
October 7 | 7:00 p.m. | at UTEP | | CUSA.TV | W 15–14 | 20,418 |
October 14 | 3:30 p.m. | Charlotte | - Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
- Bowling Green, KY
| FloSports | W 45–14 | 16,754 |
October 20 | 5:00 p.m. | at Old Dominion | | CBSSN | W 35–31 | 20,118 |
October 28 | 3:30 p.m. | Florida Atlantic | - Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
- Bowling Green, KY
| Stadium | L 28–42 | 12,441 |
November 4 | 11:00 a.m. | at Vanderbilt* | | ESPNU | L 17–31 | 26,350 |
November 11 | 5:30 p.m. | at Marshall | | Stadium | L 23–30 | 19,516 |
November 17 | 7:00 p.m. | Middle Tennessee | | CBSSN | W 41–38 3OT | 12,612 |
November 24 | 6:00 p.m. | at FIU | | beIN | L 17–41 | 16,199 |
December 16 | 2:30 p.m. | vs. Georgia State* | | CBSSN | L 17–27 | 19,585 |
- *Non-conference game
- Homecoming
- All times are in Central time
|
- Schedule Source:[7]
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Colonels
|
0
|
0
|
14
|
3 |
17 |
Hilltoppers
|
0
|
17
|
7
|
7 |
31 |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Hilltoppers
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
7 |
7 |
Fighting Illini
|
3
|
10
|
7
|
0 |
20 |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Bulldogs
|
3
|
10
|
0
|
10 |
23 |
Hilltoppers
|
8
|
7
|
7
|
0 |
22 |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Cardinals
|
7
|
0
|
7
|
7 |
21 |
Hilltoppers
|
7
|
10
|
0
|
16 |
33 |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Hilltoppers
|
0
|
8
|
7
|
0 |
15 |
Miners
|
0
|
14
|
0
|
0 |
14 |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
49ers
|
7
|
7
|
0
|
0 |
14 |
Hilltoppers
|
14
|
24
|
0
|
7 |
45 |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Hilltoppers
|
7
|
14
|
0
|
14 |
35 |
Monarchs
|
7
|
7
|
17
|
0 |
31 |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Owls
|
10
|
10
|
0
|
22 |
42 |
Hilltoppers
|
7
|
14
|
7
|
0 |
28 |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Hilltoppers
|
7
|
7
|
3
|
0 |
17 |
Commodores
|
14
|
7
|
7
|
3 |
31 |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Hilltoppers
|
7
|
0
|
3
|
13 |
23 |
Thundering Herd
|
0
|
13
|
17
|
0 |
30 |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 | OT | 2OT | 3OT |
Total |
Blue Raiders
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
21 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
38 |
Hilltoppers
|
7
|
0
|
3
|
14 | 7 | 7 | 3 |
41 |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Hilltoppers
|
3
|
7
|
7
|
0 |
17 |
Panthers
|
3
|
10
|
21
|
7 |
41 |
vs Georgia State–Cure Bowl
edit
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Hilltoppers
|
7
|
3
|
0
|
7 |
17 |
Panthers
|
10
|
3
|
7
|
7 |
27 |
- ^ WKU Football Media Guide retrieved 31 March 2020.
- ^ "Jeff Brohm to leave WKU for Purdue opening". USA TODAY. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
- ^ "With Sanford waiting, WKU focusing on bowl". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
- ^ Stephens, Brad. "WKU hires Mike Sanford as head football coach". Bowling Green Daily News. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
- ^ "C-USA repeat? WKU, La Tech preseason picks for title rematch". USA TODAY. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
- ^ "Hilltopper Football Announces 2017 Schedule" (Press release). Western Kentucky University Department of Athletics. January 26, 2017. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
- ^ "2017 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
- ^ "Western Kentucky University Athletics". www.wkusports.com. Retrieved September 8, 2017.