2012 WKU Hilltoppers football team

2012 WKU Hilltoppers football
Little Caesars Pizza Bowl vs. Central Michigan, L 21–24
Conference	Sun Belt Conference
2012 record	7–6 (4–4 Sun Belt)
Head coach	Willie Taggart (regular season) Lance Guidry (bowl game)
Defensive coordinator	Lance Guidry
Home stadium	Houchens Industries – L. T. Smith Stadium (Capacity: 22,113)

2012 Sun Belt football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Arkansas State $		7	–	1					10	–	3
Louisiana–Lafayette		6	–	2					9	–	4
Louisiana–Monroe		6	–	2					8	–	5
Middle Tennessee		6	–	2					8	–	4
WKU		4	–	4					7	–	6
Troy		3	–	5					5	–	7
North Texas		3	–	5					4	–	8
Florida Atlantic		2	–	6					3	–	9
FIU		2	–	6					3	–	9
South Alabama*		1	–	7					2	–	11
$ – Conference champion South Alabama not eligible for conference title or bowl game as part of their transition to the FBS. Rankings from AP Poll

The 2012 WKU Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by third year head coach Willie Taggart and played their home games at Houchens Industries – L. T. Smith Stadium. They were a member of the Sun Belt Conference. They finished the season 7–6, 4–4 in Sun Belt play to finish in fifth place. They were invited to the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, their first bowl appearance since joining FBS in 2007, where they were defeated by Central Michigan.

After a three year record of 16–20, head coach Willie Taggart resigned in December to become the head coach at South Florida. Defensive coordinator Lance Guidry coached the Hilltoppers in Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. Bobby Petrino was hired as the school's new head coach on December 10th, 2012.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 1	6:00 PM	Austin Peay*	Houchens Industries – L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY	ESPN3	W 49–10	16,327
September 8	3:30 PM	at #1 Alabama*	Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL	SECN	L 0–35	101,821
September 15	6:00 PM	at Kentucky*	Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY	ESPNU	W 32–31 OT	53,980
September 22	6:00 PM	Southern Miss*	Houchens Industries – L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY	ESPN3	W 42–17	23,252
September 29	6:00 PM	at Arkansas State	Liberty Bank Stadium • Jonesboro, AR	ESPN3	W 26–13	25,160
October 11	6:30 PM	at Troy	Veterans Memorial Stadium • Troy, AL	ESPNU	W 31–26	16,426
October 20	3:00 PM	Louisiana–Monroe†	Houchens Industries – L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY	ESPN3	L 42–43 OT	22,323
October 27	6:00 PM	at FIU	FIU Stadium • Miami, FL	ESPN3	W 14–6	12,842
November 1	8:15 PM	Middle Tennessee	Houchens Industries – L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY (100 Miles of Hate)	ESPNU	L 29–34	17,327
November 10	12:00 PM	Florida Atlantic	Houchens Industries – L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY	SBN/CSS	L 28–37	14,185
November 17	6:00 PM	at Louisiana–Lafayette	Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA	ESPN3	L 27–31	20,314
November 24	12:00 PM	North Texas	Houchens Industries – L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY	SBN/CSS	W 25–24	11,074
December 26	6:30 PM	vs. Central Michigan*	Ford Field • Detroit, MI (Little Caesars Pizza Bowl)	ESPN	L 21–24	23,310
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from Coaches Poll released prior to game. All times are in Central Time.

• Source: Schedule

Game notes

Austin Peay

	1	2	3	4	Total
Governors	9	9	7	3	28
Hilltoppers	14	21	7	7	49

See also: 2012 Austin Peay State Governors football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
34–6–1	2006	WKU, 24–14

@ Alabama

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	0	0	0	0	0
#1 Crimson Tide	14	7	7	7	35

See also: 2012 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
0–1	2008	ALB, 41–7

@ Kentucky

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Hilltoppers	3	14	7	0	8	32
Wildcats	0	10	7	7	7	31

See also: 2012 Kentucky Wildcats football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
0–3	2011	UK, 14–3

The win over the Wildcats of the SEC marks the Hilltoppers first ever win over a team from a Bowl Championship Series conference..

Southern Miss

	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden Eagles	0	3	7	7	17
Hilltoppers	14	7	21	0	42

See also: 2012 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
First meeting

@ Arkansas State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	0	0	14	12	26
Red Wolves	3	10	0	0	13

See also: 2012 Arkansas State Red Wolves football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
2–3–1	2011	ARST, 26–22

@ Troy

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	7	7	14	3	31
Trojans	10	7	9	0	26

See also: 2012 Troy Trojans football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
1–8–1	2011	WKU, 41–18

Louisiana–Monroe

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Warhawks	0	21	0	14	8	43
Hilltoppers	7	21	0	7	7	42

See also: 2012 Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
4–3	2011	WKU, 31–28

@ FIU

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	7	0	0	7	14
Panthers	3	0	0	3	6

See also: 2012 FIU Panthers football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
3–4	2011	WKU, 10–9

Middle Tennessee

	1	2	3	4	Total
Blue Raiders	10	7	7	10	34
Hilltoppers	7	10	7	5	29

See also: 2012 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team and Middle Tennessee–WKU football rivalry

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
29–31–1	2011	WKU, 36–33

Florida Atlantic

	1	2	3	4	Total
Owls	0	14	7	16	37
Hilltoppers	7	7	0	14	28

See also: 2012 Florida Atlantic Owls football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
1–3	2011	WKU, 20–0

@ Louisiana–Lafayette

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	0	10	3	14	27
Ragin' Cajuns	0	10	7	14	31

See also: 2012 Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
2–3	2011	WKU, 42–23

North Texas

	1	2	3	4	Total
Mean Green	7	10	7	0	24
Hilltoppers	7	3	0	15	25

See also: 2012 North Texas Mean Green football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
1–4	2011	WKU, 31–21

Central Michigan–Little Caesars Pizza Bowl

	1	2	3	4	Total
HIlltoppers	7	7	7	0	21
Chippewas	14	3	0	7	24

See also: 2012 Central Michigan Chippewas football team and 2012 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
First meeting

This will be the Hilltoppers first bowl game since becoming a member of the FBS in 2007.