1989 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

The 1989 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University as an independent during the 1989 NCAA Division I-AA football season Led by first-year head coach Jack Harbaugh, the Hilltoppers compiled a record of 6–5.^[1]

1989 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football
Conference	Independent
Record	6–5
Head coach	Jack Harbaugh (1st season)
Defensive coordinator	Bruce Hoffman (1st season)
Captain	Russell Foster, Xavier Jordan, Mark Marsh
Home stadium	L. T. Smith Stadium
Seasons ← 1988 1990 →

1989 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 1 Georgia Southern ^			–					12	–	0	–	0
No. 14 Youngstown State ^			–					9	–	3	–	0
No. T–10 William & Mary ^			–					8	–	3	–	1
Liberty			–					7	–	3	–	0
Western Kentucky			–					6	–	5	–	0
James Madison			–					5	–	4	–	1
Lamar			–					5	–	5	–	0
Arkansas State			–					5	–	6	–	0
Nicholls State			–					5	–	6	–	0
Samford			–					4	–	7	–	0
Northeastern			–					3	–	7	–	0
Fordham			–					2	–	6	–	0
Towson			–					2	–	8	–	0
^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 2	at Illinois State		Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	W 17–12	4,452
September 9	at No. 20 Murray State		Roy Stewart Stadium Murray, KY (Battle for the Red Belt)	L 14–17	8,575
September 16	No. 18 Middle Tennessee		L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 31–16	14,700
September 23	at No. 1 Eastern Kentucky	No. 19	Hanger Field Richmond, KY (Battle of the Bluegrass)	L 3–24	19,200	^[2]
September 30	Austin Peay	No. T–20	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 49–0	4,200
October 7	at Chattanooga	No. 17	Chamberlain Field Chattanooga, TN	L 7–19	6,207	^[3]
October 14	No. 4 Southwest Missouri State		L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 42–33	9,000	^[4]
October 21	Tennessee Tech		L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 61–14	18,000
October 28	at No. 14 Youngstown State	No. T–18	Stambaugh Stadium Youngstown, OH	W 41–38	9,879	^[5]
November 4	at Louisville	No. 15	Cardinal Stadium Louisville, KY	L 7–55	36,126
November 18	No. 18 Eastern Illinois	No. 15	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	L 7–10	4,000
Homecoming Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee Poll released prior to the game

References

1. "WKU Football 2021 Media Guide" (PDF). Bowling Green, Kentucky: Western Kentucky University. p. 180. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
2. "Eastern punishes 'Toppers". The Daily News-Journal. September 24, 1989. Retrieved March 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Chattanooga's punting, trick play beat Western". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. October 8, 1989. p. C5. Retrieved December 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com  .
4. "Western rallies past SW Missouri". The Courier-Journal. October 15, 1989. Retrieved March 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Western tips Youngstown 41–38 on late field goal". The Courier-Journal. October 29, 1989. Retrieved March 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.