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1987 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team
| 1987 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football |
|---|
| Independent |
| 7–4 |
| Dave Roberts (4th season) |
| L. T. Smith Stadium |
The 1987 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University as an independent during the 1987 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Dave Roberts, the Hilltoppers compiled a 7–4. The team earned the school's first NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoff berth; their previous playoff appearances had been at the NCAA Division II level. Western Kentucky played their home games at L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Lights were installed prior to the season, and Western Kentucky hosted their first night game on September 19, a victory over rival Murray State. The Hilltoppers finished the season ranked No. 11 in final NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll. Western Kentucky's roster included future National Football League (NFL) players Tony Brown, Malcolm Darden, James Edwards, Glenn Holt, David Smith, Steve Walsh, Harold Wright, Xavier Jordan, and Dean Tiebout. Edwards, Walsh, and Dewayne Penn were named to the AP All American team.
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 5 | Gardner–Webb | L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY | L 24–28 | 5,500 | ||
| September 19 | No. 3 Murray State | L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY (Battle for the Red Belt) | W 21–17 | 19,250 | ||
| September 26 | No. 12 Middle Tennessee | L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY | W 28–16 | 16,500 | ||
| October 3 | at No. 12 Eastern Kentucky | Hanger FieldRichmond, KY (Battle of the Bluegrass) | L 10–20 | 20,200 | ||
| October 10 | at No. 12 Chattanooga | Chamberlain FieldChattanooga, TN | W 20–17 | 8,377 | ||
| October 17 | Livingston | No. 14 | L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY | W 21–14 | 14,000 | |
| October 24 | at Austin Peay | No. 11 | Municipal StadiumClarksville, TN | W 27–0 | 5,833 | |
| October 31 | at No. 14 Georgia Southern | No. 8 | Paulson StadiumStatesboro, GA | L 20–23 | 13,066 | |
| November 14 | Eastern Illinois | No. 14 | L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY | W 30–15 | 8,000 | |
| November 21 | at North Carolina A&T | No. 12 | Aggie StadiumGreensboro, NC | W 45–27 | 2,500 | |
| November 28 | at No. 7 Eastern Kentucky | No. 11 | Hanger FieldRichmond, KY (NCAA Division I-AA First Round) | L 17–40 | 4,050 | |
| HomecomingRankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee Poll released prior to the game |
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