July 18, 2002
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - The Western Kentucky University Department of Athletics released football kickoff times for the 2002 season Thursday, adding that the Hilltoppers will make two television appearances as part of the Gateway Football Conference package.
Western's home games with Western Illinois (Sept. 14 at 1:30 p.m. CDT) and Illinois State (Nov. 2 at 4:30 p.m.) will both be televised, making Western one of two league teams with more than one TV contest. FOX Sports Midwest, FOX Sports Chicago and the Hilltopper Sports Satellite Network (HSSN) will carry the WIU meeting - the Toppers' conference opener - while HSSN will also broadcast the home finale against ISU. The Redbird contest can also be seen on local affiliates in Normal, Macomb and Carbondale.
The Hilltoppers' other two home games in September with Kentucky State and Youngstown State will kickoff at 5:30 p.m., as will the Oct. 12 game against first-year program Florida International. Western will celebrate Homecoming on Oct. 26 with a 4:30 p.m. start against Indiana State.
The season begins with a visit to I-A Kansas State on Aug. 31, with the contest scheduled to start at 6:10 p.m. WKU's only other night game will take place Sept. 28 when the Hilltoppers travel to Lake Charles, La., to face defending Southland Football League co-champion McNeese State. Western then visits Gateway champion Northern Iowa at 4:05 p.m. on Oct. 5.
Contests at Southwest Missouri State (Oct. 19) and Southern Illinois (Nov. 16) will both kickoff at 1:30 p.m.
Western returns 46 letterwinners, including 17 starters, from last year's squad that finished 8-4, 5-2 in the GFC. The Hilltoppers have qualified for the NCAA I-AA playoffs each of the last two seasons and in three of the last five years.
- WKU -
