April 1, 2003
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - A return of "The Battle of the Bluegrass" and the first game against a Southeastern Conference opponent since 1942 highlight the football schedule of NCAA Division I-AA national champion Western Kentucky University released Tuesday.
The Hilltoppers will also play four of seven Gateway Football Conference contests away from home as they defend both the league and national titles.
"I really like our schedule, it allows for three September home games, a great spectator month for football," WKU Director of Athletics Dr. Wood Selig said. "The home schedule in the first month will certainly be highlighted by the return of long-standing rival Eastern Kentucky. This is the first of a six-year contract that restores one of the fabled rivalries in all of college football."
The season begins Thursday, Aug. 28, with a match-up against Union (Ky.) College at L.T. Smith Stadium/Jimmy Feix Field, with non-conference home games to follow against both West Virginia Tech (Sept. 6) and Eastern Kentucky (Sept. 20). The date with the Colonels will be the first between the two schools - who have met on 79 occasions since 1914 - since Oct. 7, 2000, a 6-3 Topper victory in Bowling Green. It's the oldest rivalry in the Commonwealth.
"We're excited about renewing the EKU rivalry," said head coach David Elson, who assumed his duties leading the program March 5. "During my first five years on the Hill, it was something we as a staff, as well as our players, really looked forward to."
"We anticipate a great crowd for our season opener as the national champion Hilltoppers take Feix Field for the first time in 2003," added Selig. "Thursday night football has become such a huge success nationally, we anticipate a large student and community turnout for this unique evening of Hilltopper football to kickoff the season."
A Sept. 27 contest with Auburn will provide Western with its first road game as well as the conclusion to the non-conference schedule. It marks the third consecutive year that the Hilltoppers will face a Division I-A opponent.
"Our kids always look forward to the challenge of taking on a Division I-A school," Elson said. "Everybody knows the tradition of Auburn football as well as the SEC, so it will be a great chance for our program to shine on the national level."
Gateway competition begins Oct. 4 when the Toppers travel to Macomb, Ill., for a rematch of their NCAA quarterfinal game against Western Illinois. It also pits the two teams that shared the league championship in 2002, while its the third time in as many seasons that WKU will open conference play with the Leathernecks.
The Hilltoppers return home to take on Southwest Missouri State Oct. 11, then conclude the month with contests at Illinois State (Oct. 18) and Indiana State (Oct. 25) for a stretch of four road games in five weekends.
Southern Illinois will be the Homecoming opponent on Nov. 1, while WKU and Northern Iowa will battle Nov. 8 in the Toppers' home finale. Western ends the regular season Nov. 15 with a trip to Youngstown State.
Not only did every Gateway team win at least four games last year, but both Auburn and EKU finished in the top 25 of their season-ending polls.
"This will be the second time around for this Gateway schedule, so we have an idea of what to expect going on the road four times in conference play," Elson said. "In 2001 we were in a position to win the league title outright against Northern Iowa at home in November with a similar conference schedule, which we can use as motivation in the fall."
The NCAA Division I-AA playoffs begin Nov. 29, with the championship game in Chattanooga, Tenn., scheduled for Friday, Dec. 19.
Western has posted seven consecutive winning seasons, going 61-24 (71.8%) during that time, and qualified for the NCAA playoffs in each of the last three years. Since joining the Gateway Conference prior to 2001, the Hilltoppers have won 11 of 14 league games (78.6%), the best record among the eight-institution membership.
Schedule times will be announced a later date.
2003 Western Kentucky University Football ScheduleDate Opponent Site8/28 (Thu) Union (Ky.).............................Bowling Green, Ky. (Paint The Town Red)9/6 (Sat) West Virginia Tech......................Bowling Green, Ky.9/20 (Sat) Eastern Kentucky........................Bowling Green, Ky. (Parents Weekend / Focus On Western I)9/27 (Sat) at Auburn...............................Auburn, Ala.10/4 (Sat) at Western Illinois*....................Macomb, Ill.10/11 (Sat) Southwest Missouri State*...............Bowling Green, Ky.10/18 (Sat) at Illinois State*......................Normal, Ill.10/25 (Sat) at Indiana State*.......................Terre Haute, Ind.11/1 (Sat) Southern Illinois*......................Bowling Green, Ky. (Homecoming)11/8 (Sat) Northern Iowa*..........................Bowling Green, Ky. (Corvette Raffle / Focus On Western II)11/15 (Sat) at Youngstown State*....................Youngstown, Ohio11/29 (Sat) NCAA I-AA Playoffs - First Round........TBA12/6 (Sat) NCAA I-AA Playoffs - Quarterfinals......TBA12/13 (Sat) NCAA I-AA Playoffs - Semifinals.........TBA12/19 (Fri) NCAA I-AA Championship Game.............Chattanooga, Tenn.* denotes Gateway Football Conference game- WKU -
