2016 WKU Hilltoppers football team
The 2016 WKU Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hilltoppers played their home games at the Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and competed in the East Division of Conference USA. They were led by third year head coach Jeff Brohm. They finished the season 11–3, 7–1 in C-USA play to win a share of the East Division title with Old Dominion. Due to their head-to-head victory over Old Dominion, WKU represented the East Division in the Conference USA Championship Game where they defeated Louisiana Tech to be crowned C-USA champions. They were invited to the Boca Raton Bowl where they defeated Memphis. This team led the NCAA in Scoring Offense.
On December 5, head coach Jeff Brohm resigned to become the head coach at Purdue. He finished at WKU with a record of 30–10, two bowl wins, and two C-USA titles. Defensive coordinator Nick Holt lead WKU in the Boca Raton Bowl.Schedule
Western Kentucky announced its 2016 football schedule on February 4, 2016. The 2016 schedule consists of 6 home and away games in the regular season. The Hilltoppers will host C–USA foes Florida International, North Texas, Old Dominion, and Rice, and will travel to Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, and Middle Tennessee.
The team will play four non–conference games, two home games against Houston Baptist from the Southland Conference and Vanderbilt from the Southeastern Conference, and two road games against Alabama from the SEC as well and Miami from the Mid-American Conference.Game summaries
Rice
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
| 1–0 | 2015 | WKU, 49–10 |
at Alabama
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
| 0–2 | 2012 | BAMA, 35–0 |
at Miami (OH)
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
| 1–0 | 2015 | WKU, 56–14 |
Vanderbilt
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
| 1–3 | 2015 | WKU, 14–12 |
Houston Baptist
at Louisiana Tech
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
| 2–3 | 2015 | WKU, 41–38 |
at Middle Tennessee
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
| 30–33–1 | 2015 | WKU, 58–28 |
Old Dominion
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
| 2–0 | 2015 | WKU, 55–30 |
at Florida Atlantic
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
| 2–5 | 2015 | WKU, 35–19 |
FIU
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
| 5–4 | 2015 | WKU, 63–7 |
North Texas
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
| 3–4 | 2015 | WKU, 55–28 |
at Marshall
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
| 3–4 | 2015 | WKU, 49–28 |
vs. Louisiana Tech–C-USA Championship Game
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
| 2–4 | 10/6/16 | LT, 55–52 |
vs. Memphis–Boca Raton Bowl
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
| 2–2–1 | 1956 | MEM, 42–0 |
Rankings
