On the strength of their first-ever FBS conference championship and bowl victory in Miami, the WKU Hilltoppers (12-2) moved up one spot and finished 24th in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll, released by the organization following the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
The No. 24 Hilltoppers appeared in the poll for the first time in the FBS era a day after defeating Southern Miss 45-28 in the 2015 Conference USA Championship Game at No. 25 and rode the momentum to a decisive 45-35 victory over South Florida in the Miami Beach Bowl, a game ranked No. 4 of the bowl season by CBS Sports.
The Hilltoppers picked up 58 points, going from 70 points to 128 points to stay ahead of SEC East Division Champion Florida, who rounded out the poll at No. 25.
In 2015, the Hilltoppers won 12 games for the first time since the 2002 national championship team, including 10 of 12 by double digits and seven of 12 by 21 points or more. The 12 wins are the fourth-most in college football this season behind only national championship game participants Clemson and Alabama, and Houston.
They were also the first team in C-USA's 20-year history to go undefeated through league play and win the conference championship game.
Head coach Jeff Brohm's team finished the year No. 9 in Total Offense and No. 4 in Passing Offense, led by the nation's passing leader in On the strength of their first-ever FBS conference championship and bowl victory in Miami, the WKU Hilltoppers (12-2) moved up one spot and finished 24th in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll, released by the organization following the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
The No. 24 Hilltoppers appeared in the poll for the first time in the FBS era a day after defeating Southern Miss 45-28 in the 2015 Conference USA Championship Game at No. 25 and rode the momentum to a decisive 45-35 victory over South Florida in the Miami Beach Bowl, a game ranked No. 4 of the bowl season by CBS Sports.
The Hilltoppers picked up 58 points, going from 70 points to 128 points to stay ahead of SEC East Division Champion Florida, who rounded out the poll at No. 25.
In 2015, the Hilltoppers won 12 games for the first time since the 2002 national championship team, including 10 of 12 by double digits and seven of 12 by 21 points or more. The 12 wins are the fourth-most in college football this season behind only national championship game participants Clemson and Alabama, and Houston.
They were also the first team in C-USA's 20-year history to go undefeated through league play and win the conference championship game.
Head coach Jeff Brohm's team finished the year No. 9 in Total Offense and No. 4 in Passing Offense, led by the nation's passing leader in Brandon Doughty. Doughty, a 2016 East-West Shrine Game participant and two-time C-USA Most Valuable Player, led the FBS in passing yards (5,055), passing touchdowns (48) and completion percentage (71.9). He is just the third quarterback in the last 50 years to lead the nation in all three categories.
WKU last finished the season ranked in the AP poll in 1975 when then-head coach Jimmy Feix's team went 11-2 and finished as the NCAA Division II national runner-up.
Brandon Doughty. Doughty, a 2016 East-West Shrine Game participant and two-time C-USA Most Valuable Player, led the FBS in passing yards (5,055), passing touchdowns (48) and completion percentage (71.9). He is just the third quarterback in the last 50 years to lead the nation in all three categories.
WKU last finished the season ranked in the AP poll in 1975 when then-head coach Jimmy Feix's team went 11-2 and finished as the NCAA Division II national runner-up.