WKU Football: Hilltoppers announce 2019 schedule
WKU to open season on Aug. 31st versus Central Arkansas
DALLAS – Six home games and a game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville await first-year head coach Tyson Helton and the Hilltoppers on the 2019 WKU Football schedule, Conference USA announced on Thursday.
WKU begins its season at home for the third time in four years when Central Arkansas comes to town on August 31. The Bears, out of the Southland Conference, finished 6-5 in 2018 after a 10-2 campaign in 2017 and return 16 starters.
C-USA play begins in Week 2 with the season’s longest road trip at FIU on Sept. 7. The Hilltoppers have played a C-USA game within the first two weeks in two previous seasons (LA Tech, 2015; Rice, 2016) but have never started C-USA play this early on the road. WKU is also seeking its first victory over the Panthers in the Butch Davis Era.
Then, on Sept. 14, the Hilltoppers clash with the Louisville Cardinals at Nissan Stadium, home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans. Louisville rallied from a 14-0 deficit last season to beat WKU in Cardinal Stadium.
After a bye week, WKU steps back into conference play for two games by hosting defending C-USA champion UAB in the first meeting of the programs since 2014. The Hilltoppers travel to East Division rival Old Dominion on Oct. 5.
On Oct. 12, WKU hosts Army at Houchens-Smith Stadium. The Black Knights are coming off one of their best seasons in recent history as head coach Jeff Monken led the team to a No. 19 finish in the final 2018 Associated Press poll and the first 11-win season in program history. It was Army’s highest finish in that ranking in 60 years.
A trifecta of C-USA games follows Army as WKU hosts Charlotte on Oct. 19, travels to Marshall on Oct. 26, then hosts Florida Atlantic to begin the month of November on Nov. 2.
WKU steps out of C-USA play for the final time with a road trip to Arkansas on Nov. 9, the first-ever meeting between the two schools, before traveling to Southern Miss for the first time on Nov. 23.
The Hilltoppers and Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee close out the regular season, at home, on Senior Night, on Nov. 30.
All dates are subject to change and kick off times and TV designations will be announced later this year.
2019 WKU Football Schedule
Aug. 31 – Central Arkansas
Sept. 7 – at FIU*
Sept. 14 – vs. Louisville (Nashville)
Sept. 28 – UAB*
Oct. 5 – at Old Dominion*
Oct. 12 – Army
Oct. 19 – Charlotte*
Oct. 26 – at Marshall*
Nov. 2 – Florida Atlantic*
Nov. 9 – at Arkansas
Nov. 23 – at Southern Miss*
Nov. 30 – Middle Tennessee*
