The 1971 Western Kentucky football team represented Western Kentucky University during the 1971 NCAA College Division football season. The team was led by coach Jimmy Feix and won their second consecutive Ohio Valley Conference championship and the school's fourth overall.^[1] The coaching staff included future NFL coach Romeo Crennel. The Hilltoppers’ rankings in the final polls were UPI 12^[2] and AP 6,^[3] and finished ranked 1st in Pass Defense in NCAA Division II. The team roster included future NFL players Virgil Livers, John Bushong, Clarence “Jazz” Jackson, and Mike McCoy. Jim Barber was named to the Universal Sports All-American team.^[4] The All OVC team included Barber, Terry Kokinda, Bob Morehead, Leo Peckenpaugh, Bill Sykes, and Terry Thompson.^[5]

More information Date, Opponent ...

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance
September 18	Wittenberg*	No. 15 UPI	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 33–7	17,042
September 25	at Austin Peay	No. 6	Municipal Stadium Clarksville, TN	W 46–7	4,990
October 2	East Tennessee State	No. 4	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 36–7	16,276
October 9	at No. 6 Eastern Michigan*	No. 5	Rynearson Stadium Ypsilanti, MI	L 14–17	12,200
October 16	Tennessee Tech	No. 10	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 15–7	19,926
October 23	at No. 12 UPI Eastern Kentucky	No. 10 UPI	Hanger Field Richmond, KY (Battle of the Bluegrass)	W 16–7	24,500
October 30	Morehead State	No. 9	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 34–11	15,762
November 6	at Middle Tennessee	No. 6	Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium Murfreesboro, TN (100 Miles of Hate)	L 13–27	6,500
November 13	at Butler*	No. 7	Butler Bowl Indianapolis, IN	W 31–0	7,450
November 20	Murray State	No. 6	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY (rivalry)	W 24–10	16,327
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

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