Bowl season is underway after an exciting 2022 college football campaign. One successful program taking part in the postseason once again is the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, who will face South Alabama in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 21.
Here's everything you need to know about Western Kentucky's bowl game history before making its next appearance.
Western Kentucky Bowl Game History
Western Kentucky has been an active participant in the college football postseason. WKU has played in 14 bowls across the school's history prior to facing South Alabama.
The Hilltoppers made their first bowl appearance in 1952 while playing in the lower division of the NCAA. WKU emerged with a 34-19 win over Arkansas State in the Refrigerator Bowl that year, giving the school its first-ever bowl victory.
Western Kentucky participated in six various bowls as a member of the lower divisions of NCAA football. The program then joined the Division I FBS level in 2009 and has appeared in eight bowls since. The Hilltoppers' most recent postseason game was last year against Appalachian State in the Boca Raton Bowl, which WKU won 59-38.
Western Kentucky Bowl Game Wins and Appearances
Western Kentucky owns a 9-5 all-time record (64.2%) in bowl games ahead of facing South Alabama. Check out the school's full bowl results below.
- Refrigerator Bowl (Dec. 7, 1952):
Western Kentucky 34, Arkansas State 19 - Tangerine Bowl (Dec. 28, 1963): Western Kentucky 27, Cost Guard 0
- Grantland Rice Bowl (Dec. 8, 1973): Western Kentucky 28, Grambling 20
- Camellia Bowl (Dec. 15, 1973): Louisiana Tech 34, Western Kentucky 0
- Grantland Rice Bowl (Dec. 6, 1975): Western Kentucky 14, New Hampshire 3
- Camellia Bowl (Dec. 13, 1975): Northern Michigan 16, Western Kentucky 14
- Little Caesars Pizza Bowl (Dec. 26, 2012): Central Michigan 24, Western Kentucky 21
- Bahamas Bowl (Dec. 24, 2014): Western Kentucky 49, Central Michigan 48
- Miami Beach Bow (Dec. 21, 2015): Western Kentucky 45, South Florida 35
- Boca Raton Bowl (Dec. 20, 2016): Western Kentucky 51, Memphis 31
- Cure Bowl (Dec. 16, 2017): Georgia State 27, Western Kentucky 17
- First Responder Bowl (Dec. 30, 2019): Western Kentucky 23, Western Michigan 20
- LendingTree Bowl (Dec. 26, 2020): Georgia State 39, Western Kentucky 21
- Boca Raton Bowl (Dec. 18, 2021): Western Kentucky 59, Appalachian State 38
- New Orleans Bowl (Dec. 21, 2022): Western Kentucky TBD, South Alabama TBD