1980 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team
The 1980 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 1980 NCAA Division I-AA football season and were led by head coach Jimmy Feix. The team won the Ohio Valley Conference championship, but missed the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. Instead, second-place finisher was invited despite the fact that Western had beaten them earlier in the season. This perceived snub was a factor in Western Kentucky's decision to leave the OVC in 1982. The Hilltoppers finished the season ranked fifth in final Associated Press poll.
Western Kentucky's roster included future National Football League players Pete Walters, Davlin Mullen, John Newby, Phil Rich, Troy Snardon, Brad Todd, Donnie Evans, Ray Farmer, Ronnie Fishback, Tom Fox, Paul Gray, Ricky Gwinn, Ron Hunter, Lamont Meacham, and Mike Miller. Walters and Tim Ford were named to All-American teams and Feix was named OVC Coach of the Year for the third time. The All-Conference Team included Barry Bumm, Evans, Farmer, Jerry Flippin, Gwinn, Lamont Meacham, Rich, Snardon, and Walters.Schedule
