1986 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

1986 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football
Conference	Independent
Record	4–6–1
Head coach	Dave Roberts (3rd season)
Home stadium	L. T. Smith Stadium

1986 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 4 Georgia Southern ^			–					13	–	2	–	0
No. 14 Tennessee State ^			–					10	–	2	–	1
No. 8 William & Mary ^			–					9	–	3	–	0
Eastern Washington			–					5	–	5	–	0
James Madison			–					5	–	5	–	1
Florida A&M			–					5	–	6	–	0
Northeastern			–					4	–	6	–	0
Western Kentucky			–					4	–	6	–	1
^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

The 1986 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University as an independent during the 1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by third-year head coach Dave Roberts, the Hilltoppers compiled a record of 4–6–1.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 6	Gardner–Webb	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 35–13	11,000
September 13	Livingston	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	L 21–23	7,500
September 20	at Louisville	Cardinal Stadium Louisville, KY	L 6–45	34,144
September 27	at Murray State	Roy Stewart Stadium Murray, KY (Battle for the Red Belt)	T 10–10	8,875
October 4	Eastern Kentucky	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY (Battle of the Bluegrass)	W 24–10	9,300
October 18	at Tennessee State	Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN	L 3–25	26,684
October 25	at Austin Peay	Municipal Stadium Clarksville, TN	W 34–20	3,117
November 1	No. 9 Georgia Southern	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	L 32–49	13,000
November 8	Boston University	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 28–7	1,500
November 15	at No. 4 Eastern Illinois	O'Brien Field Charleston, IL	L 18–35	6,020
November 22	Chattanooga	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	L 17–21	4,000
Homecoming Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee Poll released prior to the game