Harbaugh. In 2006, the school's board of regents voted to move the team to the Division I Bowl Subdivision (formerly I-A). After two years of provisional status, they began to compete in 2009 as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. An extensive rivalry with Eastern Kentucky University, known as the Battle of the Bluegrass, ended in 2008 as WKU moved into FBS football. Starting with the 2014 season, WKU football has been a member of Conference USA, following cross-state rivals, Middle Tennessee State University, who joined C-USA a year prior.
== Campus ==
A defining characteristic of Western Kentucky University is its placement on top of a hill. This is a point of pride for many affiliated with the institution and its relative uniqueness is celebrated by members of the WKU community. "The Hill" is a common nickname for WKU's Bowling Green campus, especially in communication to prospective and current students. WKU's sports teams are also officially nicknamed the "Hilltoppers."
WKU's campus also features multiple …
