Relive Western Kentucky's Wild Win In 1978 Battle of the Bluegrass

Western Kentucky defeated Eastern Kentucky 17-16 in 1978.

Sep 2, 2017 by Kolby Paxton

Relive Western Kentucky's Wild Win In 1978 Battle of the Bluegrass

One of the most storied rivalries in college football resumes on Saturday when Western Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky meet for the 85th time in the Battle of the Bluegrass.

The reunion has us nostalgic -- and got us to thinking, which of the previous 84 meetings was the best? Opinions are sure to differ, but it's tough to beat the Hilltoppers' 17-16 come-from-behind victory in 1978.

Of course, GIFs weren't a thing in '78, but they are now. So, while we wait to see the newest chapter in this rivalry, let's relive the biggest moments from this retro heart-stopper. Needless to say, uniform numbers aren't easy to come by, but this Western Kentucky team was quarterbacked by John Hall and Jimmy Woods led the Tops in rushing.

Enjoy.

A 4-Yard Plunge Starts the Scoring

Western Kentucky gets the scoring started with a five-yard iso blast off of the center's left hip. The fullback gets the ball carrier into the end zone by cutting down the first linebacker to show.

Hilltopper Back Runs 80 Yards, Gains 10

Behold, the longest -- most awesome -- 10-yard run in school history.

Colonels Get Into the Act

The Colonels get into the sideline-to-sideline playmaking on the ensuing possession. In spite of both runs, the respective drives would fizzle.

Spectacular 34-Yard Completion Moves the Chains

The collective air attack was modest in this one, but you wouldn't know it here. The EKU quarterback gets rocked as he throws, still delivers an excellent throw, and the catch is outstanding.

Tops Forget the Fullback

Eastern Kentucky gets in the end zone with the ole fullback dive off of the triple option. Following the point after, the Colonels led 16-7 with 10:03 to play in the fourth quarter.

John Hall: Full-Time Quarterback, Part-Time Magician

This third down scramble kept the ensuing drive alive for Western Kentucky -- and one play later…

Don't Call it a Comeback

Touchdown, Tops.

Still, there was work to be done. After back-to-back stops by the WKU defense and a nice punt return, the offense had the ball in Colonels territory with the clock winding down. That led to this…