The 1996 Marshall Thundering Herd football team represented Marshall University as a member of Southern Conference (SoCon) during the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by first-year head coach Bob Pruett, the Thundering Herd compiled an overall record of 15–0 with mark of 8–0 in conference play, winning the SoCon title. Marshall advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA National Championship playoffs, where they beat Delaware in the first round, Furman in the quarterfinals, Northern Iowa in the semifinals, and Montana in the NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game to win the program's second NCAA Division I-AA title. 1996 was Marshall's final season competing at the NCAA Division I-AA level as they moved to NCAA Division I-A competition and joined the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in 1997.
Quick Facts Marshall Thundering Herd football, NCAA Division I-AA championSoCon champion ...
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More information Conf, Overall ...
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More information Date, Time ...
Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
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September 7 | 7:00 pm | Howard* | No. 1 | | | W 55–27 | 26,054 | [2] |
September 14 | 7:00 pm | West Virginia State* | No. 1 | - Marshall University Stadium
- Huntington, WV
| | W 42–7 | 21,851 | |
September 21 | 3:30 pm | at No. 13 Georgia Southern | No. 1 | | WSAZ | W 29–13 | 13,977 | |
September 28 | 7:00 pm | No. 12 Western Kentucky* | No. 1 | - Marshall University Stadium
- Huntington, WV
| | W 37–3 | 20,755 | |
October 5 | 7:00 pm | Chattanooga | No. 1 | - Marshall University Stadium
- Huntington, WV
| WSAZ | W 45–0 | 22,078 | |
October 12 | 1:00 pm | at VMI | No. 1 | | | W 45–20 | 9,165 | [3] |
October 19 | 7:00 pm | Western Carolina | No. 1 | - Marshall University Stadium
- Huntington, WV
| WSAZ | W 56–21 | 19,330 | |
October 26 | 1:00 pm | at No. 20 Appalachian State | No. 1 | | SS | W 24–10 | 23,458 | |
November 2 | 1:00 pm | The Citadel![dagger](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Dagger-14-plain.png) | No. 1 | - Marshall University Stadium
- Huntington, WV
| WSAZ | W 56–25 | 21,038 | |
November 9 | 2:00 pm | at No. 7 East Tennessee State | No. 1 | | WSAZ | W 34–10 | 13,131 | |
November 16 | 1:00 pm | No. 12 Furman | No. 1 | - Marshall University Stadium
- Huntington, WV
| | W 42–17 | 22,615 | [4] |
November 30 | 1:00 pm | No. 11 Delaware* | No. 1 | | WSAZ | W 59–14 | 15,429 | |
December 7 | 1:00 pm | No. 13 Furman | No. 1 | - Marshall University Stadium
- Huntington, WV (NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal)
| WSAZ | W 54–0 | 14,096 | [5] |
December 14 | 1:00 pm | No. 3 Northern Iowa* | No. 1 | - Marshall University Stadium
- Huntington, WV (NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal)
| WSAZ | W 31–14 | 14,414 | |
December 21 | 2:00 pm | No. 2 Montana* | No. 1 | | ESPN | W 49–29 | 30,052 | |
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More information Players, Coaches ...
1996 Marshall Thundering Herd football team roster |
Players |
Coaches |
Offense
|
Defense
|
Special teams
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Kevin Kelly – Defensive coordinator
- Larry Kueck – co-Offensive coordinator
- Gunter Brewer – co-Offensive coordinator
- Brian Dowler – Wide receivers
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
Injured
Redshirt
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Howard
More information Total ...
Howard at #1 Marshall
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Bison |
10 |
10 | 7 | 0 |
27 |
• Thundering Herd |
10 |
14 | 24 | 7 |
55 |
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[6]
West Virginia State
More information Total ...
West Virginia State at #1 Marshall
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Yellow Jackets |
0 |
0 | 0 | 7 |
7 |
• Thundering Herd |
21 |
14 | 7 | 0 |
42 |
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at Georgia Southern
More information Total, Scoring summary ...
#1 Marshall at #13 Georgia Southern
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
• Thundering Herd |
10 |
7 | 6 | 6 |
29 |
Eagles |
0 |
7 | 6 | 0 |
13 |
|
|
Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | Marshall | Tim Openlander 26-yard field goal | Marshall 3–0 |
4:08 | Marshall | Randy Moss 42-yard pass from Eric Kresser (Openlander kick) | Marshall 10–0 |
| 1 | | GSU | Corey Johnson 1-yard run (kick) | Marshall 10–7 |
4:52 | Marshall | Randy Moss 4-yard pass from Eric Kresser (Openlander kick) | Marshall 17–7 |
| 3 | | GSU | Grant Chestnut fumble recovery in end zone (kick failed) | Marshall 17–13 |
| Marshall | Doug Chapman 3-yard run (conversion failed) | Marshall 23–13 |
| 4 | | Marshall | Jason Wellman 6-yard pass from Eric Kresser (conversion failed) | Marshall 29–13 |
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[7]
Western Kentucky
More information Total, Scoring summary ...
#12 Western Kentucky at #1 Marshall
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Hilltoppers |
0 |
3 | 0 | 0 |
3 |
• Thundering Herd |
10 |
7 | 6 | 14 |
37 |
|
|
Scoring summary |
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| 1 | 10:57 | Marshall | Randy Moss 3-yard pass from Eric Kresser (Openlander kick) | Marshall 3–0 |
0:21 | Marshall | Tim Openlander 22-yard field goal | Marshall 10–0 |
| 1 | 2:11 | WKU | Jeff Poisel 37-yard field goal | Marshall 10–3 |
1:12 | Marshall | Doug Chapman 19-yard run (Openlander kick) | Marshall 17–3 |
| 3 | 7:55 | Marshall | Tim Openlander 42-yard field goal | Marshall 20–3 |
4:30 | Marshall | Tim Openlander 37-yard field goal | Marshall 23–3 |
| 4 | 9:11 | Marshall | Mark Wicks 35-yard pass from Eric Kresser (Openlander kick) | Marshall 30–3 |
1:49 | Marshall | Llow Turner 15-yard run (Openlander kick) | Marshall 37–3 |
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[8]
Chattanooga
More information Total ...
Chattanooga at #1 Marshall
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Mocs |
0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
0 |
• Thundering Herd |
17 |
14 | 7 | 7 |
45 |
|
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at VMI
More information Total ...
#1 Marshall at VMI
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
• Thundering Herd |
21 |
14 | 0 | 10 |
45 |
Keydets |
7 |
0 | 10 | 3 |
20 |
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Western Carolina
More information Total ...
Western Carolina at #1 Marshall
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Catamounts |
0 |
7 | 7 | 7 |
21 |
• Thundering Herd |
28 |
21 | 7 | 0 |
56 |
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at Appalachian State
More information Total ...
#1 Marshall at #20 Appalachian State
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
• Thundering Herd |
7 |
0 | 10 | 7 |
24 |
Mountaineers |
7 |
3 | 0 | 0 |
10 |
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The Citadel
More information Total ...
The Citadel at #1 Marshall
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Bulldogs |
7 |
9 | 3 | 6 |
25 |
• Thundering Herd |
7 |
14 | 14 | 21 |
56 |
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at East Tennessee State
More information Total ...
#1 Marshall at #7 East Tennessee State
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
• Thundering Herd |
0 |
10 | 14 | 10 |
34 |
Buccaneers |
3 |
0 | 0 | 7 |
10 |
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Furman
More information Total ...
#12 Furman at #1 Marshall
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Paladins |
0 |
17 | 0 | 0 |
17 |
• Thundering Herd |
7 |
7 | 14 | 14 |
42 |
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Delaware (Division I-AA First Round Playoff Game)
More information Total ...
#11 Delaware at #1 Marshall
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Fightin' Blue Hens |
0 |
14 | 0 | 0 |
14 |
• Thundering Herd |
7 |
14 | 24 | 14 |
59 |
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Randy Moss caught 8 passes (3 TD) for a school record 288 yards.[9]
Furman (Division I-AA Quarterfinal Playoff Game)
More information Total ...
#13 Furman at #1 Marshall
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Paladins |
0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
0 |
• Thundering Herd |
14 |
10 | 16 | 14 |
54 |
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[10]
Northern Iowa (Division I-AA Semifinal Playoff Game)
More information Total ...
#3 Northern Iowa at #1 Marshall
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Panthers |
0 |
0 | 0 | 14 |
14 |
• Thundering Herd |
7 |
3 | 14 | 7 |
31 |
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[11]
Montana (Division I-AA National Championship)
More information Total, Scoring summary ...
#2 Montana at #1 Marshall
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Grizzlies |
0 |
6 | 0 | 23 |
29 |
• Thundering Herd |
14 |
9 | 16 | 10 |
49 |
|
|
Scoring summary |
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| 1 | 9:13 | Marshall | Randy Moss 19-yard pass from Eric Kresser (Openlander kick) | Marshall 7–0 |
2:09 | Marshall | Doug Chapman 61-yard run (Openlander kick) | Marshall 14–0 |
| 2 | 14:08 | Marshall | Randy Moss 70-yard pass from Eric Kresser (kick blocked) | Marshall 20–0 |
8:14 | Marshall | Openlander 20-yard field goal | Marshall 23–0 |
5:05 | Montana | Larson 40-yard field goal | Marshall 23–3 |
0:15 | Montana | Larson 27-yard field goal | Marshall 23–6 |
| 3 | 14:05 | Marshall | Randy Moss 54-yard pass from Eric Kresser (Openlander kick) | Marshall 30–6 |
5:03 | Marshall | Doug Chapman 9-yard run (Openlander kick) | Marshall 37–6 |
3:34 | Marshall | Safety, intentional grounding by Ah Yat in the end zone | Marshall 39–6 |
| 4 | 14:51 | Marshall | Randy Moss 28-yard pass from Eric Kresser (Openlander kick) | Marshall 46–6 |
10:52 | Montana | Douglass 4-yard pass from Ah Yat (Neil pass from Ah Yat) | Marshall 46–14 |
7:09 | Montana | Branen 2-yard run (Douglass from Ah Yat) | Marshall 46–22 |
4:18 | Marshall | Openlander 37-yard field goal | Marshall 49–22 |
2:09 | Montana | Paffhausen 18 pass from Ah Yat (Larson kick) | Marshall 49–29 |
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Randy Moss hauled in 9 passes for 220 yards and 4 TD as the Thundering Herd avenged the previous season's loss to Montana in the title game.[12]
[13]