List of Marshall Thundering Herd football seasons
The Marshall Thundering Herd college football team compete as part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, representing Marshall University in the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference (SBC). Marshall has played their home games at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia since 1991. The team's current head coach is Tony Gibson, who was hired in December 2024.[1]
The Thundering Herd fielded their first team in 1895.[2] They have played 125 seasons of football, compiling a record of 638–574–47[3] and winning 14 conference championships (13 outright). The Thundering Herd appeared in 19 bowl games,[A 1] compiling a 13–6 record, and they appeared in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs eight times, winning two national championships (1992 and 1996).
Seasons
| National champions † | Conference champions * | Division champions ‡ | Postseason berth ^ |
| Season [A 2] |
Head coach | Conference | Conference finish | Division finish | Wins | Losses | Ties | Postseason result | AP Poll [A 3] |
Coaches' Poll [A 4] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1895 | No Coach | Independent | — | — | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1897 | — | — | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1898 | — | — | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1899 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1900 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1901 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1902 | — | — | 5 | 0 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1903 | George Ford | — | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1904 | — | — | 1 | 3 | 3 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1905 | Alfred McCray | — | — | 6 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1906 | Pearl Rardin | — | — | 4 | 0 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1907 | No Coach | — | — | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1908 | William G. Vinal | — | — | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1909 | Boyd Chambers | — | — | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1910 | — | — | 5 | 1 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1911 | — | — | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1912 | — | — | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1913 | — | — | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1914 | — | — | 5 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1915 | — | — | 1 | 7 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1916 | — | — | 7 | 2 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1917 | Burton Shipley | — | — | 1 | 7 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1919 | Arch Reilly | — | — | 8 | 0 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1920 | Herbert Cramer | — | — | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1921 | Skeeter Shelton | — | — | 6 | 2 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1922 | — | — | 5 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1923 | Harrison Briggs | — | — | 1 | 7 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1924 | Russ Meredith | — | — | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1925* | Charles Tallman | WVIAC | 1st* | — | 4 | 1 | 4 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1926 | T–2nd | — | 5 | 4 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1927 | 2nd | — | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1928* | 1st* | — | 8 | 1 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1929 | John Maulbetsch | T–4th | — | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1930 | 3rd | — | 3 | 5 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1931* | Tom Dandelet | 1st* | — | 6 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1932 | — | — | 6 | 2 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1933 | Buckeye | 5th | — | 3 | 5 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1934 | 5th | — | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1935 | Cam Henderson | 6th | — | 4 | 6 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1936 | 3rd | — | 6 | 3 | 1 | — | — | N/A | ||
| 1937* | 1st* | — | 9 | 0 | 1 | — | — | N/A | ||
| 1938 | 3rd | — | 5 | 4 | 0 | — | — | N/A | ||
| 1939 | Independent | — | — | 9 | 2 | 0 | — | — | N/A | |
| 1940 | — | — | 8 | 2 | 0 | — | — | N/A | ||
| 1941 | — | — | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | — | N/A | ||
| 1942 | — | — | 1 | 7 | 1 | — | — | N/A | ||
| 1946 | — | — | 2 | 7 | 1 | — | — | N/A | ||
| 1947 | — | — | 9 | 3 | 0 | Lost Tangerine Bowl to Catawba Indians, 0–7 ^ | — | N/A | ||
| 1948 | OVC | — | — | 2 | 7 | 1 | — | — | N/A | |
| 1949 | — | — | 6 | 4 | 0 | — | — | N/A | ||
| 1950 | Pete Pederson | 5th | — | 2 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | |
| 1951 | T–2nd | — | 5 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1952 | Independent | — | — | 2 | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | |
| 1953 | Herb Royer | — | — | 2 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | |
| 1954 | MAC | 7th | — | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | |
| 1955 | 6th | — | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1956 | T–4th | — | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1957 | 3rd | — | 6 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1958 | 7th | — | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1959 | Charlie Snyder | 6th | — | 1 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | |
| 1960 | 6th | — | 2 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1961 | 6th | — | 2 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1962 | 7th | — | 4 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1963 | 4th | — | 5 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1964 | T–2nd | — | 7 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1965 | T–5th | — | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1966 | T–6th | — | 2 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1967 | 7th | — | 0 | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1968 | Perry Moss | 7th | — | 0 | 9 | 1 | — | — | — | |
| 1969 | Rick Tolley | Independent | — | — | 3 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1971 | Jack Lengyel | — | — | 2 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | |
| 1972 | — | — | 2 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1973 | — | — | 4 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1974 | — | — | 1 | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1975 | Frank Ellwood | — | — | 2 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | |
| 1976 | — | — | 5 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1977 | SoCon | 7th | — | 2 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | |
| 1978 | 7th | — | 1 | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1979 | Sonny Randle | 8th | — | 1 | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | |
| 1980 | 8th | — | 2 | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1981 | 8th | — | 2 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1982 | 8th | — | 3 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1983 | 5th | — | 4 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1984 | Stan Parrish | T–5th | — | 6 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | |
| 1985 | 4th | — | 7 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1986 | George Chaump | 5th | — | 6 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | |
| 1987 | 2nd | — | 10 | 5 | 0 | Lost Division I-AA National Championship Game to Northeast Louisiana Indians, 42–43 ^ | — | — | ||
| 1988* | T–1st* | — | 11 | 2 | 0 | Lost Division I-AA Quarterfinal to Furman Paladins, 9–13 ^ | — | — | ||
| 1989 | T–3rd | — | 6 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1990 | Jim Donnan | T–4th | — | 6 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | |
| 1991 | T–2nd | — | 11 | 4 | 0 | Lost Division I-AA National Championship Game to Youngstown State Penguins, 17–25 ^ | — | — | ||
| 1992† | T–2nd | — | 12 | 3 | 0 | Won Division I-AA National Championship Game against Youngstown State Penguins, 31–28 ^ | — | — | ||
| 1993 | 2nd | — | 11 | 4 | 0 | Lost Division I-AA National Championship Game to Youngstown State Penguins, 5–17 ^ | — | — | ||
| 1994* | 1st* | — | 12 | 2 | 0 | Lost Division I-AA Semifinal to Boise State Broncos, 24–28 ^ | — | — | ||
| 1995 | 2nd | — | 12 | 3 | 0 | Lost Division I-AA National Championship Game to Montana Grizzlies, 20–22 ^ | — | — | ||
| 1996†* | Bob Pruett | 1st* | — | 15 | 0 | — [A 5] |
Won Division I-AA National Championship Game against Montana Grizzlies, 49–29 ^ | — | — | |
| 1997* | MAC | 1st* | 1st (East)‡ | 10 | 3 | — | Lost Motor City Bowl to Ole Miss Rebels, 31–34 ^ | — | — | |
| 1998* | 1st* | T–1st (East)‡ | 12 | 1 | — | Won Motor City Bowl against Louisville Cardinals, 48–29 ^ | — | — | ||
| 1999* | 1st* | 1st (East)‡ | 13 | 0 | — | Won Motor City Bowl against BYU Cougars, 21–3 ^ | 10 | 10 | ||
| 2000* | 1st* | T–1st (East)‡ | 8 | 5 | — | Won Motor City Bowl against Cincinnati Bearcats, 25–14 ^ | — | — | ||
| 2001 | 2nd | 1st (East)‡ | 11 | 2 | — | Won GMAC Bowl against East Carolina Pirates, 64–61 ^ | — | 21 | ||
| 2002* | 1st* | 1st (East)‡ | 11 | 2 | — | Won GMAC Bowl against Louisville Cardinals, 38–15 ^ | 24 | 19 | ||
| 2003 | — | 2nd (East) | 8 | 4 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004 | — | T–2nd (East) | 6 | 6 | — | Lost Fort Worth to Cincinnati Bearcats, 14–32 ^ | — | — | ||
| 2005 | Mark Snyder | C-USA | — | T–5th (East) | 4 | 7 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | — | 3rd (East) | 5 | 7 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007 | — | 5th (East) | 3 | 9 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008 | — | T–5th (East) | 4 | 8 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009 | — | T–4th (East) | 7 | 6 | — | Won Little Caesars Pizza Bowl against Ohio Bobcats, 21–17 ^[A 6] | — | — | ||
| 2010 | Doc Holliday | — | 4th (East) | 5 | 7 | — | — | — | — | |
| 2011 | — | 2nd (East) | 7 | 6 | — | Won Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl against FIU Panthers 20–10 ^ | — | — | ||
| 2012 | — | T–3rd (East) | 5 | 7 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013 | 2nd | 1st (East)‡ | 10 | 4 | — | Won Military Bowl against Maryland Terrapins, 31–20 ^ | — | — | ||
| 2014* | 1st* | 1st (East)‡ | 13 | 1 | — | Won Boca Raton Bowl against Northern Illinois Huskies, 52–23 ^ | 23 | 22 | ||
| 2015 | — | T–2nd (East) | 10 | 3 | — | Won St. Petersburg Bowl against UConn Huskies, 16–10 ^ | — | — | ||
| 2016 | — | T–6th (East) | 3 | 9 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017 | — | T–3rd (East) | 8 | 5 | — | Won New Mexico Bowl against Colorado State Rams, 31–28 ^ | — | — | ||
| 2018 | — | T–2nd (East) | 9 | 4 | — | Won Gasparilla Bowl against South Florida Bulls, 38–20 ^ | — | — | ||
| 2019 | — | T–2nd (East) | 8 | 5 | — | Lost Gasparilla Bowl to UCF Knights, 25–48 ^ | — | — | ||
| 2020 | 2nd | 1st (East)‡ | 7 | 3 | — | Lost Camellia Bowl to Buffalo Bulls, 10–17 ^ | — | — | ||
| 2021 | Charles Huff | — | T–2nd (East) | 7 | 6 | — | Lost New Orleans Bowl to Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns, 21–36 ^ | — | — | |
| 2022 | Sun Belt | — | 3rd (East) | 9 | 4 | — | Won Myrtle Beach Bowl against UConn Huskies, 28–14 ^ | — | — | |
| 2023 | — | T–6th (East) | 6 | 7 | — | Lost Frisco Bowl to UTSA Roadrunners, 17–35 ^ | — | — | ||
| 2024* | 1st* | 1st (East)‡ | 10 | 3 | — | —[A 7] | — | — |
Notes
- ^ The Tangerine Bowl was unsanctioned by the NCAA until 1968. As such, the 1948 appearance in the game is not included in the official NCAA bowl listing for Marshall.[4]
- ^ Marshall did not field teams for the 1896, 1918, or 1943–1945.
- ^ The Associated Press began conducting a weekly college football poll in 1936.[5]
- ^ The college football coaches' poll has been sponsored by multiple organizations since its creation in 1950. Its current sponsor is USA Today[5]
- ^ Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible in the period since.[6]
- ^ Rick Minter served as interim head coach for the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl
- ^ Marshall was originally selected to participate in the Independence Bowl against Army, but withdrew due to a high number of players entering the transfer portal.[7]
References
- ^ Brocato, Joe (December 8, 2024). "Boone County native Tony Gibson named Marshall head coach". MetroNews. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
- ^ "2019 Marshall Thundering Herd Record Book" (PDF). HerdZone.com. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
- ^ NCAA Statistics https://stats.ncaa.org/teams/history?utf8=✓&org_id=388&sport_code=MFB&commit=Search
- ^ Bowl/All-Star Game Records, p. 128
- ^ a b Football Bowl Subdivision Records, p. 80
- ^ Whiteside, Kelly (August 25, 2006). "Overtime system still excites coaches". USA Today. Retrieved November 21, 2013.
- ^ Rittenberg, Adam (December 14, 2024). "Marshall Opts Out of Bowl After Transfers, Coaching Change". ESPN. Retrieved December 15, 2024.