The 1997 Marshall Thundering Herd football team represented Marshall University as a member of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by second-year head coach Bob Pruett, the Thundering Herd compiled an overall record of 10–3 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, winning the MAC's East Division title. Marshall beat Toledo in MAC Championship Game to win the conference championship and then lost to Ole Miss in the Motor City Bowl.
Quick Facts Marshall Thundering Herd football, MAC championMAC East Division champion ...
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After winning the Southern Conference (SoCon) tile and the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship in 1996, Marshall returned to NCAA Division I-A play for the first time since 1981 and the MAC for the time since 1968. The Thundering Herd played home games at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia.
Wide receiver Randy Moss and quarterback Chad Pennington were the centerpiece of an explosive offense. Moss caught 26 touchdown passes, at the time an NCAA Division I-A record, and was a unanimous first-team All-American.[1] For the season, Moss had 96 receptions for 1,820 yards, won the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the nation's best wide receiver, and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, finishing fourth in the balloting, behind Ryan Leaf, Peyton Manning, and Charles Woodson, who won the award. Moss left Marshall with 168 receptions for 3,467 yards and a school record 53 touchdowns in two seasons.
The Herd became only the second team to win a conference championship in its first NCAA Division I-A (now FBS) season, following the 1992 Nevada Wolf Pack football team that won the Big West Conference. The feat was not repeated until 2014, when Georgia Southern won the Sun Belt Conference title.
At West Virginia
More information Total, Scoring summary ...
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Thundering Herd |
3 |
7 | 21 | 0 |
31 |
| • Mountaineers |
21 |
7 | 0 | 14 |
42 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
| | 1 | 12:30 | WVU | Gary Thompkins 7-yard blocked punt return (Jay Taylor kick) | WVU 7–0 |
| 6:04 | WVU | Amos Zereoué 10-yard run (Jay Taylor kick) | WVU 14–0 |
| 2:24 | MAR | Billy Malashevich 25-yard field goal | WVU 14–3 |
| 0:02 | WVU | Amos Zereoué 52-yard run (Jay Taylor kick) | WVU 21–3 |
| | 2 | 10:51 | WVU | Curtis Keaton 11-yard run (Jay Taylor kick) | WVU 28–3 |
| 3:34 | MAR | LaVorn Colclough 24-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick) | WVU 28–10 |
| | 3 | 13:08 | MAR | Randy Moss 15-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick) | WVU 28–17 |
| 9:24 | MAR | Llow Turner 53-yard run (Billy Malashevich kick) | WVU 28–24 |
| 0:35 | MAR | Randy Moss 25-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick) | MAR 31–28 |
| | 4 | 11:07 | WVU | Chad Wable 15-yard pass from Marc Bulger (Jay Taylor kick) | WVU 35–31 |
| 7:56 | WVU | Amos Zereoué 1-yard run (Jay Taylor kick) | WVU 42–31 |
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After trailing 28–3, the Thundering Herd scored 28 straight to take a 31–28 lead into the 4th quarter. West Virginia responded with two fourth quarter touchdowns to win this much anticipated season opener, 42–31. Randy Moss had seven receptions for 85 yards and two touchdowns.[2]
[3]
[4]
At Army
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| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Thundering Herd |
7 |
7 | 14 | 7 |
35 |
| Cadets |
0 |
12 | 6 | 7 |
25 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
| | 1 | 8:09 | MAR | Randy Moss 90-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick) | MAR 7–0 |
| | 2 | 14:22 | MAR | LaVorn Coclough 36-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick) | MAR 14–0 |
| 8:24 | ARMY | Joe Hewitt 7-yard run (kick failed) | MAR 14–6 |
| 0:18 | ARMY | Ty Amey 2-yard run (conversion failed) | MAR 14–12 |
| | 3 | 14:41 | MAR | Randy Moss 79-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick) | MAR 21–12 |
| 10:37 | MAR | Ricky Hall 43-yard fumble return (Billy Malashevich kick) | MAR 28–12 |
| 4:23 | ARMY | Ty Amey 1-yard run (conversion failed) | MAR 28–19 |
| | 4 | 11:07 | MAR | Javonne Darling 3-yard run (Billy Malashevich kick) | MAR 35–19 |
| 4:23 | ARMY | Johnny Goff 7-yard run (Eric Olsen kick) | MAR 35–25 |
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Randy Moss had five receptions for 186 yards and two touchdowns, highlighted by a 90-yard touchdown midway through the first quarter.[5]
[6]
At Kent State
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| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Thundering Herd |
14 |
7 | 14 | 7 |
42 |
| Golden Flashes |
0 |
10 | 0 | 7 |
17 |
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Randy Moss hauled in 8 receptions for 216 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Western Illinois
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| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Leathernecks |
0 |
0 | 7 | 0 |
7 |
| • Thundering Herd |
14 |
0 | 20 | 14 |
48 |
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Randy Moss had 5 receptions for 52 yards and 2 touchdowns.[7][8]
At Ball State
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| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Thundering Herd |
14 |
10 | 14 | 7 |
45 |
| Cardinals |
3 |
13 | 0 | 0 |
16 |
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Randy Moss caught 13 passes for 205 yards and a school-record 5 touchdowns.[9]
Akron
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| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Zips |
7 |
7 | 3 | 0 |
17 |
| • Thundering Herd |
28 |
10 | 0 | 14 |
52 |
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Randy Moss had 6 receptions for 107 yards and 2 touchdowns.
At Miami (OH)
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| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Thundering Herd |
7 |
14 | 0 | 0 |
21 |
| • RedHawks |
7 |
7 | 7 | 24 |
45 |
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Randy Moss had 10 receptions for 147 yards and a touchdown.
Eastern Michigan
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| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles |
3 |
7 | 15 | 0 |
25 |
| • Thundering Herd |
14 |
7 | 13 | 14 |
48 |
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Randy Moss had 8 receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown.
At Central Michigan
More information Total ...
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Thundering Herd |
20 |
6 | 12 | 7 |
45 |
| Chippewas |
7 |
3 | 0 | 7 |
17 |
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Randy Moss had 7 receptions for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Bowling Green
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| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Falcons |
0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
0 |
| • Thundering Herd |
14 |
7 | 7 | 0 |
28 |
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Randy Moss had 7 receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown.
Ohio
More information Total ...
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bobcats |
0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
0 |
| • Thundering Herd |
7 |
7 | 0 | 13 |
27 |
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Randy Moss had seven receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown.
[10]
Toledo (MAC Championship game)
More information Total, Scoring summary ...
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rockets |
0 |
7 | 0 | 7 |
14 |
| • Thundering Herd |
3 |
0 | 14 | 17 |
34 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
| | 1 | 10:51 | Marshall | Billy Malashevich 22-yard field goal | Marshall 3–0 |
| | 2 | 13:16 | Toledo | Ray Curry 56-yard pass from Chris Wallace (Chris Merrick kick) | Toledo 7–3 |
| | 3 | 6:46 | Marshall | Randy Moss 4-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Malashevich kick) | Marshall 10–7 |
| 3:48 | Marshall | Randy Moss 86-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Malashevich kick) | Marshall 17–7 |
| | 4 | 10:42 | Marshall | Billy Malashevich 25-yard field goal | Marshall 20–7 |
| 7:01 | Marshall | Randy Moss 20-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Malashevich kick) | Marshall 27–7 |
| 6:24 | Marshall | Doug Chapman 5-yard run (Malashevich kick) | Marshall 34–7 |
| 3:02 | Toledo | Mel Long 33-yard pass from Chris Wallace (Merrick kick) | Marshall 34–14 |
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Randy Moss had seven receptions for 170 yards and three touchdowns.[11]
[12]
[13]
Vs. Ole Miss (Motor City Bowl)
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| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Rebels |
7 |
0 | 14 | 13 |
34 |
| Thundering Herd |
10 |
7 | 0 | 14 |
31 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
| | 1 | 14:36 | MISS | John Avery 1-yard run (Lindsey kick) | MISS 7–0 |
| 14:19 | MAR | Randy Moss 80-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick) | Tied 7–7 |
| 0:22 | MAR | Billy Malashevich 36-yard field goal | MAR 10–7 |
| | 2 | 9:04 | MAR | LaVorn Colclough 19-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Bill Malashevich kick) | MAR 17–7 |
| | 3 | 11:46 | MISS | Andre Rone 13-yard pass from Stewart Patridge (Lindsey kick) | MAR 17–14 |
| 6:00 | MISS | Deuce McAllister 20-yard pass from Stewart Patridge (Lindsey kick) | MISS 21–17 |
| | 4 | 10:12 | MAR | Doug Chapman 6-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick) | MAR 24–21 |
| 5:39 | MISS | Grant Heard 19-yard pass from Stewart Patridge (kick failed) | MISS 27–24 |
| 2:57 | MAR | Doug Chapman 9-yard run (Billy Malashevich kick) | MAR 31–27 |
| 0:31 | MISS | Deuce McAllister 1-yard run (Lindsey kick) | MISS 34–31 |
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Playing in its first bowl game since the 1948 Tangerine Bowl, Marshall lost a back-and-forth matchup with Ole Miss. Randy Moss had 6 receptions for 173 yards and a touchdown, including an 80-yard bomb from Chad Pennington, in his final collegiate game.[14]
[15]
[16]
