1997 Marshall Thundering Herd football team

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.

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. 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.

Game summaries

At West Virginia

1 2 3 4 Total Thundering Herd 3 7 21 0 31 • Mountaineers 21 7 0 14 42 Date: August 30 Location: Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV Game start: 12:00 p.m. EDT Game attendance: 65,492 Game weather: , Partly Cloudy and Mild, Wind NW Referee: Jim Maconaghy TV announcers (ESPN+): John Sanders and Jeff Bostic

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

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.

At Army

1 2 3 4 Total • Thundering Herd 7 7 14 7 35 Cadets 0 12 6 7 25 Date: September 6 Location: Michie Stadium West Point, NY Game start: 1:00 p.m. EDT Game attendance: 30,358

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

Randy Moss had five receptions for 186 yards and two touchdowns, highlighted by a 90-yard touchdown midway through the first quarter.

At Kent State

1 2 3 4 Total • Thundering Herd 14 7 14 7 42 Golden Flashes 0 10 0 7 17 Date: September 13 Location: Dix Stadium Kent, OH Game start: 3:30 p.m. EDT Game attendance: 11,021

Randy Moss hauled in 8 receptions for 216 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Western Illinois

1 2 3 4 Total Leathernecks 0 0 7 0 7 • Thundering Herd 14 0 20 14 48 Date: September 20 Location: Marshall Stadium Huntington, WV Game start: 7:00 p.m. EDT Game attendance: 26,724

Randy Moss had 5 receptions for 52 yards and 2 touchdowns.

At Ball State

1 2 3 4 Total • Thundering Herd 14 10 14 7 45 Cardinals 3 13 0 0 16 Date: September 27 Location: Ball State Stadium Muncie, IN Game start: 1:00 p.m. EDT Game attendance: 20,415

Randy Moss caught 13 passes for 205 yards and a school-record 5 touchdowns.

Akron

1 2 3 4 Total Zips 7 7 3 0 17 • Thundering Herd 28 10 0 14 52 Date: October 11 Location: Marshall Stadium Huntington, WV Game start: 7:00 p.m. EDT Game attendance: 26,642

Randy Moss had 6 receptions for 107 yards and 2 touchdowns.

At Miami (OH)

1 2 3 4 Total Thundering Herd 7 14 0 0 21 • RedHawks 7 7 7 24 45 Date: October 18 Location: Yager Stadium Oxford, OH Game start: 2:00 p.m. EDT Game attendance: 29,027

Randy Moss had 10 receptions for 147 yards and a touchdown.

Eastern Michigan

1 2 3 4 Total Eagles 3 7 15 0 25 • Thundering Herd 14 7 13 14 48 Date: October 25 Location: Marshall Stadium Huntington, WV Game start: 7:00 p.m. EDT Game attendance: 21,474

Randy Moss had 8 receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown.

At Central Michigan

1 2 3 4 Total • Thundering Herd 20 6 12 7 45 Chippewas 7 3 0 7 17 Date: November 1 Location: Mount Pleasant, MI Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 15,324

Randy Moss had 7 receptions for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Bowling Green

1 2 3 4 Total Falcons 0 0 0 0 0 • Thundering Herd 14 7 7 0 28 Date: November 8 Location: Marshall Stadium Huntington, WV Game start: 3:30 p.m. EST Game attendance: 23,509

Randy Moss had 7 receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown.

Ohio

1 2 3 4 Total Bobcats 0 0 0 0 0 • Thundering Herd 7 7 0 13 27 Date: November 15 Location: Marshall Stadium Huntington, WV Game start: 3:30 p.m. EST Game attendance: 32,012

Randy Moss had seven receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown.

Toledo (MAC Championship game)

1 2 3 4 Total Rockets 0 7 0 7 14 • Thundering Herd 3 0 14 17 34 Date: December 5 Location: Marshall Stadium Huntington, WV Game start: 7:30 p.m. EST Game attendance: 28,021 Game weather: Snow Television network: ESPN2

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

Randy Moss had seven receptions for 170 yards and three touchdowns.

Vs. Ole Miss (Motor City Bowl)

1 2 3 4 Total • Rebels 7 0 14 13 34 Thundering Herd 10 7 0 14 31 Date: December 26 Location: Pontiac Silverdome Pontiac, MI Game attendance: 43,430 Game weather: Indoors TV announcers (ESPN): Jerry Punch and Mike Gottfried

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

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.

Awards and honors

• Randy Moss – Fred Biletnikoff Award, Heisman Trophy Finalist (4th in Voting), Unanimous First-Team All-American, MAC Offensive Player of the Year

Team players in the 1998 NFL draft

Player	Position	Round	Pick	Team
Randy Moss	Wide receiver	1	21	Minnesota Vikings
John Wade	Center	5	148	Jacksonville Jaguars