1998 Marshall Thundering Herd football team

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1998 Marshall Thundering Herd football
MAC champion
MAC East Division co-champion
Motor City Bowl champion
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionEast
Record12–1 (7–1 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorTony Petersen (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorKevin Kelly (3rd season)
Home stadiumMarshall University Stadium
Seasons
← 1997
1999 →
1998 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
Marshall xy$   7 1     12 1  
Miami (OH) x   7 1     10 1  
Bowling Green   5 3     5 6  
Ohio   5 3     5 6  
Akron   3 6     4 7  
Kent State   0 8     0 11  
West Division
Toledo x   6 2     7 5  
Western Michigan   5 3     7 4  
Central Michigan   5 3     6 5  
Eastern Michigan   3 6     3 8  
Northern Illinois   2 6     2 9  
Ball State   1 7     1 10  
Championship: Marshall 23, Toledo 17
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant

The 1998 Marshall Thundering Herd football team represented Marshall University in the 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was Marshall's second season competing at the NCAA Division I-A level. The team won their second consecutive Mid-American Conference (MAC) championship and was invited to the Motor City Bowl.

Season[edit]

In the 1998 season Marshall was quarterbacked by future National Football League (NFL) starter Chad Pennington and featured future NFL player Doug Chapman as the starting running back. The team finished the season with an overall record of 12–1 repeated as champions of the MAC East Division with a 7–1 conference mark.

Marshall met and defeated Toledo in the MAC Championship Game for the second year in a row. By virtue of the win they were invited to the Motor City Bowl where they played the Louisville Cardinals. Marshall won the game 48–29, marking the first bowl game victory in the history of Marshall football.

Schedule[edit]

DateOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 5at AkronW 27–1615,623
September 12Troy State*W 42–1225,625
September 19at South Carolina*W 24–2178,717
September 26at Eastern MichiganW 26–2313,611
October 3Miami (OH)
  • Marshall University Stadium
  • Huntington, WV
W 31–1733,204
October 10at OhioW 30–2321,728
October 17Kent State
  • Marshall University Stadium
  • Huntington, WV
W 42–723,481
October 24Ball State
  • Marshall University Stadium
  • Huntington, WV
W 42–1021,534
October 31at Bowling GreenL 13–3411,237
November 7Central Michigandagger
  • Marshall University Stadium
  • Huntington, WV
W 28–023,082
November 21Wofford*
  • Marshall University Stadium
  • Huntington, WV
W 29–2718,477
December 4Toledo
ESPN2W 23–1728,085
December 23vs. Louisville*ESPNW 48–2938,016
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming

Awards and honors[edit]

  • Bob Pruett, MAC Coach of the Year
  • Chad Pennington, First Team All-MAC
  • Doug Chapman, First Team All-MAC
  • LaVorn Colclough, First Team All-MAC
  • Mike Guilliams, First Team All-MAC
  • Daninelle Derricott, First Team All-MAC
  • Rogers Beckett, First Team All-MAC
  • Ricky Hall, First Team All-MAC
  • Giradie Mercer, First Team All-MAC [1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "1998 Toledo Football Recap". September 8, 2023.