American college football season
The 2014 Marshall Thundering Herd football team represented Marshall University in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by fifth-year head coach Doc Holliday and played their home games at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. They were a member of the East Division of Conference USA. They finished the season 13–1, 7–1 in C-USA play to win the East Division title. As East Division champions, they played West Division champion Louisiana Tech in the C-USA Championship Game, defeating the Bulldogs 26–23 to become C-USA Champions. They were invited to the inaugural Boca Raton Bowl, where they defeated MAC champion Northern Illinois, 52–23.
Preseason
In the C-USA preseason coaches' poll, the Thundering Herd were picked to finish in first place in the East division.[1]
Media poll (East division)
|
Predicted finish
|
Team
|
Votes
|
1 |
Marshall |
91
|
2 |
Middle Tennessee |
73
|
3 |
Florida Atlantic |
60
|
4 |
Western Kentucky |
57
|
5 |
Old Dominion |
33
|
6 |
UAB |
31
|
7 |
FIU |
19
|
Schedule
Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
---|
August 30 | 3:30 pm | at Miami (OH)* | | | ESPN3 | W 42–27 | 19,005 |
September 6 | 7:00 pm | Rhode Island* | | | ASN | W 48–7 | 25,106 |
September 13 | 12:00 pm | Ohio* | | | CBSSN | W 44–14 | 31,710 |
September 20 | 2:00 pm | at Akron* | | | ESPN3 | W 48–17 | 13,357 |
October 4 | 12:00 pm | at Old Dominion | | | FSN | W 56–14 | 20,118 |
October 11 | 12:00 pm | Middle Tennessee | | - Joan C. Edwards Stadium
- Huntington, WV
| FSN | W 49–24 | 30,210 |
October 18 | 6:00 pm | at FIU | No. 25 | | ASN | W 45–13 | 13,163 |
October 25 | 3:30 pm | Florida Atlantic | No. 23 | - Joan C. Edwards Stadium
- Huntington, WV
| FS1 | W 35–16 | 27,236 |
November 8 | 7:00 pm | at Southern Miss | | | ASN | W 63–17 | 22,949 |
November 15 | 2:30 pm | Rice | | - Joan C. Edwards Stadium
- Huntington, WV
| FSN | W 41–14 | 30,680 |
November 22 | 12:00 pm | at UAB | | | WCHS | W 23–18 | 28,355 |
November 28 | 12:00 pm | Western Kentucky | No. 24 | - Joan C. Edwards Stadium
- Huntington, WV
| FS1 | L 66–67 OT | 23,576 |
December 6 | 12:00 pm | Louisiana Tech | | | ESPN2 | W 26–23 | 23,711 |
December 23 | 6:00 pm | vs. Northern Illinois* | | | ESPN | W 52–23 | 29,419 |
|
[2]
Game summaries
Miami (OH)
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Thundering Herd
|
14
|
14
|
0
|
14 |
42 |
RedHawks
|
0
|
3
|
17
|
7 |
27 |
Rhode Island
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Rams
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
7 |
7 |
Thundering Herd
|
7
|
10
|
21
|
10 |
48 |
Ohio
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Bobcats
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
7 |
14 |
Thundering Herd
|
17
|
10
|
14
|
3 |
44 |
Akron
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Thundering Herd
|
17
|
14
|
10
|
7 |
48 |
Zips
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
14 |
17 |
Old Dominion
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Thundering Herd
|
28
|
14
|
14
|
0 |
56 |
Monarchs
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
7 |
14 |
Middle Tennessee
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Blue Raiders
|
7
|
10
|
0
|
7 |
24 |
Thundering Herd
|
14
|
14
|
14
|
7 |
49 |
Florida International
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
#25 Thundering Herd
|
7
|
7
|
10
|
21 |
45 |
Panthers
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
6 |
13 |
Florida Atlantic
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Owls
|
3
|
13
|
0
|
0 |
16 |
#23 Thundering Herd
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
14 |
35 |
Southern Miss
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
#23 Thundering Herd
|
7
|
21
|
14
|
21 |
63 |
Golden Eagles
|
14
|
3
|
0
|
0 |
17 |
Rice
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Owls
|
0
|
7
|
0
|
7 |
14 |
#21 Thundering Herd
|
3
|
17
|
14
|
7 |
41 |
UAB
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
#18 Thundering Herd
|
7
|
10
|
0
|
6 |
23 |
Blazers
|
3
|
3
|
6
|
6 |
18 |
Western Kentucky
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 | OT |
Total |
Hilltoppers
|
28
|
21
|
0
|
10 | 8 |
67 |
#19 Thundering Herd
|
21
|
21
|
7
|
10 | 7 |
66 |
Louisiana Tech
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Bulldogs
|
10
|
7
|
6
|
0 |
23 |
Thundering Herd
|
0
|
13
|
3
|
10 |
26 |
Northern Illinois–Boca Raton Bowl
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Thundering Herd
|
14
|
10
|
14
|
14 |
52 |
Huskies
|
7
|
6
|
7
|
3 |
23 |
Rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes | Week |
---|
Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Final |
---|
AP | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 25 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 18 | 19 | RV | RV | 23 |
---|
Coaches | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 24 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 18 | 20 | RV | RV | 22 |
---|
CFP | Not released | — | — | — | — | 24 | — | — | Not released |
---|
References
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Venues | |
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Bowls & rivalries | |
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Culture & lore | |
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People | |
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Seasons | |
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National championship seasons in bold |