Marshall University has had a storied and fabled football history that has seen highs, lows, and
everything in between. The Thundering Herd has been part of a plethora of major moments over
the years and the landscape of college football would be very different if Marshall wasn’t a part
of it. That kind of history lends itself to plenty of iconic plays that still resonate in Marshall
football folklore. But which plays stand out above the rest? Here are the top 10 plays in
Marshall football history.
Honorable Mentions
Doug Chapman TD run vs. Clemson 1999
Marshall began its legendary 1999 season on the road at Death Valley to face the Clemson
Tigers. Down 10-6 late in the fourth quarter, the Herd embarked on one of the biggest drives in
program history. The drive was capped off with a Doug Chapman 7-yard touchdown run with
only 1:10 remaining in the game to give Marshall a 13-10 lead. That would be the final score
and the Herd left Death Valley with arguably its biggest win ever up to that point.
Stan Hill TD run vs. Miami (OH) 2002
In what turned out to be one of the most memorable, and infamous, games in Marshall football
history, an unexpected hero led the charge. After star quarterback Byron Leftwich injured
himself the previous week, backup quarterback Stan Hill made his first career start in front of a
national TV audience on a Tuesday night against then-MAC rival Miami (OH) in a must-win
game for the Herd. It was a classic and down 34-29 late in the fourth quarter, Marshall went on a
drive to win the game. And with just 5 seconds to go, Hill’s dramatic 1-yard touchdown run pushed the Herd ahead and set the final score of 36-34 in a game that will be remembered forever in Huntington.
#10 – Jonathan Goddard Fumble Return for TD vs. Kansas State 2003
Marshall was no stranger to playing with or even beating power conference foes by 2003, but
that would be taken to another level when the Herd went into Manhattan, KS to battle then-#6
Kansas State. Down 7-0 late in the first quarter, star defensive end Jonathan Goddard returned a
lateral toss 84 yards for a Marshall touchdown to tie the game at 7. The Herd knocked off the
Wildcats 27-20 in a game that still stands as the highest-ranked team Marshall has ever defeated.
#9 – Keith Baxter Winning TD Catch vs. Louisville 1987
By 1987, Marshall’s football program was starting to turn the corner after a streak of 20 straight
losing seasons was broken in 1984. Fast-forward three years and the Herd was on the verge of
unparalleled success the program had never seen before. Marshall had a lackluster start to the
season, but a huge opportunity on the road at Louisville proved to be the team’s turning point.
This game came down to the wire and as time expired, Herd quarterback Tony Petersen
connected with Keith Baxter for an improbable 31-yard touchdown to give Marshall a shocking
34-31 win over the Cardinals. This win propelled the Herd into an eventual 1-AA National
Championship runner-up season. Sadly, no video of this play seems to be on the internet currently.
#8 – Tiquan Lang Second Pick-6 Seals the Win vs. Purdue 2015
Following a highly successful 2014 season, Marshall had a unique opportunity to open the 2015
season. For the first time in school history, the Herd hosted a Big 10 conference opponent when
the Purdue Boilermakers invaded Joan C. Edwards Stadium in front of a sellout crowd. The
game was back and forth from the start, but the MVP of this game was Marshall safety Tiquan Lang. He returned a Purdue interception for a touchdown on its first offensive play of the game, but it was his second interception that stole the show. Up 34-31 late in the fourth quarter, Lang
picked off a Boilermaker pass and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown to send the sellout crowd
into a frenzy and secure the win, 41-31, for the Herd in one of the most memorable games, and
plays, in program history.
#7 – Aaron Dobson One-Handed TD Catch vs. East Carolina 2011
Not many plays in Marshall, or arguably even college football history in general, have been as
spectacular as a catch late in the second quarter of the Herd’s home game against the ECU
Pirates in 2011. Down 17-10, Marshall quarterback Rakeem Cato connected with Aaron Dobson
for a 13-yard touchdown that put the collective sports world in awe. This was not your ordinary
catch. In fact, this was a backhanded, no-look catch with Dobson’s other arm being held by a
Pirate defender. SportsCenter’s eventual #2 play of 2011 helped propel Marshall into a dramatic
34-27 overtime victory over ECU to gain bowl eligibility.
#6 – Steven Gilmore Pick-6 vs. Notre Dame 2022
If there was a Mt. Rushmore of college football programs, Notre Dame would be a shoe-in. And
in Week 2 of the 2022 season, Marshall got the opportunity to play the Fighting Irish in South
Bend, IN for the first time ever. Clearly, the Herd wasn’t informed it was a decided underdog in
this game and Marshall gave Notre Dame all it could handle, and then some. Actually, it gave
the Irish more than it could handle in the end. After having just regained the lead late in the
fourth quarter, Marshall’s defense cemented arguably the biggest win in program history when
Steven Gilmore intercepted an Irish pass and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown to essentially
put the game away. The Herd left South Bend with a historic 26-21 win over Notre Dame in a
game that will never be forgotten in the annals of Marshall football history.
#5 – Byron Leftwich Carried Down the Field vs. Akron 2002
There are certain moments in college football history that stand the test of time. And in 2002 at
the Rubber Bowl in Akron, OH, one of those moments was created courtesy of Byron Leftwich.
During the Herd’s game at Akron, Leftwich was injured in the first quarter with a broken left
shin. An injury of that magnitude would have taken out the average player, but Leftwich was far
from average. He refused to leave the game even with the injury before eventually being forced
to leave and get an x-ray. He miraculously returned to the game in the second half and attempted
to lead the comeback for Marshall. Then early in the fourth quarter, Leftwich connected with
Darius Watts for a 41-yard completion. Noticeably in pain and unable to make it down the field
following that play, several Herd offensive linemen lifted him up and carried him. Marshall lost
the game to Akron that day, but the heroics of Leftwich and company will last in the memories
of Herd fans and college football fans forever.
#4 – Eric Pinkerton Winning TD in 1999 Mac Championship vs. Western Michigan
Sometimes, the simplest of plays can carry the most weight. And in the case of the final
moments of the 1999 MAC Championship game between Marshall and Western Michigan, that
rang true. Marshall was sitting at 11-0 on the season and hosting the MAC Championship game
as a big favorite, but the Broncos had other ideas and took it to the Herd early on. Western
Michigan held a 20-0 halftime lead and led 23-0 mid-way through the third quarter, but the Herd
came roaring back. The Broncos led 30-27 in the final minute of the game, but in the final
seconds with no timeouts, Chad Pennington connected with Eric Pinkerton for a 1-yard
touchdown that pushed the Herd ahead 34-30, and that would be the final score. It’s a simple
play, but it’s simply one of the most iconic in program history.
#3 – Randy Moss is Better than Everyone TD Catch vs Army 1997
Randy Moss is arguably the greatest wide receiver to ever play the game. He had a dazzling
career, but what he was able to do in two years at Marshall was downright unfair. He was a
highlight reel waiting to happen, but the biggest highlight of them all came against Army in 1997
in West Point, NY. Chad Pennington connected with Moss on a short, 3-yard pass in the first
quarter that wound up going 90 yards for a touchdown. Simply put, it was wide receiving 101.
Moss showed speed, athleticism, leaping ability, juking ability, and strength all in one play.
Marshall won the game 35-25 for its first win since moving back to the 1-A level, but this game
will be most remembered because of a future Pro Football Hall of Famer showing the country
what he’s capable of.
#2 – Willie Merrick “The Kick” vs. Youngstown State 1992
Marshall was well on its way to something big by the early-1990’s after having played for the 1-
AA National Championship in 1987 and 1991, but fell just short in both games. The 1992
season was different, and the Herd got a chance at redemption after losing to Youngstown State
the previous season when it hosted the Penguins in a national title rematch. Marshall opened up
a big lead, but Youngstown State battled back to tie the game at 28. The Herd had a chance to
win the game on a short field goal with only seconds remaining, but it would rest on the
shoulders of backup kicker Willy Merrick, who would be attempting his first collegiate field goal
ever after the usual starting kicker was suspended. The moment wasn’t too big for Merrick and
he connected on the 22-yard field goal that gave Marshall an epic 31-28 win over the Penguins
for the program’s first-ever national championship. This one was special on a number of fronts
and it will remain a key chapter of the Marshall football story forever.
#1 – Terry Gardner 213 Bootleg Screen vs. Xavier 1971
Less than a year removed from the worst sports-related air tragedy in history, Marshall was
trying to pick itself back up and, in turn, the entire city of Huntington at the same time after
dealing with an unconscionable loss. The football program had to rebuild from essentially
scratch and new head coach Jack Lengyel had a team comprised of mostly freshmen to compete
against teams with far more experience and depth. The Herd fell to Morehead State in Week 1
on the road, but the first home game of the 1971 season against Xavier was a defining moment in
program history. The game itself was close the whole way through and Xavier held a narrow 13-
9 lead late in the fourth quarter, but quarterback Reggie Oliver and the Marshall offense went on
a drive to win the game. And as time expired, Bootleg Screen 213 was called, and Oliver
connected with Terry Gardner for a 13-yard touchdown as time expired to give Marshall a 15-13
win. This was more than a win, it was perseverance. It was heart. It was determination. This
game and play is, and will forever go down, as the most important in Marshall football history.
And that is my list, folks. Agree? Disagree? Let us know your top 10!
