1995 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game

Last updated

1995 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship
I-AA National Championship Game
Montana Grizzlies Marshall Thundering Herd
(12–2)(12–2)
Big Sky SoCon
2220
Head coach: 
Don Read 		Head coach: 
Jim Donnan
TSN Seed
86
TSN Seed
65
1234Total
Montana3721022
Marshall0371020
DateDecember 16, 1995
Season 1995
Stadium Marshall University Stadium
Location Huntington, West Virginia
Favorite Montana by 7 [1]
Referee Jim Maconaghy [2]
Attendance32,106 [3]
United States TV coverage
Network ESPN
Announcers Joel Meyers (play by play), Todd Christensen (color), and Adrian Karsten (sideline)
NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship
 < 1994 1996 > 

The 1995 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Marshall Thundering Herd and the Montana Grizzlies. The game was played on December 16, 1995, at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The culminating game of the 1995 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Montana, 22–20. [3]

Contents

Teams

The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 1995 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a 16-team bracket. [4] The site of the title game, Marshall University Stadium, had been determined in March 1994. [5]

Montana Grizzlies

Montana finished their regular season with a 9–2 record (6–1 in conference). [6] One of their wins was over Eastern New Mexico of Division II, while one of their losses was to Washington State of Division I-A. Seeded sixth in the playoffs, the Grizzlies defeated 10-seed Eastern Kentucky, 14-seed Georgia Southern, and seventh-seed Stephen F. Austin to reach the final. This was the first appearance for Montana in a Division I-AA championship game.

Marshall Thundering Herd

Marshall also finished their regular season with a 9–2 record (7–1 in conference). [7] One of their losses was to NC State of Division I-A. The Thundering Herd, seeded fifth, defeated 12-seed Jackson State, 16-seed Northern Iowa, and top-seed McNeese State to reach the final. This was the fifth appearance for Marshall in a Division I-AA championship game, having one prior win (1992) and three prior losses (1987, 1991, and 1993).

Game summary

Scoring summary

Scoring summary
QuarterTime Drive TeamScoring informationScore
Plays Yards TOP MONTMAR
16:09613MONT48-yard field goal by Andy Larson30
212:541151MAR39-yard field goal by Tim Openlander33
20:59577MONTMatt Wells 24-yard touchdown reception from Dave Dickenson, Larson kick good103
39:461148MAR Chris Parker 10-yard touchdown run, Openlander kick good1010
36:54MONT Safety: intentional grounding in the end zone by Marshall QB Chad Pennington 1210
412:30420MONTWells 1-yard touchdown reception from Dickenson, Larson kick good1910
410:05751MAR21-yard field goal by Tim Openlander1913
44:45876MARParker 26-yard touchdown run, Openlander kick good1920
40:391272MONT25-yard field goal by Andy Larson2220
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.2220

[8]

Game statistics

1234Total
No. 6 Grizzlies3721022
No. 5 Thundering Herd0371020
Marshall quarterback Chad Pennington Chad Pennington.jpg
Marshall quarterback Chad Pennington
StatisticsMONTMAR
First downs2117
Plays–yards77–33373–358
Rushes–yards29–4932–112
Passing yards281246
Passing: comp–att–int29–48–123–41–1
Time of possession30:1429:46
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
MontanaPassing Dave Dickenson 29–48, 281 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
RushingJosh Branen6 car, 33 yds
Receiving Joe Douglass 8 rec, 102 yds
MarshallPassing Chad Pennington 23–40, 246 yds, 1 INT
Rushing Chris Parker 23 car, 94 yds, 2 TD
Receiving Jermaine Wiggins 5 rec, 81 yds

[8]

Related Research Articles

The 1996 Marshall Thundering Herd football team represented Marshall University as a member of Southern Conference (SoCon) during the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by first-year head coach Bob Pruett, the Thundering Herd compiled an overall record of 15–0 with mark of 8–0 in conference play, winning the SoCon title. Marshall advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA National Championship playoffs, where they beat Delaware in the first round, Furman in the quarterfinals, Northern Iowa in the semifinals, and Montana in the NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game to win the program's second NCAA Division I-AA title. 1996 was Marshall's final season competing at the NCAA Division I-AA level as they moved to NCAA Division I-A competition and joined the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in 1997.

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The 1993 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-AA level, began in August 1993, and concluded with the 1993 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 18, 1993, at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The Youngstown State Penguins won their second I-AA championship, defeating the Marshall Thundering Herd by a score of 17−5. It was the third consecutive year that Marshall and Youngstown State faced off in the I-AA title game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1995 NCAA Division I-AA football season</span> American college football season

The 1995 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-AA level, began in August 1995, and concluded with the 1995 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 16, 1995, at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The Montana Grizzlies won their first I-AA championship, defeating the Marshall Thundering Herd by a score of 22−20.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season</span> American college football season

The 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-AA level, began in August 1996, and concluded with the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 21, 1996, at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The Marshall Thundering Herd won their second I-AA championship, defeating the defending national champion Montana Grizzlies by a score of 49–29.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001 NCAA Division I-AA football season</span> American college football season

The 2001 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I-AA level, began in August 2001, and concluded with the 2001 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 21, 2001, at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Montana Grizzlies won their second I-AA championship, defeating the Furman Paladins by a score of 13–6.

The 1995 Marshall Thundering Herd football team represented Marshall University as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon) during the 1995 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Jim Donnan, the Thundering Herd compiled an overall record of 12–3 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, placing second in the SoCon. Marshall advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Championship playoffs for the fifth straight season, where they defeated Jackson State in the first round, Northern Iowa in the quarterfinals, and McNeese State in the semifinals, before losing to Montana in the NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game. Marshall played home games at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game</span> Postseason college football game

The 2008 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Richmond Spiders and the Montana Grizzlies. It was played on December 19, 2008, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 2008 NCAA Division I FCS football season, it was won by Richmond, 24–7.

The 2004 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the James Madison Dukes and the Montana Grizzlies. The game was played on December 17, 2004, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 2004 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by James Madison, 31–21.

The 2002 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the McNeese State Cowboys. The game was played on December 20, 2002, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Western Kentucky, 34–14.

The 2001 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Montana Grizzlies and the Furman Paladins. The game was played on December 21, 2001, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 2001 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Montana, 13–6.

The 2000 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the Montana Grizzlies. The game was played on December 16, 2000, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 2000 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Georgia Southern, 27–25.

The 1998 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the UMass Minutemen. The game was played on December 19, 1998, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by UMass, 55–43.

The 1997 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the McNeese State Cowboys. The game was played on December 20, 1997, and was the first I-AA title game contested at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Youngstown State, 10–9.

The 1996 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Marshall Thundering Herd and the Montana Grizzlies. The game was played on December 21, 1996, and was the last I-AA title game contested at Marshall University Stadium, now known as Joan C. Edwards Stadium, in Huntington, West Virginia. The culminating game of the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was a rematch of the prior season's final, and was won by Marshall, 49–29. It was also Marshall's final game in Division I-AA, now known as Division I FCS; the Herd would move to Division I-A the following July, joining the Mid-American Conference.

The 1994 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the Boise State Broncos. The game was played on December 17, 1994, at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The culminating game of the 1994 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Youngstown State, 28–14.

The 1993 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the Marshall Thundering Herd. The game was played on December 18, 1993, at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The culminating game of the 1993 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Youngstown State, 17–5. This was the third consecutive season that these two teams met in the championship game.

The 1992 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the Marshall Thundering Herd. The game was played on December 19, 1992, at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The culminating game of the 1992 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Marshall, 31–28. The game was a rematch of the prior season's championship game.

The 1991 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the Marshall Thundering Herd. The game was played on December 21, 1991, at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. The culminating game of the 1991 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Youngstown State, 25–17.

The 1987 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Northeast Louisiana Indians and the Marshall Thundering Herd. The game was played on December 19, 1987, at the Minidome in Pocatello, Idaho. The culminating game of the 1987 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Northeast Louisiana, 43–42.

The 1984 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Montana State Bobcats and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. The game was played on December 15, 1984, at Johnson Hagood Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina. The culminating game of the 1984 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Montana State, 19–6.

References

  1. ↑ "Latest Line". Sun-Sentinel . Fort Lauderdale, Florida. December 16, 1995. p. 11C. Retrieved April 13, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ "Ivy League Coordinator of Football Officiating Maconaghy Announces Retirement". ivyleague.com. December 5, 2018. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  3. 1 2 Briggeman, Kim (December 17, 1995). "Heart of the Matter". Missoulian . p. G6. Retrieved March 20, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Division I-AA championship". The News Journal . Wilmington, Delaware. November 20, 1995. p. B3. Retrieved February 9, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Marshall to host next two I-AA football finals". The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier . Waterloo, Iowa. AP. March 18, 1994. p. C3. Retrieved April 17, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Montana Grizzlies 1995 Schedule". cfbinfo.com. Archived from the original on March 20, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Marshall Thundering Herd 1995 Schedule". cfbinfo.com. Archived from the original on March 20, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  8. 1 2 "Summary (box score)". Missoulian . December 17, 1995. p. G6. Retrieved March 20, 2019– via newspapers.com.

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