THC Science

1996 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship
1996 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship
I-AA National Championship Game
Montana Grizzlies	Marshall Thundering Herd
(14–0)	(14–0)
Big Sky	SoCon
29	49
Head coach: ; Mick Dennehy	Head coach: ; Bob Pruett
TSN	Seed
2	1
TSN	Seed
1	2
Date	December 21, 1996
Season	1996
Stadium	Marshall University Stadium
Location	Huntington, West Virginia
Favorite	Marshall by 6.5
Referee	Chuck Feevey
Attendance	30,052
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN
Announcers	Brad Nessler (play-by-play) and Gary Danielson (analyst)
NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship
< 1995	1997 >

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.^[4] 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 (now Division I FBS) the following July, joining the Mid-American Conference.

Teams[edit]

The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 1996 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a 16-team bracket.^[5] The location of the title game, Marshall University Stadium, was determined before the playoffs started.^[6]

Montana Grizzlies[edit]

Montana finished their regular season with a 14–0 record (8–0 in conference).^[7] Seeded first in the playoffs, the Grizzlies defeated 16-seed Nicholls State, sixth-seed East Tennessee State, and fourth-seed Troy State to reach the final. This was the second appearance for Montana in a Division I-AA championship game, as the team was the defending champion from 1995.

Marshall Thundering Herd[edit]

Marshall also finished their regular season with a 14–0 record (8–0 in conference).^[8] The Thundering Herd, seeded second, defeated 15-seed Delaware, tenth-seed Furman, and third-seed Northern Iowa to reach the final. This was the sixth appearance for Marshall in a Division I-AA championship game, having one prior win (1992) and four prior losses (1987, 1991, 1993, and 1995).

Game summary[edit]

Scoring summary[edit]

Scoring summary

Quarter	Time	Drive			Team	Scoring information	Score
Quarter	Time	Plays	Yards	TOP	Team	Scoring information	MONT	MAR
1	9:13				MAR	Randy Moss 19-yard touchdown reception from Eric Kresser, Tim Openlander kick good	0	7
1	2:09				MAR	Doug Chapman 61-yard touchdown run, Openlander kick good	0	14
2	14:08				MAR	Moss 70-yard touchdown reception from Kresser, Openlander kick no good (blocked)	0	20
2	8:14				MAR	20-yard field goal by Openlander	0	23
2	5:05				MONT	40-yard field goal by Andy Larson	3	23
2	0:15				MONT	27-yard field goal by Larson	6	23
3	14:05				MAR	Moss 54-yard touchdown reception from Kresser, Openlander kick good	6	30
3	5:03				MAR	Chapman 9-yard touchdown run, Openlander kick good	6	37
3	3:34				MAR	Safety: intentional grounding in the end zone by Montana QB Brian Ah Yat	6	39
4	14:51				MAR	Moss 28-yard touchdown reception from Kresser, Openlander kick good	6	46
4	10:52				MONT	Joe Douglass 28-yard touchdown reception from Ah Yat, 2-point pass good (Dallas Neil from Ah Yat)	14	46
4	7:09				MONT	Josh Branen 2-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass good (Douglass from Ah Yat)	22	46
4	4:18				MAR	37-yard field goal by Openlander	22	49
4	2:09				MONT	Josh Paffhausen 18-yard touchdown reception from Ah Yat, Larson kick good	29	49
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.							29	49

^[9]

Game statistics[edit]

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 1 Grizzlies	0	6	0	23	29
No. 2 Thundering Herd	14	9	16	10	49

Statistics	MONT	MAR
First downs	31	21
Plays–yards	90–430	64–541
Rushes–yards	35–95	36–217
Passing yards	335	324
Passing: comp–att–int	36–55–1	18–28–0
Time of possession	31:13	28:47

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Montana	Passing	Brian Ah Yat	36–55, 335 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Josh Branen	19 car, 101 yds, 1 TD
	Receiving	Joe Douglass	13 rec, 117 yds, 1 TD
Marshall	Passing	Eric Kresser	18–28, 324 yds, 4 TD
	Rushing	Erik Thomas	20 car, 114 yds
	Receiving	Randy Moss	9 rec, 220 yds, 4 TD

^[3]

References[edit]

^ "Latest Line". Sun-Sentinel. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. December 21, 1996. p. 9C. Retrieved April 13, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
^ Briggeman, Kim (December 22, 1996). "UM falls 49-29 to Marshall". Billings Gazette. p. 1B. Retrieved March 6, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b "Football vs Marshall". gogriz.com. December 21, 1996. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
^ Rothschild, Richard (December 22, 1996). "Marshall Routs Montana to Capture NCAA I-AA Title". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
^ "Division I-AA tournament". The News Journal. Wilmington, Delaware. November 25, 1996. p. B7. Retrieved February 9, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
^ "Griz No. 2 in latest I-AA poll". Great Falls Tribune. Great Falls, Montana. November 12, 1996. p. 1C. Retrieved April 17, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
^ "Montana Grizzlies 1996 Schedule". cfbinfo.com. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
^ "Marshall Thundering Herd 1996 Schedule". cfbinfo.com. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
^ "Marshall 49, Montana 29 (box score)". Billings Gazette. December 22, 1996. p. 3B. Retrieved March 6, 2019 – via newspapers.com.

External links[edit]

Marshall Thundering Herd 1996 football season review Vol 5 via YouTube

[1] "Latest Line". Sun-Sentinel. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. December 21, 1996. p. 9C. Retrieved April 13, 2019 – via newspapers.com.

[2] Briggeman, Kim (December 22, 1996). "UM falls 49-29 to Marshall". Billings Gazette. p. 1B. Retrieved March 6, 2019 – via newspapers.com.

[GrizBox-3] "Football vs Marshall". gogriz.com. December 21, 1996. Retrieved March 5, 2019.

[tribune-4] Rothschild, Richard (December 22, 1996). "Marshall Routs Montana to Capture NCAA I-AA Title". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 5, 2019.

[5] "Division I-AA tournament". The News Journal. Wilmington, Delaware. November 25, 1996. p. B7. Retrieved February 9, 2019 – via newspapers.com.

[6] "Griz No. 2 in latest I-AA poll". Great Falls Tribune. Great Falls, Montana. November 12, 1996. p. 1C. Retrieved April 17, 2019 – via newspapers.com.

[7] "Montana Grizzlies 1996 Schedule". cfbinfo.com. Retrieved March 5, 2019.

[8] "Marshall Thundering Herd 1996 Schedule". cfbinfo.com. Retrieved March 5, 2019.

[9] "Marshall 49, Montana 29 (box score)". Billings Gazette. December 22, 1996. p. 3B. Retrieved March 6, 2019 – via newspapers.com.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{about|the Division I-AA (now FCS) championship game|the Division I-A (now FBS) championship game|1996 Fiesta Bowl}}
 {{short description|Postseason college football game between the Marshall Thundering Herd and the Montana Grizzlies}}
+{{about|the Division I-AA (now FCS) championship game|the Division I-A (now FBS) championship game|1996 Fiesta Bowl}}
-{{Infobox NCAA FCS football yearly game
+{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
-| Game Name = NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship
+{{infobox college football game
-| Optional Subheader = I-AA National Championship Game
+| name               =
-| Title Sponsor =
+| year_game_played   = 1996
-| Image =
+| game_name          = NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship
-| Caption =
+| subheader          = I-AA National Championship Game
-| Date Game Played = December 21
+| visitor_name_short = Montana
-| Year Game Played = 1996
+| visitor_nickname   = Grizzlies
-| Football Season = 1996
+| home_nickname      = Thundering Herd
-| Stadium = [[Joan C. Edwards Stadium|Marshall University Stadium]]
+| visitor_school     = Big Sky Conference
-| City = [[Huntington, West Virginia]]
+| home_name_short    = Marshall
-| Visitor School = Big Sky Conference
+| football_season    = 1996
-| Visitor Name Short = Montana
+| home_school        = Marshall University
-| Visitor Nickname = Grizzlies
-| Visitor Record = 14–0
+| visitor_record     = 14–0
+| home_record        = 14–0
-| Visitor TSN = 2
+| visitor_conference = [[Big Sky Conference|Big Sky]]
-| Visitor Seed = 1
+| home_conference    = [[Southern Conference|SoCon]]
-| Visitor Coach = [[Mick Dennehy]]
+| visitor_1q         = 0
-| Visitor Conference= [[Big Sky Conference|Big Sky]]
+| home_1q            = 14
-| Visitor1=0
+| visitor_2q         = 6
-| Visitor2=6
+| visitor_3q         = 0
-| Visitor3=0
+| visitor_4q         = 23
-| Visitor4=23
+| home_2q            = 9
-| Home School = Marshall University
+| home_3q            = 16
-| Home Name Short = Marshall
+| home_4q            = 10
-| Home Nickname = Thundering Herd
+| visitor_coach      = [[Mick Dennehy]]
-| Home Record = 14–0
+| home_coach         = [[Bob Pruett]]
-| Home TSN = 1
-| Home Seed = 2
+| visitor_rank_TSN   = 2
+| visitor_seed       = 1
-| Home Coach = [[Bob Pruett]]
+| home_rank_TSN      = 1
-| Home Conference= [[Southern Conference|SoCon]]
+| home_seed          = 2
-| Home1=14
+| date_game_played   = December 21
-| Home2=9
+| stadium            = [[Joan C. Edwards Stadium|Marshall University Stadium]]
-| Home3=16
+| city               = [[Huntington, West Virginia]]
-| Home4=10
-| Odds = Marshall by 6.5<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30573734/latest_line/ |title=Latest Line |newspaper=[[Sun-Sentinel]] |location=[[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]] |page=9C |date=December 21, 1996 |accessdate=April 13, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
+| odds               = Marshall by 6.5<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30573734/latest_line/ |title=Latest Line |newspaper=[[Sun-Sentinel]] |location=[[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]] |page=9C |date=December 21, 1996 |accessdate=April 13, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
+| referee            = Chuck Feevey<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29193043/um_falls_4929_to_marshall/ |title=UM falls 49-29 to Marshall |first=Kim |last=Briggeman |newspaper=[[Billings Gazette]] |page=1B |date=December 22, 1996 |accessdate=March 6, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
-| MVP = <!--MVP for FCS final started in 2009, see http://www.espn.com/espn/wire/_/section/ncf/id/25690447 -->
+| attendance         = 30,052<ref name=GrizBox/>
-| Referee= Chuck Feevey<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29193043/um_falls_4929_to_marshall/ |title=UM falls 49-29 to Marshall |first=Kim |last=Briggeman |newspaper=[[Billings Gazette]] |page=1B |date=December 22, 1996 |accessdate=March 6, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
+| us_network         = [[ESPN]]
-| Attendance = 30,052<ref name=GrizBox/>
+| us_announcers      = [[Brad Nessler]] (play-by-play) and [[Gary Danielson]] (analyst)
-| US Network = [[ESPN]]
+| different_previous = [[1995 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|1995]]
-| US Announcers  =
-| Different Previous = [[1995 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|1995]]
+| different_next     = [[1997 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|1997]]
-| Different Next     = [[1997 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|1997]]
 }}
-The '''1996 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game''' was a postseason [[college football]] game between the [[Marshall Thundering Herd football|Marshall Thundering Herd]] and the [[Montana Grizzlies football|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.<ref name=tribune>{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1996-12-22-9612220138-story.html |title=Marshall Routs Montana to Capture NCAA I-AA Title |first=Richard |last=Rothschild |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=December 22, 1996 |accessdate=March 5, 2019}}</ref> It was also Marshall's final game in Division I-AA, now known as [[NCAA Division I#Football Championship Subdivision|Division I FCS]]; the Herd would move to Division I-A (now [[NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision|Division I FBS]]) the following July, joining the [[Mid-American Conference]].
+The '''1996 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game''' was a postseason [[college football]] game between the [[Marshall Thundering Herd football|Marshall Thundering Herd]] and the [[Montana Grizzlies football|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.<ref name=tribune>{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1996-12-22-9612220138-story.html |title=Marshall Routs Montana to Capture NCAA I-AA Title |first=Richard |last=Rothschild |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=December 22, 1996 |accessdate=March 5, 2019}}</ref> It was also Marshall's final game in Division I-AA, now known as [[NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision|Division I FCS]]; the Herd would move to Division I-A (now [[NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision|Division I FBS]]) the following July, joining the [[Mid-American Conference]].
 ==Teams==
@@ Line 318: / Line 316: @@
 ==References==
-{{Reflist|30em}}
+{{Reflist}}
 ==Further reading==
 *{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29192448/division_iaa_poll/ |title=Division I-AA poll |publisher=[[The Sports Network (wire service)|The Sports Network]] |agency=[[Associated Press|AP]] |newspaper=[[Billings Gazette]] |location=[[Billings, Montana]] |page=2D |date=November 26, 1996 |accessdate=March 6, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}
@@ Line 333: / Line 331: @@
 [[Category:1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season|Championship Game]]
+[[Category:NCAA Division I Football Championship Games]]
 [[Category:Marshall Thundering Herd football games]]
 [[Category:Montana Grizzlies football games]]
-[[Category:December 1996 sports events in the United States]]
+[[Category:Sports in Huntington, West Virginia]]
 [[Category:1996 in sports in West Virginia|NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game]]
+[[Category:December 1996 sports events in the United States|NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game]]
+[[Category:American football competitions in West Virginia]]

Marshall Thundering Herd football
Venues	Central Field (1895–1927) Fairfield Stadium (1928–1990) Joan C. Edwards Stadium (1991–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Appalachian State East Carolina Ohio: Battle for the Bell West Virginia: Friends of Coal Bowl
Culture & lore	Marco the Bison "Sons of Marshall" Marching Thunder Plane crash Marshall University: Ashes to Glory We Are Marshall
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943–1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
National championship seasons in bold

Montana Grizzlies football
Venues	Dornblaser Field (I) (1912–1967) Naranche Stadium (alternate (Butte), 1938–1950) Dornblaser Field (II) (1968–1986) Washington–Grizzly Stadium (1986–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Eastern Washington: EWU–UM Governors Cup Idaho: Little Brown Stein Montana State
Culture and lore	Monte "Up With Montana" University of Montana Grizzly Marching Band
People	Head coaches NFL draftees
Seasons	1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943–1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
National championship seasons in bold

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Latest revision as of 16:03, 29 April 2024