Marshall football looking for second C-USA title under Doc Holliday in 2020

How will Marshall football fare in 2020?

As of July 31, Marshall maintains a full slate of scheduled games for the 2020 season outside of maybe Pitt. In non-conference play, the Thundering Herd are scheduled to play on the road against East Carolina out of the American Athletic Conference and on the road against Ohio from the MAC. They also have two home dates on the schedule, a Power Five opportunity against Pittsburgh and a Group of Five elimination game against Boise State.

Going 2-2 in those games is the likeliest result for the Thundering Herd, as their easier opportunities come on the road and their toughest opponents come to Huntington. Ultimately, though, Marshall’s season will be made or broken by how well they perform in Conference USA play.

Doc Holliday’s team has to travel to Western Kentucky and Louisiana Tech over back-to-back weekends in mid-October. To really make noise in the Group of Five race, Marshall needs to win both contests on the heels of a Boise State takedown.

What’s next for Marshall?

The scheduled season opener at East Carolina in Week 0 offers a solid enough test against a Pirates squad that brings back a highly experienced roster. Winning in Greenville will be critical to building momentum for even bigger tests against Pitt and Boise State, though victory is hardly guaranteed on the road even if no fans are in the stands.

Prediction: 8-4 (6-2 C-USA)

Unfortunately, this Thundering Herd team feels a year away from truly contending for a conference crown, especially if Isaiah Green shows improvement and then decides to come back for his senior season. The defense still has room to grow, as does the defense, and that inexperience will prove costly in a few key games.

Look for Marshall to take down East Carolina and Ohio while falling in close losses to Pitt and Boise State. Their three toughest tests in Conference USA play come in a three-game October stretch at Western Kentucky, at Louisiana Tech, and home against Florida Atlantic. The guess here is that Marshall manages to steal only one win out of those three contests.

While they will have no trouble reaching bowl eligibility for the fourth straight season, climbing to the top of Conference USA feels just out of reach for this year’s Thundering Herd.