NEW ORLEANS — After falling a win short of bowl eligibility for the first time since 2016 in 2025, Marshall will look to return to postseason form as it kicks off its 2026 campaign on Saturday, Sept. 5, with a visit to Penn State at 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT on FS1. 
 
The matchup will be the third all-time between the two programs and the first since 1930. 
 
Marshall’s non-conference schedule also includes home dates with Middle Tennessee (Sept. 12) and Gardner-Webb (Sept. 26), bookending a trip to Missouri State (Sept. 19). Alongside annual dates with their East Division rivals, the Thundering Herd will host South Alabama (Oct. 20) and travel to ULM (Nov. 28) from the Sun Belt West Division. 
 
Despite being 1-of-4 Sun Belt teams to miss Bowl Season a year ago, the Thundering Herd was picked to finish third in the Sun Belt East Division in last month’s 2026 Sun Belt Conference Football Preseason Coaches Poll. 
 
Second-year head coach Tony Gibson will guide a roster that returns five All-Sun Belt selections from 2025 and had a conference-high nine players named to the 2026 Preseason All-Sun Belt Teams—headlined by Sun Belt Preseason Offensive Player of the Year redshirt senior quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson. 
 
Marshall went 5-7 in 2025, with Del Rio-Wilson breaking Marshall’s 43-year-old record for single-season rushing yards by a quarterback with 660 rushing yards. Del Rio-Wilson is 1-of-2 returning FBS quarterbacks to throw for 2,000 yards, rush for 600 yards and complete 65 percent of his passes. 
 
In 29 seasons of FBS football, the Thundering Herd is 224-141 and has appeared in 19 bowl games. 
 
To listen to head coach Tony Gibson, redshirt senior quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and redshirt senior defensive back Daytione Smith’s comments from the 2026 Sun Belt Football Media Days, visit the Sun Belt Conference YouTube page. 



2026 SCHEDULE

9/5	at Penn State
9/12	Middle Tennessee
9/19	at Missouri State
9/26	Gardner-Webb
10/3	at James Madison*
10/10	Coastal Carolina*
10/20	South Alabama*
10/31	at Old Dominion*
11/7	at Georgia Southern*
11/14	App State*
11/21	Georgia State*
11/28	at ULM*

 
* Sun Belt Conference Game 
 
2025 ALL-SUN BELT RETURNERS
First Team
TE – Toby Payne, Marshall (RS Sr., TE – Poca, W.Va.) 
DB – Boogie Trotter, Marshall (RS Sr., DB – Nashville, Tenn.) 
 
Third Team
OL – Jalen Slappy, Marshall (RS Sr., OL – Columbus, Ohio) 
 
Honorable Mention
QB – Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Marshall (RS Sr., QB – Atlanta, Ga.)
DB – Daytione Smith, Marshall (RS Sr., DB – East Highland Park, Va.) 

2026 PRESEASON ALL-SUN BELT SELECTIONS
First Team
QB – Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Marshall (RS Sr., QB – Atlanta, Ga.)
OL – Tariq Montgomery, Marshall (RS Sr., OL – Akron, Ohio) 
OL – Jalen Slappy, Marshall (RS Sr., OL – Columbus, Ohio) 
TE – Toby Payne, Marshall (RS Sr., TE – Poca, W.Va.) 
WR – Adrian Norton, Marshall (Sr., WR – Huber Heights, Ohio)
DB – Daytione Smith, Marshall (RS Sr., DB – East Highland Park, Va.) 

Second Team
DL – Braydin Ward, Marshall (RS Jr., DL – Montgomery, W.Va.)
LB – Javae Gilmore, Marshall (RS Sr., LB – Amite, La.) 
RS – Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw, Marshall (RS Sr., RS – Bluefield, Va.)