In the C-USA preseason coaches' poll, the Thundering Herd were picked to finish in first place in the East division.[1]
| Media poll (East division) |
| Predicted finish |
Team |
Votes |
| 1 | Marshall | 91 |
| 2 | Middle Tennessee | 73 |
| 3 | Florida Atlantic | 60 |
| 4 | Western Kentucky | 57 |
| 5 | Old Dominion | 33 |
| 6 | UAB | 31 |
| 7 | FIU | 19 |
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|
| August 30 | 3:30 pm | at Miami (OH)* | | | ESPN3 | W 42–27 | 19,005 |
| September 6 | 7:00 pm | Rhode Island* | | | ASN | W 48–7 | 25,106 |
| September 13 | 12:00 pm | Ohio* | | | CBSSN | W 44–14 | 31,710 |
| September 20 | 2:00 pm | at Akron* | | | ESPN3 | W 48–17 | 13,357 |
| October 4 | 12:00 pm | at Old Dominion | | | FSN | W 56–14 | 20,118 |
| October 11 | 12:00 pm | Middle Tennessee | | - Joan C. Edwards Stadium
- Huntington, WV
| FSN | W 49–24 | 30,210 |
| October 18 | 6:00 pm | at FIU | No. 25 | | ASN | W 45–13 | 13,163 |
| October 25 | 3:30 pm | Florida Atlantic | No. 23 | - Joan C. Edwards Stadium
- Huntington, WV
| FS1 | W 35–16 | 27,236 |
| November 8 | 7:00 pm | at Southern Miss | | | ASN | W 63–17 | 22,949 |
| November 15 | 2:30 pm | Rice | | - Joan C. Edwards Stadium
- Huntington, WV
| FSN | W 41–14 | 30,680 |
| November 22 | 12:00 pm | at UAB | | | WCHS | W 23–18 | 28,355 |
| November 28 | 12:00 pm | Western Kentucky | No. 24 | - Joan C. Edwards Stadium
- Huntington, WV
| FS1 | L 66–67 OT | 23,576 |
| December 6 | 12:00 pm | Louisiana Tech | | | ESPN2 | W 26–23 | 23,711 |
| December 23 | 6:00 pm | vs. Northern Illinois* | | | ESPN | W 52–23 | 29,419 |
|
[2]
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Thundering Herd |
14 |
14 |
0 |
14 |
42 |
| RedHawks |
0 |
3 |
17 |
7 |
27 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Rams |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
| Thundering Herd |
7 |
10 |
21 |
10 |
48 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Bobcats |
0 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
14 |
| Thundering Herd |
17 |
10 |
14 |
3 |
44 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Thundering Herd |
17 |
14 |
10 |
7 |
48 |
| Zips |
0 |
3 |
0 |
14 |
17 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Thundering Herd |
28 |
14 |
14 |
0 |
56 |
| Monarchs |
7 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
14 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Blue Raiders |
7 |
10 |
0 |
7 |
24 |
| Thundering Herd |
14 |
14 |
14 |
7 |
49 |
Florida International
edit
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| #25 Thundering Herd |
7 |
7 |
10 |
21 |
45 |
| Panthers |
7 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
13 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Owls |
3 |
13 |
0 |
0 |
16 |
| #23 Thundering Herd |
7 |
7 |
7 |
14 |
35 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| #23 Thundering Herd |
7 |
21 |
14 |
21 |
63 |
| Golden Eagles |
14 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
17 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Owls |
0 |
7 |
0 |
7 |
14 |
| #21 Thundering Herd |
3 |
17 |
14 |
7 |
41 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| #18 Thundering Herd |
7 |
10 |
0 |
6 |
23 |
| Blazers |
3 |
3 |
6 |
6 |
18 |
|
|
|
|
| |
Total |
| Hilltoppers |
28 |
21 |
0 |
10 | 8 |
67 |
| #19 Thundering Herd |
21 |
21 |
7 |
10 | 7 |
66 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Bulldogs |
10 |
7 |
6 |
0 |
23 |
| Thundering Herd |
0 |
13 |
3 |
10 |
26 |
Northern Illinois–Boca Raton Bowl
edit
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Thundering Herd |
14 |
10 |
14 |
14 |
52 |
| Huskies |
7 |
6 |
7 |
3 |
23 |
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes | Week |
|---|
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Final |
|---|
| AP | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 25 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 18 | 19 | RV | RV | 23 |
|---|
| Coaches | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 24 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 18 | 20 | RV | RV | 22 |
|---|
| CFP | Not released | — | — | — | — | 24 | — | — | Not released |
|---|