* – Did not qualify for conference standings Ties did not count in conference standings.
The 1940 Marshall Thundering Herd football team was an American football team that represented Marshall University as a member of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference during the 1940 college football season. In its sixth season under head coach Cam Henderson, the team compiled an 8–2 record and outscored opponents by a total of 334 to 75. Marshall had a 2–0 record against WVIAC opponents, but did not play enough conference games to qualify for the WVAC standings.[1] Jim Roberts and Andy D'Antoni were the team captains.[2] Jackie Hunt set a new single-season college football record with 27 touchdowns scored.[3]
Marshall was ranked at No. 34 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.[4]