Bobcats to renew series with Marshall
Written by Dave Ruthenberg   
Monday, March 02 2009
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Ohio head coach Frank Solich
Ohio will renew its longstanding football rivalry with Marshall starting with the 2010 season. That was among some of the highlights as Ohio Director of Athletics Jim Schaus announced the Bobcats' non-conference schedules through the 2015 season.

The Bobcats and the Thundering Herd will resume their series beginning with a 2010 contest at Marshall. The schools will alternate home field games and are slated to face each other for six consecutive seasons commencing with the 2010 contest. The geographic neighbors have met 52 times on the gridiron with Ohio owning a 29-17-6 advantage in the series. The teams first met in 1905 but have not faced each other since Marshall's last season in the MAC in 2004. The Thundering Herd have been competing in Conference USA since 2005.

Ohio will also be guaranteed a minimum of six home games for the next seven years, including an unprecedented seven home games in 2013.

"Strategic scheduling is critical to success," noted Shaus in a prepared statement. "It is important to plan ahead to ensure obtaining the type of schedule you need. The schedule has many positive features, including the fact that we are guaranteed at least six home games for the next seven consecutive years, which is great for our fans and team."

Ohio's 2009 non-conference schedule includes two BCS opponents, with a home contest against Connecticut out of the Big East conference and a road tilt at Tennessee. Future BCS opponents also include road games at Ohio State (2010), Rutgers (2011) and Penn State (2012).

Bobcats' head coach Frank Solich liked the balance of the Bobcats' future non-conference schedule.

"Having our schedule set through the year 2015 is good for all concerned - our players and coaches, as well as our fans," said Solich. "It assures us balance in the number of home versus road contests and is a good mixture of games against very competitive programs. Renewing the match-up with Marshall for a six-year stretch will be of interest to many of our fans. Due to the proximity of the two schools, it is a natural rivalry."

Here is a look at Ohio's non-conference schedule through 2015:

2009
Sept. 5-CONNECTICUT
Sept. 12-at North Texas
Sept. 19-CAL POLY
Sept. 26-at Tennessee

2010
Sept. 4-WOFFORD
Sept. 11-LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE
Sept. 18-at Ohio State
Sept. 25-at Marshall

2011
Sept. 3-at New Mexico State
Sept. 10-GARDNER-WEBB
Sept. 17-MARSHALL
Sept. 24-at Rutgers

2012
Sept. 1-at Penn State
Sept. 8-NEW MEXICO STATE
Sept. 15-at Marshall
Sept. 22-NORFOLK STATE

2013
Aug. 31-at Louisville
Sept. 7-NORTH TEXAS
Sept. 14-MARSHALL
Sept. 21-HOME VS. FCS (I-AA)

2014
Sept. 6-at Kentucky
Sept. 13-at Marshall
Sept. 20-IDAHO
Sept. 27-EASTERN ILLINOIS

2015
Sept. 5-SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA
Sept. 12-MARSHALL
Sept. 19-at Idaho
Sept. 26-at Minnesota