Marshall University Athletics
Brenden Knox
Pittsburgh, Boise State Highlight Marshall’s 2020 Football Schedule
1/8/2020 2:03:00 PM | Football
Panthers, Broncos come to Huntington in September
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall Football will host Atlantic Coast Conference foe Pittsburgh and nationally-ranked Boise State in September as part of the Thundering Herd's 2020 schedule, the Conference USA office announced Wednesday.
The Panthers, who come to Huntington on September 12, finished 8-5 in 2019, defeating Eastern Michigan in the Quick Lane Bowl. Last season, the Panthers featured a ferocious defense that led the nation (along with SMU) with 3.92 sacks per game.
The Broncos, who invade Joan C. Edwards Stadium on September 26, held off a game Marshall squad, 14-7 last season in Albertsons Stadium. Boise State, which ranked in the top 20 nationally in all three major polls (College Football Playoff, Associate Press, Coaches), finished 12-2 last season and won the Mountain West Conference title for the third time under head coach Bryan Harsin.
Marshall's other two non-conference tilts will be a trip to East Carolina on September 5 and a road date at Ohio on September 19.
In league play, the Thundering Herd will host Rice (October 3), Florida Atlantic (October 24), Middle Tennessee (November 14) and Charlotte (November 21). It will travel to WKU (October 10), Louisiana Tech (October 17), FIU (October 31) and Old Dominion (November 28).
The games against the Pirates and Blue Raiders carry special significance for Marshall this season. The Thundering Herd will host Middle Tennessee on the 50th anniversary of the 1970 Southern Airways Flight 932 crash that killed all 75 aboard, including 37 members of the football team. Marshall had been en route from Greenville, N.C., where ECU defeated the Thundering Herd 17-14 earlier that afternoon.
Eight of Marshall's 2020 opponents played in bowls in 2019.
"Our program is excited for the 2020 season," said Marshall head coach Doc Holliday. "This is the best non-conference schedule we've played and Pitt and Boise will be two of the top non-league opponents to ever visit Huntington. It's great to be able to bring these quality opponents to Joan C. Edwards Stadium and our players and coaches are looking forward to this most challenging schedule."
Each C-USA school will play every team in its division once for six games, while playing two cross-over opponents from the opposite division. Each team will reverse the location of its 2019 division and cross-division opponents, with intra-division foes finishing a two-year cycle. The conference is in the fourth year of a rotation between cross-division opponents that will rotate every two years until 2024, when each school has played every opponent in the opposite division once home and away.
The 2020 Conference USA Championship Game is scheduled for December 5.
It is important to note that all games are subject to date changes and some dates are expected to move in the coming weeks in order to accommodate national broadcast opportunities.
A schedule of those games will be released at a later date.
2020 Marshall Football Schedule
Sept. 5 at East Carolina
Sept. 12 PITTSBURGH
Sept. 19 at Ohio
Sept. 26 BOISE STATE
Oct. 3 RICE*
Oct. 10 at WKU*
Oct. 17 at Louisiana Tech*
Oct. 24 FLORIDA ATLANTIC*
Oct. 31 at FIU*
Nov. 7 Bye
Nov. 14 MIDDLE TENNESSEE*
Nov. 21 CHARLOTTE*
Nov. 28 at Old Dominion*
*Conference USA game
The Panthers, who come to Huntington on September 12, finished 8-5 in 2019, defeating Eastern Michigan in the Quick Lane Bowl. Last season, the Panthers featured a ferocious defense that led the nation (along with SMU) with 3.92 sacks per game.
The Broncos, who invade Joan C. Edwards Stadium on September 26, held off a game Marshall squad, 14-7 last season in Albertsons Stadium. Boise State, which ranked in the top 20 nationally in all three major polls (College Football Playoff, Associate Press, Coaches), finished 12-2 last season and won the Mountain West Conference title for the third time under head coach Bryan Harsin.
Marshall's other two non-conference tilts will be a trip to East Carolina on September 5 and a road date at Ohio on September 19.
In league play, the Thundering Herd will host Rice (October 3), Florida Atlantic (October 24), Middle Tennessee (November 14) and Charlotte (November 21). It will travel to WKU (October 10), Louisiana Tech (October 17), FIU (October 31) and Old Dominion (November 28).
The games against the Pirates and Blue Raiders carry special significance for Marshall this season. The Thundering Herd will host Middle Tennessee on the 50th anniversary of the 1970 Southern Airways Flight 932 crash that killed all 75 aboard, including 37 members of the football team. Marshall had been en route from Greenville, N.C., where ECU defeated the Thundering Herd 17-14 earlier that afternoon.
Eight of Marshall's 2020 opponents played in bowls in 2019.
"Our program is excited for the 2020 season," said Marshall head coach Doc Holliday. "This is the best non-conference schedule we've played and Pitt and Boise will be two of the top non-league opponents to ever visit Huntington. It's great to be able to bring these quality opponents to Joan C. Edwards Stadium and our players and coaches are looking forward to this most challenging schedule."
Each C-USA school will play every team in its division once for six games, while playing two cross-over opponents from the opposite division. Each team will reverse the location of its 2019 division and cross-division opponents, with intra-division foes finishing a two-year cycle. The conference is in the fourth year of a rotation between cross-division opponents that will rotate every two years until 2024, when each school has played every opponent in the opposite division once home and away.
The 2020 Conference USA Championship Game is scheduled for December 5.
It is important to note that all games are subject to date changes and some dates are expected to move in the coming weeks in order to accommodate national broadcast opportunities.
A schedule of those games will be released at a later date.
2020 Marshall Football Schedule
Sept. 5 at East Carolina
Sept. 12 PITTSBURGH
Sept. 19 at Ohio
Sept. 26 BOISE STATE
Oct. 3 RICE*
Oct. 10 at WKU*
Oct. 17 at Louisiana Tech*
Oct. 24 FLORIDA ATLANTIC*
Oct. 31 at FIU*
Nov. 7 Bye
Nov. 14 MIDDLE TENNESSEE*
Nov. 21 CHARLOTTE*
Nov. 28 at Old Dominion*
*Conference USA game
Marshall Football | GAME4 MTSU RECAP
Friday, September 26
Marshall Football: Player Weekly Interviews
Tuesday, September 23
Marshall Football: Tony Gibson Weekly Press Conference (Week 5 | @ Louisiana)
Tuesday, September 23
Marshall Football | Player Interviews Post Middle Tennessee
Monday, September 22