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MARSHALL SPORTS
Herd faces another tough schedule
Make www.herald-dispatch.com your stop for Marshall football news.
Purchase this photoHUNTINGTON — Survive and advance.
No, the Marshall University 2012 football schedule isn’t some version of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. It’s just taking that shape.
Next season’s slate was released Thursday and the eyes might want to focus on two months: September and November.
A la recent seasons, the Thundering Herd will face its toughest challenges right away, but will have a chance to catch up later on.
On Sept. 1, Marshall will kick things off in Morgantown against a potential Top 10 team in Geno Smith and West Virginia in what very well could be the final installment of the Friends of Coal Bowl.
In other words, this might be the last time the Herd gets a shot at breaking its 0-for history against its rivals to the north.
A week later, it’s the home opener against Western Carolina, a 1-10 team in 2011 and member of the lower-level Football Championship Subdivision.
But that cupcake is followed by a visit from Ohio University (10 wins in 2011, including a 44-7 whipping of Marshall in Athens, Ohio) and trips to Rice (Owls return plenty, including quarterback Taylor McHargue and running back Sam McGuffie) and Purdue (Herd has lost its last two trips to Big 10 stadiums by a combined score of 96-21).
Tulsa (8-5 in 2011) will come to Joan C. Edwards Stadium on Oct. 6 and a journey to Southern Miss (12-2) will take place on Oct. 20. A bye week is in-between.
The combined 2011 record for the Herd’s first seven opponents is 52-38. Five were bowl participants. Three — WVU, Ohio and Southern Miss — were either division or conference champions.
As for the stretch run, things should lighten up.
Marshall’s final five opponents went a combined 28-34 last season. That includes Houston, which will come to the Joan on Nov. 17. The Cougars (13-1) will (finally) be without the All-American quarterback-receiver combination of Case Keenum and Patrick Edwards as well as coach Kevin Sumlin, who is now the head man at Texas A&M.
Also like last season, fireworks could again be in store for the finale.
Nov. 24 will be the date for Marshall against East Carolina at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
In 2011, the East Division foes hooked up on the last week to decide who would be bowl-eligible. The Herd came out on top in dramatic fashion, winning 34-27 in overtime.
The Herd’s schedule from Oct. 27 to Nov. 10 includes back-to-back home dates with UCF (5-7) and Memphis (2-10) and a trip to UAB (3-9).
SIGNING DAY PARTY: The Big Green Scholarship Foundation will be hosting a Signing Day Party on Wednesday, Feb. 1, from 5 to 6 p.m., in Room BE-5 of Memorial Student Center.
Admission is $15. You must be a Big Green or Quarterback Club member to attend.
Big Green memberships will be available at the door, beginning at $50.
Hors d’oeuvres and drinks will be served.
RSVP by calling 304-696-4661.
2012 MARSHALL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
(Subject to change)
Sept. 1 at West Virginia
Sept. 8 Western Carolina
Sept. 15 Ohio
Sept. 22 at Rice
Sept. 29 at Purdue
Oct. 6 Tulsa
Oct. 20 at Southern Miss
Oct. 27 UCF
Nov. 3 Memphis
Nov. 10 at UAB
Nov. 17 Houston
Nov. 24 at East Carolina
