The Battle for the Bell is an American college football rivalry game played by the Marshall Thundering Herd football team of Marshall University and the Ohio Bobcats football team of Ohio University.[2][3] It is a regional rivalry, with the universities' campuses located about 80 miles (130 km) from each other, with a bell awarded as the trophy for the winner of the game. While Marshall and Ohio first played in 1905, they did not start playing for "The Bell" until 1997 when Marshall rejoined the Mid-American Conference.[4] With Marshall's move from the MAC to Conference USA in 2005, the rivalry game was on hiatus for several years. The series unexpectedly resumed in 2009 when the Herd and Bobcats faced off in the 2009 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, which Marshall won 21–17. A six-year contract between the schools began in 2010. The six-year series contract between the two schools was not renewed following the 2015 season. The rivalry resumed in the 2019 season, with additional games scheduled for the 2027, 2028, and 2029 seasons.[5] Ohio leads the all-time series over Marshall 33–21–6.
Sport | Football |
---|---|
First meeting | November 11, 1905 Marshall, 6–5 |
Latest meeting | September 14, 2019 Marshall, 33–31 |
Next meeting | September 11, 2027 |
Trophy | The Bell |
Statistics | |
Meetings total | 60 |
All-time series | Ohio leads, 33–21–6[1] |
Largest victory | Ohio, 59–0 (1908) |
Longest win streak | Ohio, 6 (1958–1963) Ohio, 6 (1973–1980) Marshall, 6 (2001–2010) |
Longest unbeaten streak | Ohio, 10 (1908–1938) |
Current win streak | Marshall, 1 (2019–present) |
Series overview
editStatistic | Marshall | Ohio |
---|---|---|
Games played | 60 | |
Wins | 21 | 33 |
Ties | 6 | |
Home wins | 14 | 22 |
Road wins | 6 | 11 |
Neutral site wins | 1 | 0 |
Total points scored in the series | 950 | 1299 |
Most points scored in a game by one team | 44 (2014) | 59 (1908) |
Most points scored in a game by both teams | 76 (1977 – OU 49, MU 27) | |
Fewest points scored in a game by both teams | 0 (1933) | |
Fewest points scored in a game by one team in a win | 6 (1905) | 8 (1934) |
Most points scored in a game by one team in a loss | 35 (1969) | 31 (2019) |
Largest margin of victory | 31 (1999) | 59 (1908) |
Smallest margin of victory | 1 (twice) | 1 (1954) |
Shut-outs of opposing team | 4 | 12 |
Game results
editMarshall victories | Ohio victories | Tie games |
|
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Winsipedia – Marshall Thundering Herd vs. Ohio Bobcats football series history". Winsipedia.
- ^ "Battle for the Bell: By losing the bell Herd realized how special it is". West Virginia MetroNews. September 12, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
- ^ "MARSHALL FOOTBALL: Herd hammers Ohio, 44–14, to win "Battle for the Bell"". Charleston Daily Mail. September 13, 2014. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
- ^ "Football: A phone call, a lunch at Pigskin and riverboats: How the Battle for the Bell was born". The Post. September 13, 2019. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
- ^ Kelley, Kevin (September 21, 2023). "Ohio reschedules football games against Marshall, Texas State". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ "Marshall vs Ohio". Special Collections.
- ^ "Memories of Marshall; ex-player says shock of crash never ends". The Blade.
- ^ "MAC Cancels Football Season. What Does It Mean For The Rest Of College Football?". College Football News. August 8, 2020.
- Sources
- "Ohio Bobcats vs. Marshall Thundering Herd Preview". hustlebelt.com. September 12, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
- "Battle for the Bell resumes". The Athens Messenger. September 12, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
- "Marshall, Cato snap Ohio's 'Battle for the Bell' streak". The Post. September 13, 2014. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
- "Marshall, Ohio 'Battle for the Bell'". The Herald-Dispatch. September 14, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
- "Marshall wins "Battle for the Bell" 44–14 over Ohio U." herdinsider.com. September 14, 2014. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
- "Bobcats Target Fourth-Straight Battle For The Bell Win". WOUB-TV. September 13, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
- "Marshall Wins Battle for the Bell". WSAZ-TV. September 14, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.[permanent dead link ]
- "Marshall defeats Ohio in Battle for the Bell". WOWK-TV. September 13, 2014. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
- "Bell tolls for 'Cats after rivalry blowout loss at Marshall". The Athens News. September 13, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
- "Ohio, Marshall ready to battle for The Bell". The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. September 13, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
- "Cato leads Herd to 44–14 romp over Ohio". The Charleston Gazette. September 13, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
- "Marshall to battle for 'the Bell' in first road test at Ohio". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. September 14, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
- "Marshall holds on to beat Ohio 21–17 in Pizza Bowl". mlive.com. December 27, 2009. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
- "Marshall, Ohio renew rivalry Saturday night". Ironton Tribune. September 24, 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
- Whittingham, Richard (2001). Rites of Autumn: The Story of College Football. Simon and Schuster. p. 119. ISBN 9780743222198.