Ohio State Will Host Marshall in 2004 – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/18/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
May 18, 2002
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State and Marshall will meet for the first time ever on the football field in 2004. Ohio State Director of Athletics Andy Geiger announced the game today.
The two teams will square off September 11 in Columbus. The Buckeyes were scheduled to meet San Jose State on that date in Ohio Stadium, but the Spartans asked to be released from their contract, leaving Ohio State a game short in 2004.
“We feel extremely fortunate to be able to add a team of Marshall’s caliber to our schedule at such a late date,” Geiger said. “I want to thank (Ohio State Associate Director of Athletics) Archie Griffin and my counterpart at Marshall, Lance West, for working out the details. This should be a good game for both schools, especially given the proximity of Marshall.”
This will be Marshall’s second game against a current member of the Big Ten. The Herd dropped a 34-24 decision to Michigan State in 2000. Marshall is also scheduled to play Wisconsin in 2007.
The Buckeyes are 17-1 all-time against schools in the Mid-American Conference, including a 28-14 win over visiting Akron in last year’s season opener. With the addition of Marshall, Ohio State has a MAC foe on the schedule in each of the next four seasons. That list includes Kent State this coming fall, Bowling Green in 2003 and Miami in 2005.
Current Buckeye coach Jim Tressel was 2-3-0 against Marshall while at Youngstown State. Three of those games came in the Division 1-AA National Championship Game, YSU winning the national title in 1991, losing the rematch the following year, and winning the rubber game in 1993.
