Conference USA Preview: Marshall (0-0) at Ohio State (0-0)

Kick-Off: 7:30 PM (EDT)

Location: Ohio Stadium

All-Time Series:  Ohio State leads 1-0

Last Meeting:  Ohio State 24, Marshall 21 (September 11, 2004)

New Marshall head coach Doc Holliday definitely doesn’t believe in taking time to get the swing of head coaching at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level, as he’s leading the Thundering Herd into the belly of the beast known as Ohio Stadium to take on the second-ranked Buckeyes. It’s kind of the college football equivalent of skipping your multiplication tables in favor of diving right into differential equations.  While Ohio State is a side with legitimate national title aspirations, the Thundering Herd’s goals are more modest, like winning enough games to be bowl-eligible.  The more immediate objective is keeping the score respectable on Thursday night, as the Thundering Herd has been on the wrong end of 51-14 and 52-10 scores the last two times they visited Top 25 BCS schools (Wisconsin in 2008 and Virginia Tech last season, respectively).

Marshall Offense vs. Ohio State Defense:  In order for the Thundering Herd to hang with the Buckeyes, they are going to need promising sophomore running back Martin Ward (82 attempts, 393 yards, and 3 touchdowns in 2009) to have himself a ballgame.  The 5-9 Ward, who was recruited by several BCS programs, has the chops to put up numbers; he ran for two touchdowns and was the MVP in Marshall’s 21-17 upset of Ohio in the 2009 Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl.  Ward will have an experienced offensive line – three starters return – trying to open up holes in an Ohio State defense that, while more susceptible to the pass, is undersized.   

If Ward is able to get going, the Marshall air attack just might be able to test that kind of, sort of, possibly suspect Ohio State secondary (yeah, it’s a stretch, but Marshall has to think confidently).  Senior quarterback Brian Anderson (2,646 yards, 14 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 58% completions) has good targets in sophomore receiver Antavious Wilson (60 receptions, 724 yards, 3 touchdowns in 2009) and supersized 6-6 267-pound senior tight end Lee Smith (23 receptions, 335 yards in 2009).  However, Smith’s blocking ability may end up being more important than his pass receiving in this game.    

Ohio State Offense vs. Marshall Defense:  The Ohio State offense presents the stiffest of tests for any defense it faces.  Not only does Jim Tressel’s side return nine starters, but junior quarterback Terrelle Pryor is one of the nation’s most explosive players.   The task of stopping him when he decides to tuck-and-run rests squarely on the shoulders of the Thundering Herd’s rugged linebacking corps, which is led by All-Conference USA pick Mario Harvey, a 6-0, 250-pound senior, and anchor Kellen Harris.  Unfortunately, neither the secondary nor the defensive line are on par with the linebackers.  Pryor and star receiver DeVier Posey could very well end up having an easy night of pitch-and-catch.

Special Teams:  Marshall’s sophomore running back Andre Booker has the potential to be one of the better kick returners in college football.  Happily for Holliday and Thundering Herd fans, kick coverage is not a facet of the game Ohio State figures to excel at this season, so Booker could have a big game, especially if the oddsmakers are right and Thursday night’s scrap features lots of Ohio State scores and subsequent kick-offs.  

Intangibles:  Doc Holliday brings a rep as a tip-top recruiter to Huntington.  Unfortunately for Thundering Herd fans, that won’t mean much Thursday night.  While Marshall’s relative experience – 41 letterwinners and 13 starters return – may help the Thundering Herd deal with the conditions they face on Thursday night, Ohio Stadium is one of the most intimidating environments in college football.

Prediction: Ohio State 45, Marshall 17