Use this thread to talk about anything game-related. For away games, we'll have a separate travel thread.

Date: September 25th, 2010  7:00 PM

Opponent: Marshall  (0-3)

Site: Joan C. Edwards Stadium

TV: WSAZ

Weather

Ohio Game Notes

Marshall Game Notes

Marshall's media guide, roster and statistics.

Fan sites:  InsideTheHerd   (Scout.com)    HerdNation   (Rivals.com)

Okay, Toledo was our "what are we doing" game and Ohio State was #2.  No more excuses; we MUST get a win this week, or the season may fall apart at the seams.

Word on the street last year before the Pizza Bowl was that Marshall had "lost" The Bell in storage. The speculation was that they didn't want to have to bring The Bell to Detroit because they were afraid we'd kill them.

Hopefully they've gotten over that, because I want that Bell too.

Muck Farshall.

Considering some of the press conference fodder after the A&M loss...This is going to be a team culture defining game...

Either the staff is going to wake up and game plan to our strengths and get all that aggression pointed in the right direction or the team's going to fall apart at the seams.  Regardless of who starts at QB I think Boo and Noah need to make it clear that the effort and execution in this game will impact everything they've worked so hard for all off season.  The most talented team we've had in decades could go to waste.

I'm not saying a loss here is the end of everything bc all that really matters now is MAC play but if they don't come together and play as a team, we're doomed.

FLUSH The Terd!

Sending them to 0-4 (and at home) would be so satisfying I can't put it to words...

I'm hoping it gets picked up.  I have used Marshall's online streaming for basketball before.  It works well.  Much better than the crappy MAC deal.

Ahhh, Chuck Landon.

Chuck Landon: Here's how Marshall can play better ball

Interesting. Thanks for the insightful post BR.

Taking a look at it statistically, Marshall has the better offense, though neither has been good. Of course, you do have to account for Marshall having a pretty tough schedule up to this point.

The teams are pretty even in terms of rushing yards, but Marshall has a much better yards per carry average. Not surprisingly, Marshall has almost twice as many passing yards as Ohio, although you can't say either team has passed well. Marshall, 4 TDs, 5 INTs; Ohio, 3 TDs, 6 INTs.

Even though Marshall has better offensive numbers, they've scored only a few more points total, 56-53.

Still, you've got to give the edge to Marshall offensively, but of course we hope the Bobcats haven't even come close to reaching their potential offensively.

Defense, though, seems to favor the Bobcats, who even after last week's game, have given up only about 290 yards and 24 points per game, both of which rank in the top half of college football.

Marshall hasn't stopped anyone to this point, though it's fair to say all of the offenses Marshall has seen have been much better than Ohio's has been. The Thundering Herd have given up 286 passing yards per game! And 178 rushing yards per game. That's 464 yards and 38 points per game. Teams have completed better than 70 percent of their passes against them with only one interception. They've limited teams to 4.2 yards per carry, which isn't bad, but Ohio is better at 3.4.

Even considering who Marshall has played, I feel like Ohio has the better defense by a fair margin.

Special teams also goes to the Bobcats, who have netted almost 39 yards per punt, compared to only 32 for the Herd. We're also 4-4 on field goals, compared to 0-3. Return numbers to this point are pretty similar, although the Bobcats have been very good on punt return coverage while Marshall has been average.

As many times as the Bobcats have turned it over (11), the Thundering Herd have almost as many (9). Ohio has forced seven and only four for Marshall, so Ohio actually is one better in turnover differential. In addition, both teams have seen quite a few penalties called against them.

And an interesting stat: Ohio has scored three points in three games in the third quarter. The Bobcats also have only given up seven points in the fourth quarter, but of course those were an important seven points. Marshall has been outscored 34-7 in the fourth quarter and 38-14 in the first quarter.

All in all, even with the offense just taking a small step forward, I think Ohio should be a little better than Marshall, although home field could boost Marshall a bit. Of course, the Herd had their best game in their only home, with 41,000+ in attendance. I don't think they'll have that many this time and I sure hope Ohio brings plenty. I hate the $32 price, but I think my wife and I will be there anyway. The Bobcats need this one!

Will someone pay for the pizza and get this guy ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Off our front porch.

Right now I have no real problem with him.  The sting from the defeat has worn off and even though I hate OSU, the game is over.  As long as he's not spewing arrogant bullcrap I have no problem with his being here...besides he's saying statistically we have a chance, and you want him to leave for that???

Lighten up.  Rican's bringing good discussion without being a columbus blindass. 

Take out the FCS option team and our pass numbers are not nearly as good.  Toledo has an anemic pass offense as well.  Our secondary is largely untested outside of OSU.  I am interested in seeing how we fair in the remaining games.

So, basically the team who plays the best offensively wins this game. I like our chances if we get our weapons on the outside the ball enough and far enough down field. However, if we keep doing this 1-5 yard pass crap hoping to break a tackle we're in trouble. I wanna see some 12 yard posts, flags, ins, and who knows maybe even a deep comeback towards the sticks if Boo or Phil can muster up the arm strength to do so.

And will someone PLEASE tell Phil to line up in the backfield alongside Boo one time? Just to see how it works? C'mon. Put some freakin' hot fudge on this vanilla offense. Maybe even some sprinkles! I WANT TOUCHDOWNS. The "s" being keing as in I want plural.