***2022 SCHEDULE HAS BEEN RELEASED***
- Thread starter BleedsGreen33
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Before some of you inevitably complain about playing two FCS teams. It is what it is. We had extremely limited options to fill the spot Appy left in the OoC. Necessary sacrifice. To get out of this horrible confernce.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Sun Belt Conference office unveiled its 2022 football schedules Tuesday, which has the Thundering competing in the league’s East Division.
Marshall will be joined in the East by App State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, James Madison and Old Dominion.
In the West will be Arkansas State, Louisiana, ULM, Troy, Texas State, South Alabama and Southern Miss.
The Thundering Herd will open its season at home against Norfolk State (Saturday, September 3), before hitting the road for games at Notre Dame (Saturday, September 10), Bowling Green (Saturday, September 17) and Troy (Saturday, September 24). The game against the Trojans will serve as MU’s conference opener.
Marshall’s final non-conference game of the regular season will be a Saturday, October 1 date against Gardner-Webb inside Joan C. Edwards Stadium. The Thundering Herd was originally scheduled to play App State in a non-league game, but MU’s shift in conference affiliation made it necessary to find a last-minute replacement.
The Thundering Herd will then host defending Sun Belt champion Louisiana on Wednesday, October 12, before finishing the season with six consecutive Saturday games: at James Madison (October 22), home versus Coastal Carolina (October 29), at Old Dominion (November 5), home versus App State (November 12), at Georgia Southern (November 19) and home versus Georgia State (November 26).
Louisiana, Coastal Carolina and App State will all come Joan C. Edwards Stadium next season on the heels of a combined 34-7 overall record in 2021.
“Our organization is excited about the opportunity to compete in the Sun Belt Conference,” said Marshall head coach Charles Huff. “We have a lot of work to do to prepare for the upcoming challenges. Our immediate focus is on what we need to do today in order to continue to close the gap.
“While this new conference creates a lot of excitement and new engagement for our fans and community, we have to continue to prepare one day at a time … with laser focus on improving! This will be a very exciting transition and we look forward to this season and many more to come!”
The conference championship game will be played Saturday, December 3.
Kickoff times and networks for the Norfolk State, Notre Dame, Bowling Green and Louisiana games will be selected in early June and will be announced by the league office. All other games will fall into the traditional 12-day selection process.
2022 Marshall Football Schedule
Saturday, September 3 NORFOLK STATE
Saturday, September 10 at Notre Dame
Saturday, September 17 at Bowling Green
Saturday, September 24 at Troy*
Saturday, October 1 GARDNER-WEBB
Wednesday, October 12 LOUISIANA*
Saturday, October 22 at James Madison*
Saturday, October 29 COASTAL CAROLINA*
Saturday, November 5 at Old Dominion*
Saturday, November 12 APP STATE*
Saturday, November 19 at Georgia Southern*
Saturday, November 26 GEORGIA STATE*
HOME games in ALL CAPS
*Denotes Sun Belt Conference game
Marshall will be joined in the East by App State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, James Madison and Old Dominion.
In the West will be Arkansas State, Louisiana, ULM, Troy, Texas State, South Alabama and Southern Miss.
The Thundering Herd will open its season at home against Norfolk State (Saturday, September 3), before hitting the road for games at Notre Dame (Saturday, September 10), Bowling Green (Saturday, September 17) and Troy (Saturday, September 24). The game against the Trojans will serve as MU’s conference opener.
Marshall’s final non-conference game of the regular season will be a Saturday, October 1 date against Gardner-Webb inside Joan C. Edwards Stadium. The Thundering Herd was originally scheduled to play App State in a non-league game, but MU’s shift in conference affiliation made it necessary to find a last-minute replacement.
The Thundering Herd will then host defending Sun Belt champion Louisiana on Wednesday, October 12, before finishing the season with six consecutive Saturday games: at James Madison (October 22), home versus Coastal Carolina (October 29), at Old Dominion (November 5), home versus App State (November 12), at Georgia Southern (November 19) and home versus Georgia State (November 26).
Louisiana, Coastal Carolina and App State will all come Joan C. Edwards Stadium next season on the heels of a combined 34-7 overall record in 2021.
“Our organization is excited about the opportunity to compete in the Sun Belt Conference,” said Marshall head coach Charles Huff. “We have a lot of work to do to prepare for the upcoming challenges. Our immediate focus is on what we need to do today in order to continue to close the gap.
“While this new conference creates a lot of excitement and new engagement for our fans and community, we have to continue to prepare one day at a time … with laser focus on improving! This will be a very exciting transition and we look forward to this season and many more to come!”
The conference championship game will be played Saturday, December 3.
Kickoff times and networks for the Norfolk State, Notre Dame, Bowling Green and Louisiana games will be selected in early June and will be announced by the league office. All other games will fall into the traditional 12-day selection process.
2022 Marshall Football Schedule
Saturday, September 3 NORFOLK STATE
Saturday, September 10 at Notre Dame
Saturday, September 17 at Bowling Green
Saturday, September 24 at Troy*
Saturday, October 1 GARDNER-WEBB
Wednesday, October 12 LOUISIANA*
Saturday, October 22 at James Madison*
Saturday, October 29 COASTAL CAROLINA*
Saturday, November 5 at Old Dominion*
Saturday, November 12 APP STATE*
Saturday, November 19 at Georgia Southern*
Saturday, November 26 GEORGIA STATE*
HOME games in ALL CAPS
*Denotes Sun Belt Conference game
The two I-AAs was unavoidable. Schedules are made years in advance. As I understand it, this means that MU will have to go 7-5 to be bowl eligible, as only one I-AA win counts towards the six.
I really love seeing those SBC conference opponents on the schedule. So much more exciting than seeing Multi National Florida.
I was really hoping to alternate the two VA teams, not both at home, or both on the road. Also I wonder if they'll redo it next year. As of now, this years home slate is great with UL, Coastal, and Appy at home. Next year those being on the road will be a very tough slate. I'm sure this year scheduling was incredibly tough with all the new faces.
Just had this exact text convo with some buddies.
I think starting in 2023 we will have one VA team and one Carolina team at home and one VA team and one Carolina team on the road every year.
App State and Coastal both home games in the first season is a major gift from the Sun Belt welcoming committee. It's pretty refreshing to see a conference care.
I can't wait for those home games. This first year is going to be EXCITING!
This schedule is absolutely a gift in year one... But remember that in year two, when we are on the road for App, Coastal, Louisiana and Georgia State (probably our four toughest league games).
Playing two 1-AA teams could not be avoided. No FBS teams are looking for non-conference games in February. Beat them both and it isn't a big deal.
Playing two 1-AA teams could not be avoided. No FBS teams are looking for non-conference games in February. Beat them both and it isn't a big deal.
Celt - throw in Louisiana & we’ve hit the trifecta. I would be willing to bet attendance much closer to 30k avg, with the major caveat that we are a winning football team!
Louisiana on a Wednesday night? be lucky to get 22,000 in there. better start scrubbing up the joan so the bleachers look nice on espn.
Because we draw much more than 22k on the regular anyways?
Was going to post the exact same thing.
For those of us in the Charlotte metro I hope we don't have App State, Coastal, and Georgia State all on the same rotation. I could see maybe doing two a year, but not three. Georgia Southern I just checked is closer than I thought, only four hours which is only a half-hour more than Coastal or Georgia State.
That's so awesome having FOUR conference schools within an easy day's drive.
Troy is 6 1/2 and ODU is 5 1/2 with JMU being 5 hours.
I'm practically crying happy tears.
NBD, but the best combination of SBC E pairing (i.e. one home one year, the other the next) for MU would be the two Virginia schools, the two Georgia schools, and the two Carolina schools.
As to a Wednesday night game, depends on the record and if the Reds are in the playoffs (assuming there are playoffs). If CH can get it together and we come in with one (Notre Dame) or even two losses, then we could be in the mid to upper 20s. If he continues to underperform and we have only the I-AAs as wins, 18K.
As to a Wednesday night game, depends on the record and if the Reds are in the playoffs (assuming there are playoffs). If CH can get it together and we come in with one (Notre Dame) or even two losses, then we could be in the mid to upper 20s. If he continues to underperform and we have only the I-AAs as wins, 18K.
glad you are agreeing with me. my comment was in response to 30,000 attendance and that Louisiana would help with that.
my point was....no they won't on a Wednesday night. Does that help? I'm not sure if you didn't understand, or you are agreeing or you would like to take the discussion in another direction.
well you are the same guy that thought this game would help us get to 30,000 average so there is that. how much better?
Can you ask Judy to schedule with one of the remaining CUSA teams? I mean, they're basically FCS and are in need of money.
Wednesday night is a tough sell for in-person attendance but its a freaking dream for ESPN... Not competing with an NFL game that night, baseball may or may not be a thing anyone is interested in at that point, NBA/NHL haven't started yet.
If both teams have winning records (maybe one being ranked) going into that game ESPN will be in hog heaven. They will pimp the broadcast all day Tuesday and Wednesday on Sportscenter and other programs. Love it or hate it, games like Louisiana at Marshall are why ESPN wanted us back in their stable and why the Sun Belt move happened... The Sun Belt can spread out midweek games so the good teams all get one or two, and there are enough good teams in the league to make it interesting/appealing to viewers.
Look at the ESPN midweek slate... These are good quality games with maybe the exception of Troy at South Alabama.
Coastal at Georgia State
Louisiana at Marshall
Georgia State at App
Troy at South Alabama
Louisiana at Southern Miss
App at Coastal
Georgia Southern at Louisiana
If both teams have winning records (maybe one being ranked) going into that game ESPN will be in hog heaven. They will pimp the broadcast all day Tuesday and Wednesday on Sportscenter and other programs. Love it or hate it, games like Louisiana at Marshall are why ESPN wanted us back in their stable and why the Sun Belt move happened... The Sun Belt can spread out midweek games so the good teams all get one or two, and there are enough good teams in the league to make it interesting/appealing to viewers.
Look at the ESPN midweek slate... These are good quality games with maybe the exception of Troy at South Alabama.
Coastal at Georgia State
Louisiana at Marshall
Georgia State at App
Troy at South Alabama
Louisiana at Southern Miss
App at Coastal
Georgia Southern at Louisiana
MU needs to pull out all the stops for this game. Stripe the stadium, student promos, fan discount tix in the end zone. Get butts in seats any way they can.
Agree. The main issue with with weeknight night games, IMHO, is not churches its just that unless you live right in the tri-state you have to take at least part of two days off work, and that is a big ask for a lot of people.
Spamies @ VPI will probably go on mothership ESPN in the same time slot. NFL schedule isn’t out until April. Reds are playing the Brewers.
Only game in town that night. Prime spot. There will be playoff baseball, but who knows.
Same, see above. No other football. Baseball playoffs. NHL and NBA, nobody pays attention until after Christmas.
NFL, plus Virginia @ Georgia Tech sets this one back a bit.
NFL and Virginia Tech @ NC State. Possible World Series.
NFL only.
NFL and a crap AAC game, Tulsa @ Memphis.
I think it will be tough to get 12000 on a Wednesday night, and that’s only if it’s good weather
(I am talking about actual butts in the seats)
Love our SBC schedule! Some fun games with Notre Dame, Louisiana, Coastal Carolina, and App State.
We'll have more than that with good weather.
I really like how this sets up in terms of spacing. We have 5 Saturdays in a row followed by 10 days for Cajuns followed by 10 days until @ JMU, a very drivable game for our fan base…….
I hate to be negative, but I've always felt there should be a rule against 'stripe the stadium', particularly so for programs that aren't close to filling up the seats. Think it looks bad too. Think Marshall should just stick with the 50 shades of Green.
Yeah, it is a risk. It looked great against Louisville a few years ago but I doubt we will come close to that many in the stadium for a weeknight game. Just go green out and roll with that. The black outs are the worst, looks terrible. jmo.
Correct. Stripeouts just look awful at times. You've seen WVU do it a few times. Looks like a bumble bee.
I prefer all one color, but agree, black outs look awful. Penn State's white outs are probably the best I've ever seen, but they're professionals at doing it now. Michigan did a good one with the Maize out, with all wearing yellow (maize). Think you need a lighter color to make it work best. If you go with a stripe thingy, you have to make sure the colors will look good. WVU and the bumble bee look didn't work.
week might game. polish the bleachers so they shine nice on tv and move on.
The only school who runs this sort of thing with amazing results is Tennessee and checkering the stadium.
Dude.
MU is playing two I-AAs. That is two wins. BGSU was 4-8 last year and hasn’t had a winning season since 2015.
Troy and Georgia Southern both had losing records last year. Beating teams with losing records is what CH football is all about. JMU was not ready for this move up. The other teams that moved up, starting with us and followed by almost everyone in this conference, had a multi-year plan. JMU didn’t. The Big 2 broke up with the Little 8 and caused a cascade effect throughout the division, and JMU took its shot. It will be a I-AA de facto for at least a couple years (although, in the long run, I expect them to be very good after that).
So that is five. ODU is garbage. So that is 6.
So the question is simple. Can CH turn things around and finally beat a team with a winning record?
I believe he has every chance of winning a game, or even two, against winning teams next year. Snyder’s record (33 games before he won a game in I-A versus a team with a winning record) is probably not in danger at all. CH has every shot at beating a team with a winning record, this coming year, or maybe the next.
