Series Originated 1905 Overall Series Ohio leads 33–20–6 First Meeting November 11, 1905 | Trophy Originated 1997 Trophy Series Marshall leads 10–5 First Meeting Result Marshall 6, Ohio 5 | |
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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. 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. With Marshall's move from the Mid-American Conference to Conference USA in 2005, this 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. Ohio leads the all-time series over Marshall 33–20–6.
Game results
Marshall victories are colored ██ Marshall green. Ohio victories colored ██ Ohio green. Ties are white.
The 1970 meeting was canceled due to the crash of Southern Airways Flight 932, which killed nearly the entire Marshall team.