The Friends of the Coal Bowl Trophy will be on the line Friday night when in-state rivals Marshall and 25th-ranked West Virginia clash.  The Mountaineers have dominated this series, winning all nine games by an average of 33 points per game. 

Marshall got off to a rough start against No. 2 ranked Ohio State and were soundly defeated 45-7.  WVU had a sluggish start against Coastal Carolina, but still romped to a 31-0 victory.  Marshall is a 13.5 point underdog in this matchup.

Doc Holliday’s first game as Marshall’s head coach didn’t go exactly as planned.  The opponent had a lot to do with that as Ohio State came out firing on all cylinders.  Quarterback Brian Anderson was ineffective for most of the game, throwing for 135 yards and an interception.  Eddie Sullivan was inserted later in the game to see if he could move the ball with any success and the result was similar. 

Not being able to run the ball played a large role in the struggles the offense experienced.  Martin Ward was the leading rusher with 32 yards on six carries.  The Thunder Herd’s only touchdown came in the first quarter on a blocked goal attempt that was returned for six points.  It was all Buckeyes from that point forward. 

Receiver Antavious Wilson is Marshall’s big play threat, but managed just five receptions for 38 yards.  Things don’t get much easier with the No. 25-ranked Mountaineers coming to town.  The defense gave up 529 yards of total offense and really had a hard time stopping the run (280 yards).  WVA features a high powered rushing attack with Geno Smith at quarterback and the electric Noel Devine in the backfield.  It could be a long night if the Herd don’t make some quick adjustments.

West Virginia’s offense got off to a slow start last Saturday, but credit was given to a Coastal Carolina defense for slowing down Heisman contender Noel Devine.  The scat back managed just 4.8 yards per carry and it was much lower than that before a 39-yard dash in the fourth quarter raised his average.  Devine finished with 111 yards and one touchdown. 

Geno Smith finally got his chance to prove himself as a starting quarterback.  The sophomore threw for 216 yards and two scores, but was intercepted once.  His two touchdown passes went for four and 17 yards. 

Receiver Jock Sanders is a huge part of this offense and he showed why in the opener.  Offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen does a nice job finding a variety of ways to get him the ball.  Sanders accounted for over 100 yards of total offense and a touchdown Saturday.  Receiver Tavon Austin led the team with five catches for 90 yards. 

The Mountaineer defense was dominant, holding their opponent to under 200 yards of total offense and just 1.9 yards per carry rushing.  Emotions will be involved vs. Marshall as their head coach Doc Holliday was a long time assistant at West Virginia and an alum.

Even though both of these teams reside in the state of West Virginia, the rivalry has been one-sided.  Bill Stewart looks to have his best team in his third year at the helm for the Mountaineers while Marshall is in a rebuilding mode.  Squaring off against two top-25 opponents to open a season is no easy task for any head coach, let alone one entering his first year.  Expect West Virginia to run away by a large margin.

Play: West Virginia -13.5

Get all of your college football picks from the expert handicappers at Locksmith.  No site provides more winners and weekly football previews than Jimmy Boyd and company!