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Rivalry

Battle for the Bell

vs.

Marshall vs. Ohio. First played in 1905; the results here start in 1962.

Ohio leads 19–17 in Battle for the Bell through 2019. Marshall won the last meeting, 33–31, in 2019.

All-time19–17Ohio's record, 36 meetings since 1962
Last 104–6Ohio's record
Since 20005–8Ohio's record
Current streak1Marshall win
First meeting1905per the schools

What's the Battle for the Bell trophy?

The Bell: a trophy the teams have played for since 1997, meant to honor the bells once used on riverboats on the Ohio River, which runs between the two schools.

How did Battle for the Bell start?

Marshall beat Ohio 6-5 in Huntington on November 11, 1905, and the campuses are about 80 miles apart. The 1970 game was canceled after the crash of Southern Airways Flight 932. Marshall rejoined the MAC in 1997, the year the teams started playing for the Bell, and left for Conference USA in 2005. They met again in the 2009 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, played a six-year series from 2010 to 2015 and met again in 2019.

What are the most famous Battle for the Bell games?

  • 1908: 59-0Ohio won 59-0, the largest margin in the series.
  • 2009: Bowl gameMarshall won 21-17 in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl in Detroit.Final: Marshall 21–17
  • 2019: 33-31Marshall won 33-31 in the most recent meeting.Final: Marshall 33–31

How has the Battle for the Bell series swung?

404020201962: Ohio 35–01963: Ohio 17–01964: Marshall 10–01965: Marshall 29–141966: Ohio 28–01967: Ohio 48–141968: Ohio 48–81969: Ohio 38–351971: Ohio 30–01972: Marshall 31–141973: Ohio 35–211974: Ohio 35–01975: Ohio 38–211977: Ohio 49–271979: Ohio 35–01980: Ohio 28–201985: Marshall 31–71986: Marshall 21–71987: Ohio 23–151988: Marshall 31–141997: Marshall 27–01998: Marshall 30–231999: Marshall 34–32000: Ohio 38–282001: Marshall 42–182002: Marshall 24–212003: Marshall 28–02004: Marshall 16–132009: Marshall 21–172010: Marshall 24–232011: Ohio 44–72012: Ohio 27–242013: Ohio 34–312014: Marshall 44–142015: Ohio 21–102019: Marshall 33–3119701980199020002010 Marshall won ↑Ohio won ↓ 404020201962: Ohio 35–01963: Ohio 17–01964: Marshall 10–01965: Marshall 29–141966: Ohio 28–01967: Ohio 48–141968: Ohio 48–81969: Ohio 38–351971: Ohio 30–01972: Marshall 31–141973: Ohio 35–211974: Ohio 35–01975: Ohio 38–211977: Ohio 49–271979: Ohio 35–01980: Ohio 28–201985: Marshall 31–71986: Marshall 21–71987: Ohio 23–151988: Marshall 31–141997: Marshall 27–01998: Marshall 30–231999: Marshall 34–32000: Ohio 38–282001: Marshall 42–182002: Marshall 24–212003: Marshall 28–02004: Marshall 16–132009: Marshall 21–172010: Marshall 24–232011: Ohio 44–72012: Ohio 27–242013: Ohio 34–312014: Marshall 44–142015: Ohio 21–102019: Marshall 33–3119802000 Marshall won ↑Ohio won ↓

Each bar is one meeting. Bars above the line are Marshall wins and bars below it are Ohio wins; the taller the bar, the bigger the margin. Over the last 10 meetings Marshall is 6–4. The widest margins are Marshall 34–3 in 1999 and Ohio 48–8 in 1968.

What are the records in Battle for the Bell?

Biggest Marshall win
1999, 34–3
Biggest Ohio win
1968, 48–8
Longest streaks
Marshall, 6 straight (2001–2010); Ohio, 6 straight (1973–1980)
Most points
Ohio, 49 in 1977
Ties
None

Every Battle for the Bell result

YearWinnerScoreHome
2019Marshall33–31Marshall
2015Ohio21–10Ohio
2014Marshall44–14Marshall
2013Ohio34–31Ohio
2012Ohio27–24Marshall
2011Ohio44–7Ohio
2010Marshall24–23Marshall
2009Marshall21–17Neutral
2004Marshall16–13Ohio
2003Marshall28–0Marshall
2002Marshall24–21Ohio
2001Marshall42–18Marshall
2000Ohio38–28Ohio
1999Marshall34–3Marshall
1998Marshall30–23Ohio
1997Marshall27–0Marshall
1988Marshall31–14Marshall
1987Ohio23–15Ohio
1986Marshall21–7Ohio
1985Marshall31–7Marshall
1980Ohio28–20Ohio
1979Ohio35–0Ohio
1977Ohio49–27Marshall
1975Ohio38–21Marshall
1974Ohio35–0Ohio
1973Ohio35–21Marshall
1972Marshall31–14Ohio
1971Ohio30–0Marshall
1969Ohio38–35Marshall
1968Ohio48–8Ohio
1967Ohio48–14Marshall
1966Ohio28–0Ohio
1965Marshall29–14Marshall
1964Marshall10–0Ohio
1963Ohio17–0Marshall
1962Ohio35–0Ohio

Results from CollegeFootballData.com. The schools' official series records can differ by a game or two (vacated wins, disputed early games).

Questions about Battle for the Bell

Who leads the Battle for the Bell series?

Ohio leads 19–17 through the 2019 game, in the 36 meetings on record since 1962.

Who won the last Battle for the Bell?

Marshall beat Ohio 33–31 on Sep 14, 2019 at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.

When was the first Battle for the Bell?

1905, by the schools' count. Our game-by-game results start in 1962.

What's the trophy for the Battle for the Bell?

The Bell: a trophy the teams have played for since 1997, meant to honor the bells once used on riverboats on the Ohio River, which runs between the two schools.

What's the biggest win in the Battle for the Bell?

Ohio won by 40 in 1968, 48–8. Marshall won by 31 in 1999, 34–3.

What's the longest winning streak in the Battle for the Bell?

Marshall won 6 straight from 2001 to 2010. Ohio won 6 straight from 1973 to 1980.

Related

History and trophy sources: en.wikipedia.org, fbschedules.com.

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