Marshall University's football rivalry with Central Florida originated in the Mid-American Conference with upstart UCF boldly boasting that it would wrest away conference control.
Didn't happen. The Thundering Herd won the series' opening three games before the 2005 shocker in Orlando, Fla. UCF snapped a 17-game losing streak, upsetting Marshall and sparking a three-game win streak over MU.
A spirited back-and-forth rivalry, now residing in Conference USA, continues today at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. Homecoming kickoff between Marshall (4-5, 3-2) and the Knights (2-7, 1-4) is 4:30 p.m. CSS will televise the game.
"If I had to pick a rival in our division, it would be Marshall," Knights coach George O'Leary said. "We have played them three times and gone up there, also. Last time we went up there it was another Homecoming deal and we are looking forward to going back up there again.
"That is where (Michael) Torres went down and made the field goal, then took his helmet off and got us a penalty and I got caught on TV saying something that I shouldn't have."
Flashing forward to this season's edition, a likely defensive slugfest features several intriguing matchups. Most noticeably is Thundering Herd wide receiver Darius Passmore versus all-conference cornerback Joe Burnett.
Passmore has totaled 853 yards and five touchdowns on 48 receptions, averaging 17.8 yards a catch. Burnett has hauled in three of UCF's 15 interceptions and broken up eight more passes.
"I like the way he plays the game," Passmore said. "He's real patient, waiting for the play to develop. He's a good competitor.
"I like the challenge because it's going to make me more aggressive. Obviously, I need that."
Adding to today's top storyline is Passmore's familiarity with the Knights' secondary. His cousin, Darin Baldwin, is a backup UCF strong safety.
"We've been talking on the phone, so I'm looking forward to the challenge," Passmore said. "We've been trash-talking a little bit with one another."
Thundering Herd head coach Mark Snyder similarly anticipates Passmore vs. Burnett.
"I kind of like that matchup," the fourth-year coach said. "I don't mind that matchup -- good player on good player. I hope that's the case. I doubt it will be. The flavor of the last couple of weeks seems to be to double Passmore and put a nine-technique out there so we can't run the ball outside.
"That's why (tight end) Cody Slate has become such a factor. I think Cody is going to be a big key this week. If you have got an athletic tight end, you have got an advantage because it's hard to cover them."
Constant double-teams against Passmore also potentially offer opportunities for 6-foot-6 tight end Lee Smith. Slate has hauled in 28 passes for 369 yards and a team-leading six touchdowns. Smith totals 11 catches for 85 yards.
"Oh, shoot yeah, Lee's another one," Snyder said. "But Cody has got that breakaway speed and he has the receiver skills that ... it's just mismatches that you can't double everybody.
"It's really hard as a defensive coach to double tight ends. It's just a mismatch that is there that's not talked about much. We don't talk about it much, but it's real."
Exposing such possible mismatches is integral in extending UCF's four-game losing streak, a startling reversal from last year's C-USA championship run. O'Leary's Knights very much are in rebuilding mode, replacing offensive standouts such as tailback Kevin Smith, now a standout Detroit Lions rookie.
"They're going through some growing pains," Snyder said. "Coach O'Leary has recycled his team a little bit. They had that run. They had a great team. He's going to build it back like he built it the first time. I can't speak to a whole bunch of that.
"I just think we're very, very close and we're going to be pretty good for the next few years. It's not going to be just a one-year thing for us, I don't feel."
Didn't happen. The Thundering Herd won the series' opening three games before the 2005 shocker in Orlando, Fla. UCF snapped a 17-game losing streak, upsetting Marshall and sparking a three-game win streak over MU.
A spirited back-and-forth rivalry, now residing in Conference USA, continues today at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. Homecoming kickoff between Marshall (4-5, 3-2) and the Knights (2-7, 1-4) is 4:30 p.m. CSS will televise the game.
"If I had to pick a rival in our division, it would be Marshall," Knights coach George O'Leary said. "We have played them three times and gone up there, also. Last time we went up there it was another Homecoming deal and we are looking forward to going back up there again.
"That is where (Michael) Torres went down and made the field goal, then took his helmet off and got us a penalty and I got caught on TV saying something that I shouldn't have."
Flashing forward to this season's edition, a likely defensive slugfest features several intriguing matchups. Most noticeably is Thundering Herd wide receiver Darius Passmore versus all-conference cornerback Joe Burnett.
Passmore has totaled 853 yards and five touchdowns on 48 receptions, averaging 17.8 yards a catch. Burnett has hauled in three of UCF's 15 interceptions and broken up eight more passes.
"I like the way he plays the game," Passmore said. "He's real patient, waiting for the play to develop. He's a good competitor.
"I like the challenge because it's going to make me more aggressive. Obviously, I need that."
Adding to today's top storyline is Passmore's familiarity with the Knights' secondary. His cousin, Darin Baldwin, is a backup UCF strong safety.
"We've been talking on the phone, so I'm looking forward to the challenge," Passmore said. "We've been trash-talking a little bit with one another."
Thundering Herd head coach Mark Snyder similarly anticipates Passmore vs. Burnett.
"I kind of like that matchup," the fourth-year coach said. "I don't mind that matchup -- good player on good player. I hope that's the case. I doubt it will be. The flavor of the last couple of weeks seems to be to double Passmore and put a nine-technique out there so we can't run the ball outside.
"That's why (tight end) Cody Slate has become such a factor. I think Cody is going to be a big key this week. If you have got an athletic tight end, you have got an advantage because it's hard to cover them."
Constant double-teams against Passmore also potentially offer opportunities for 6-foot-6 tight end Lee Smith. Slate has hauled in 28 passes for 369 yards and a team-leading six touchdowns. Smith totals 11 catches for 85 yards.
"Oh, shoot yeah, Lee's another one," Snyder said. "But Cody has got that breakaway speed and he has the receiver skills that ... it's just mismatches that you can't double everybody.
"It's really hard as a defensive coach to double tight ends. It's just a mismatch that is there that's not talked about much. We don't talk about it much, but it's real."
Exposing such possible mismatches is integral in extending UCF's four-game losing streak, a startling reversal from last year's C-USA championship run. O'Leary's Knights very much are in rebuilding mode, replacing offensive standouts such as tailback Kevin Smith, now a standout Detroit Lions rookie.
"They're going through some growing pains," Snyder said. "Coach O'Leary has recycled his team a little bit. They had that run. They had a great team. He's going to build it back like he built it the first time. I can't speak to a whole bunch of that.
"I just think we're very, very close and we're going to be pretty good for the next few years. It's not going to be just a one-year thing for us, I don't feel."
