HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — First-year head coach John “Doc” Holliday will begin his career with a bang. Well, make that a bang bang.

Marshall announced its 2010 football schedule and the first two games are against Division I powers Ohio State and West Virginia.

The Herd plays at Ohio State on Thursday, Sept. 2, and then comes back the following Friday, Sept. 10, to host the in-state rival Mountaineers.

“This is an outstanding and challenging football schedule that gives our program a great deal of national exposure,” said Marshall athletic director Mike Hamrick.

“Eight of the 12 opponents were to bowl games last season and the home schedule features a Friday night showcase for our entire state with the West Virginia game being on ESPN and a Wednesday night ESPN game with UCF.”

The West Virginia game is scheduled to be aired by ESPN. The Herd also plays Central Florida at home on Wednesday, Oct. 13, in a game to be televised by ESPN.

Other TV games may be added at a later date.

A rematch of the Little Ceasers Pizza Bowl will be Saturday, Sept. 25, when Marshall hosts Ohio. The game marks the beginning of a four-game series between the schools and renews their “Battle for the Bell” rivalry.

“This is a great football schedule with eight bowl teams from a year ago,” said Holliday who was an assistant at West Virginia last season.

“It is important that we do not let a day go by that we do not get better as a team in order to meet the challenges ahead of us.”

Season tickets are now on sale in the Marshall University ticket office. Fans can visit the ticket office weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Cam Henderson Center, call the ticket office at 1-800-THE-HERD or go on line 24 hours a day at www.Herdzone.com

Marshall Thundering Herd

2010 Football Schedule

September

2 at Ohio State TBA

10 WEST VIRGINIA 7:00

18 at Bowling Green TBA

25 OHIO TBA

October

2 at Southern Mississippi# TBA

13 CENTRAL FLORIDA# 8:00

23 at East Carolina# TBA

30 U. TEXAS-EL PASO# TBA

November

6 at Alabama-Birmingham# TBA

13 MEMPHIS# TBA

20 at Southern Methodist# TBA

27 TULANE# TBA

#-Denotes Conference USA game

ESPN games: West Virginia, Central Florida