By GRANT TRAYLOR

Marshall Associate Athletic Director of Strategic Communications

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall Football will take on UTSA in the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl at 8 p.m. on Dec. 19 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.

The matchup, which will be shown on ESPN, reunites the Thundering Herd with a former Conference USA opponent. The Roadrunners are now in the American Athletic Conference. Marshall will be the designated home team for the game.

“At Marshall, we will strive to always be mindful of the big picture,” Marshall Director of Athletics Christian Spears said. “This league did something extraordinary – 12 teams in bowl games – which shows that our league is legit. We played 10 teams that are participating in a bowl this season. We recognize that the Sun Belt is special, and we are honored to be back in a bowl and thrilled to take on UTSA in Frisco, Texas.”

Marshall is one of 12 Sun Belt Conference teams who obtained bowl eligibility in 2023 – a figure that led all FBS conferences and made for a unique scenario as bowl scenarios popped up.

The matchup allows Marshall the opportunity to further its national brand, expanding its footprint in the state of Texas while providing a unique opportunity for fans to see the Herd.

Marshall also has history with the Roadrunners with both having played three times when both were a part of Conference USA. Marshall leads the all-time series with UTSA, 2-1.

“We are excited to have two outstanding teams participate in the 2023 Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl – the UTSA Roadrunners and the Marshall Thundering Herd,” said Sean Johnson, Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl Executive Director. “We are looking forward to hosting this great matchup and welcoming the teams and their passionate fan bases to Frisco, Texas, for an exciting week of bowl events and a fantastic game at Toyota Stadium.”

The Thundering Herd heads into the 2023 Frisco Bowl sporting FBS’ top bowl winning percentage among teams who have participated in at least 10 bowl games.

Last year, Marshall defeated UConn, 28-14, in the 2022 Myrtle Beach Bowl to move its bowl record to 13-5 – a win percentage of .722.

Recently, Marshall had 12 players named as All-SBC honorees with defensive end Owen Porter, cornerback Micah Abraham and kick returner Jayden Harrison all being named as First Team All-SBC.

Marshall running back Rasheen Ali was named to the All-SBC Second Team while offensive lineman Ethan Driskell, defensive lineman Elijah Alston, linebacker Eli Neal and punter John McConnell were named to the All-SBC Third Team. Honorable mention selections included offensive linemen Logan Osburn and Dalton Tucker, defensive back J.J. Roberts and defensive lineman Sam Burton.

Fans are encouraged to stayed tuned to Herdzone on social media platforms for ticket information.

Marshall University’s sponsors for its 2023 bowl game are Pepsi and Blue Grass Tours.