The Eastern Michigan Eagles and Marshall Thundering Herd have agreed to a home-and-home football series for the 2026 and 2028 seasons, according to FBSchedules.com.
The football game contract with Marshall University was acquired from Eastern Michigan University through a state Freedom of Information Act request.
In the first game of the series, Eastern Michigan will visit Marshall at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, W.Va., on Saturday, September 26, 2026. The series will conclude when the Eagles host the Thundering Herd at Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Mich., on Saturday, September 23, 2028.
The teams first played each other in 1983, with Eastern Michigan winning 7-3 in Ypsilanti. Marshall has won the subsequent three matchups, including a 26-23 victory in Ypsilanti in 1998, and currently leads the all-time series 3-1.
With the addition of Marshall, Eastern Michigan has tentatively finalized its non-conference schedule for the 2026 season. The season will kick off with a home game against the San Jose State Spartans on September 5. Following that, EMU will travel to play the Michigan State Spartans on September 12 before returning home to host the Lindenwood Lions on September 19.
For 2028, Eastern Michigan’s schedule currently features an away game against the Indiana Hoosiers on September 9.
With the addition of Eastern Michigan, Marshall has finalized its non-conference schedules for both the 2026 and 2028 seasons. Marshall is set to begin the 2026 season with an away game against the Penn State Nittany Lions on September 5. The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders will visit Huntington on September 12, followed by a trip to face the Missouri State Bears on September 19.
For the 2028 season, Marshall’s schedule includes a season-opening road game against the Wisconsin Badgers on September 2. This will be followed by consecutive home games against the Ohio Bobcats on September 9 and the Central Connecticut Blue Devils on September 16.