Marshall heads to Old Dominion on Saturday afternoon in Week 9 of the 2026 college football regular season with the kind of recent history that naturally frames the matchup: the Thundering Herd have won eight straight in the series since November 5th, 2016. That run matters here because Marshall arrives at 4-3, Old Dominion at 2-6, and the gap in form has helped shape the betting market as well as the football conversation.
The most recent results only sharpen that contrast. Marshall beat South Alabama 20-13 in its last outing, while Old Dominion fell 26-0 to Louisiana Tech. When a team is chasing consistency and another is trying to stop a skid, the immediate question becomes whether the streak in the series can keep rolling or whether the underdog can finally change the pattern.
Marshall's recent edge is impossible to ignore
Eight straight wins is a significant run in any rivalry, but it is especially notable when it stretches back to November 5th, 2016. Marshall has also taken five of the past seven meetings by 41+ points, which tells you this has often been more than a simple edge; it has been a clear mismatch on the field.
That is why the current line has attracted attention. Marshall is listed as a 1.5-point underdog despite the series dominance, a sign that the market is weighing more than history alone. Recent performance, game location and the broader shape of both teams all feed into that view.
Why the total and spread both deserve attention
This is not just a straight-up debate about who wins. The source framing points to betting angles around the spread, the over/under and same-game parlays, and there are reasons for that. Marshall has been involved in tight, lower-scoring outcomes lately, while Old Dominion's recent shutout loss adds another layer of uncertainty to how the offense will respond.
Old Dominion's attack has struggled across the season, averaging 250.4 total yards per game, which ranks 138th, and 98.4 rushing yards per game, which ranks 135th. Those numbers help explain why the market has not rushed to back the home side even with Marshall carrying the better record into the game.
Marshall, meanwhile, has had to manage its own form carefully. A 20-13 win over South Alabama kept the Thundering Herd moving in the right direction, but it also underlined how fine the margins can be when a team is trying to stay steady through the middle of the season.
A familiar series, but a fresh betting angle
Old Dominion will be aware of the broader picture, but Marshall's streak means the pressure is on the home side to prove this matchup can look different. The 26-0 loss to Louisiana Tech and the two-game skid do not create much margin for error, especially against an opponent that has had its number for nearly a decade.
Even so, this is exactly the kind of spot where bettors will look closely at the number rather than the name. A 1.5-point underdog line, a low total and a one-sided series all point to a game where every possession matters.
Marshall has done the heavy lifting in this matchup for years. Old Dominion now has the chance to show whether Week 9 can finally break that pattern.
