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Marshall vs Pitt football game in 2016
College football was one of the many sporting realms that had to adjust to the new reality that formed during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 100 games were canceled or rescheduled, including a showdown between Marshall and Pitt that resulted in a legal battle where the Thundering Herd walked away with a win off the field.
The COVID-19 pandemic was still raging when the college football season got underway in 2020, and teams around the country were faced with some incredibly imposing logistical challenges while attempting to power through.
Four schools at the FBS level (UConn, UMass, New Mexico State, and Old Dominion) called off their entire season, and a number of conferences initially announced they’d be doing the same before joining the teams that were forced to overhaul their schedules to account for issues linked to travel and player safety (a grand total of 139 games were ultimately canceled or postponed).
That includes Pitt, which was slated to cap off a home-and-home series it kicked off with Marshall in 2016 on September 12th of that year. However, that game did not end up being played, and the school that was ready and willing to participate scored a victory after taking the Panthers to court.
Marshall prevailed after suing Pitt for canceling a scheduled matchup during the COVID-19 season in 2020
Pitt and Marshall had never faced off on the gridiron prior to 2016, and the Thundering Herd hit the road for their inaugural matchup before leaving what was then Heinz Field with a 43-27 loss.
The Panthers agreed to a rematch that was slated to unfold in Huntington on September 12, 2020. However, they declined to make the nearly 300-mile journey down to West Virginia, and Marshall ended up getting the week off after Pitt opened its season with a win at home against Austin Peay.
According to Legal News Line, the school that was spurned attempted to get Pitt to agree to a rematch at a later date or fork over $1 million, and Marshall’s Board of Governors ultimately filed a lawsuit at the end of 2024 after the school declined to do either of those things.
That sparked a legal battle that’s been unfolding for close to two years, but on Friday, October 2nd, a jury that heard the case in West Virginia’s Cabell Circuit Court ruled in Marshall’s favor by determining Pitt violated the terms of the contract between the two sides.
It’s not entirely clear how much Marshall will receive. Judge Greg Howard noted “it is pretty difficult to determine an exact dollar amount,” but also highlighted the fact that the $1 million sum was already agreed upon.
However, there could end up being another twist in the case, as a spokesperson for Pitt says the university plans to appeal the ruling.