Marshall and East Carolina have a " friendly " rivalry with one another . They are emotionally bonded by the tragic plane crash on November 14 , 1970 . The Thundering Herd were coming back from Greenville , North Carolina after a 17 – 14 loss to the Pirates when their plane crashed near Ceredo , West Virginia . The teams have been bonded ever since
plane crash
Southern Airways Flight 932
Marshall Thundering Herd football