WVU fans storm Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium following WVU’s 5-2 win against Marshall in 2023.

The West Virginia-Marshall men’s soccer rivalry has been called a couple of things. The Mountain State Derby is the most well-known name. It’s also the Stratford-Grassie rivalry. Most interestingly, it’s been recognized as the most-streamed regular-season college soccer game over the past two years in the nation, according to WVU head coach Dan Stratford.

“There are more eyes on this than any other game in the country throughout the course of the year,” Stratford said. “That comes with a responsibility. We should take some credit that both programs have built themselves to a point where it deserves that recognition and has that scale. But it also comes with the responsibility to represent the state, represent both programs in a really, really positive way and in a positive light.”

Friday, Oct. 31 or Halloween, No. 19 West Virginia hosts No. 11 Marshall, according to the United Soccer Coaches Poll. It’s the seventh meeting between the two schools since Stratford was hired in 2020. Stratford has WVU on the better side of the rivalry with three wins and two losses. Most recently, WVU beat Marshall on penalty kicks to secure the Sun Belt Conference Championship last November.

The rivalry always brings a crowd, but this week, it has major implications regarding the top seed in the conference. WVU is three points behind Kentucky for the top spot, so a win over Marshall would tie the Wildcats with 18 points.

WVU just lost to Kentucky, 1-0, in the Mountaineers’ last outing, which means the Wildcats hold the tiebreaker. A win over Marshall this weekend will certainly put pressure on Kentucky, who finishes the season with Georgia State and Old Dominion.

“The message is very much to make sure that we make Kentucky earn it with two games to go,” Stratford said. “Make sure that if they’re going to go on and win the conference, that they have to win out in order to do so, and that we make it as hard as we possibly can, whilst obviously picking up two really important wins at the end of the season.”

Marshall’s a tough team. The Thundering Herd is one point ahead of the Mountaineers with 16. If Marshall wins, it’s in a position to win the conference.

Over the years, Marshall’s head coach, Chris Grassie, has “evolved” the team. Marshall is tactical, playing more reactively and adjusting to the tempo of the competition. Grassie also has the team pushing the ball more directly now, which is different than in previous years, where Marshall tried to accumulate a lot of passes to strike.

Most of the time, Marshall tries to get the ball to the top goal scorer, Rai Pinto from Portugal. He leads the team with four goals this season. Pinto was named Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week recently.

“There are some changes and some things that we’ll need to be prepared for that may be slightly different to the Marshall team we’ve seen in previous years,” Stratford said.

Stratford is familiar with Marshall, especially Grassie. The two coached together in Charleston and are good friends. The two speak with each other frequently and will up until the game.

“I like Chris,” Stratford said. “I don’t particularly care for Marshall. What he’s achieved there and what he’s done there has been nothing short of astounding. I’m happy for him.”

West Virginia-Marshall, the Mountain State Derby or whatever you call it, it’s a big game, and this year, it could have major implications on the postseason.

WVU will have extra seating for the game, expecting another major crowd for one of the most-watched college soccer games in the country. Stratford hopes it breaks the 3,162 attendance record that was set last year. If that happens, Stratford wants to one day have the rivalry on a neutral site in a 10,000-seat stadium and see if they can fill it.

Even after the loss to Kentucky, Stratford said his squad is prepared because how could you not be prepared for Marshall coming to town?

“I said to the players today, it’s not just your average game,” Stratford said. “There are very few college teams and student athletes that get to play in a game like this. You think about a rivalry game, a sell-out crowd, how many Division I men’s soccer programs in the country get that type of game at this type of level, with the recent history that the two programs have, so let’s embrace it. Let’s take full advantage of it and see if we can’t make an incredible memory, and obviously, have a signature win for where we are this season as well.”