ORLANDO, Fla. — Did you hear that long, loud hiss of air?

I did.

It was audible even a thousand miles away from Huntington.

It was the sound of the entire Herd universe deflating at precisely 11:40 p.m. Sunday night.

It could have been different.

It should have been different.

It would have been different.

In fact, this game against UCF could have, should have, would have been a signature win for Marshall.

You know the kind.

The type that John Hancock himself would have signed.

Instead, it was a signature defeat.

Just consider the implications, the consequences of Marshall’s stunning, final seconds 21-20 loss to UCF here Sunday night.

The victory could have raised the Herd’s record to 6-3, clinching the first non-losing regular season in head coach Mark Snyder’s five-year tenure.
Instead, the Herd’s record dropped to 5-4 with tough games against Southern Miss, SMU and UTEP remaining. Suddenly, a fifth consecutive losing season is not out of the question.

The triumph could have made the Herd provisionally eligible for one of C-USA’s six bowl games.
Instead, post-season hopes are still on hold as talk of winning out is now null and void.

The win could have kept Marshall in the chase for the Conference USA East Division championship with East Carolina.
Instead, Marshall’s goal of a championship is virtually unreachable.

The triumph could have been Marshall’s first victory over a team with a winning record this season.

Instead, the Herd still has only three victories over NCAA Division I-A opponents with winning records in five seasons. The Lilliputian short list includes just East Carolina (2007), Southern Miss (2008) and Houston (2008).

The victory could have been Marshall’s first over rival UCF since the pair seceded from the Mid-American Conference after the 2004 season to join C-USA.

Instead, Marshall’s bitterly disappointing losing streak against the George O’Leary-coached Knights increased to a hard to swallow five consecutive games.

And last — but most certainly not least — this could have been a win on ESPN in front of a national television audience on a night when it was the only football game on the tube.
Instead, it was a depressing, debilitating defeat on “Big Daddy” ESPN. Not the 2. Not the U. Not 360.

Everybody saw Marshall snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

So, there you have it.

This signature defeat was a veritable manuscript of consequences.

Especially considering the circumstances.

Despite facing the best defense in C-USA without the starting left side of its offensive line, Marshall stunned UCF by taking a 17-7 halftime lead.

Signature victory here MU comes.

Or so everyone thought.

But, then, it happened.

For the second straight week, Snyder decided to sit on a lead.

After quarterback Brian Anderson had passed the Herd to a halftime lead by completing downfield throws of 47 yards to Cody Slate, 40 yards to Lee Smith and 29 yards to Aaron Dobson, guess what happened in the third quarter?

Anderson attempted only four passes.

Instead of Marshall continuing its successful passing, the Herd called running plays. Darius Marshall rushed nine times for 34 yards in the third quarter.

As a result, star playmaker Cody Slate didn’t touch the ball during the entire second half.
Not one single touch.

Is it any wonder Marshall lost? The Herd was playing trying-to-hang-on football.

That’s how a program produces a signature defeat, not a signature win.

And that’s what happened here.

Yet another signature loss.


 

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