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MARSHALL SPORTS
For Herd, an Alabama road test
Marshall quarterback Mark Cann brings his team to the line on Oct. 3 against Cincinnati. After two subpar games against Big East competition, Cann returns to league play on Saturday as Marshall travels to Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala., to play UAB.
Purchase this photoHUNTINGTON -- One week, one season.
Led by head coach Mark Snyder, such has been Marshall University's football mantra in 2008.
The Thundering Herd's regular season is segmented into 12 weeks of tunnel vision, but UAB week could prove something of an exception.
No question, players and coaches are preparing solely for the Blazers, who are reeling from three straight losses but talented enough to manage a mild upset (Marshall is favored by three points). Still, an off-week allowed for a bit of reflection and forward thinking entering the season's second half.
The Thundering Herd (3-3, 2-0 Conference USA) and UAB (1-6, 0-3) kickoff at 4 p.m. Saturday at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. Saturday marks Marshall's first game of 2008 that will not be televised.
Despite a two-game, non-conference losing streak, Marshall players leaned toward the positive throughout a needed off-week. Now, with UAB looming in essentially a pick 'em matchup, the Herd welcomes the opportunity to maintain or widen its C-USA East Division lead.
Each division rival is saddled with at least one league loss. East Carolina and UCF are tied for second in the East at 1-1. ECU (3-3, 1-1) entertains Memphis (3-4, 1-2) at noon Saturday. UCF (2-4, 1-1) is off this week.
"The main thing we have to understand is that we have to maintain road focus," Marshall tailback and Alabama native Terrell Edwards said. "We can't just go in thinking it's going to be an easy game.
"That's not going to happen because they're hungry and we're hungry. All of us are fighting for one goal and that's basically to win the conference championship."
Thundering Herd quarterback Mark Cann was deadpan when asked about balancing "one week, one season" against the big picture. Cann faces a defense that allowed 42 second-half points in last week's 45-20 loss at Houston.
The Blazers are permitting more than 34 points a game.
"We're working real hard to expand on our 2-0 conference record," the redshirt freshman said.
Still, doubters are beginning to voice concerns. Phil Steele, a respected college football analyst, projected just two additional Marshall victories in his mid-season report, a result that again would leave the program outside of college football's bowl party.
Unbeaten within C-USA and relatively healthy, the Thundering Herd will decide its post-season possibilities.
"It's all conference. We realize that," said place-kicker Craig Ratanamorn, who nearly is all the way back from an inner leg injury. "We want to get to a bowl, but we've got to set our priorities straight and focus on this game.
"This game is in the front of our head and the possibility of a bowl is in the back of our head."
Media members toss out "must-win" scenarios far too often and Saturday doesn't apply precisely. It's awfully close, however.
"For us to be 3-0 in the conference, that would be a huge boost for us, a huge confidence boost," Edwards said. "At the same time, we have to understand it's not going to be given to us."
