HOUSTON -- You know things really, really aren't going your way, when ...

Your quarterback calls timeout, allowing the opposing coach to ask for a review of the previous play.

And, then, the replay officials overturn the call on the field and award the opponent a pass interception.

All because your own quarterback called timeout.

Talk about self-inflicted wounds.

Welcome to Marshall's world.

That very scenario happened during Marshall's 35-10 loss to Rice here Saturday night before 15,131 fans at Rice Stadium.

With about 14 minutes remaining, Marshall's Mark Cann fired a sideline pass that was intercepted by Rice star Andrew Sendejo.

But officials decided the defensive back came down out of bounds with the pick and ruled it an incompletion. Marshall was lined up to run a play, which would have stopped Rice from asking for a review, but then Cann suddenly signaled for a timeout.

It was that kind of night for both Marshall and Cann. The struggling redshirt freshman completed 13 of 24 passes for only 83 yards with one TD and one interception.

"I've got to throw the ball better," said Cann. "The one that sticks out in my mind is Lee Smith wide open in the end zone. I just missed. That's unacceptable.

"I know that better than anyone."

PASSMORE STATUS UNKNOWN: Star wide receiver Darius Passmore was injured during the second half and didn't return to action.

The senior, who caught one pass for 14 yards and rushed three times for 27 yards, was spotted lying on a trainer's table on the sidelines.

Passmore appeared to have a lower back injury.

A trainer worked him out on the sidelines, having Passmore sprint forward and backward but he didn't play anymore.

Passmore's status for Marshall's season finale against Tulsa at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Edwards Stadium is unknown.

HEY, DIDN'T YOU USED TO BE: That was the case for three Marshall players that once were familiar faces, but have been missing from action.

Terrell Edwards, Courtney Edmonson and Josh Evans all reappeared here against Rice Saturday.

Edwards, redshirt freshman running back, got his first significant carries of the season, rushing three times for nine yards in the second quarter.

Edmonson, who hadn't touched the ball since Marshall's game against the University of Cincinnati, had one catch for six yards and ran a reverse for a six-yard gain.

And Evans, who had stood on the sidelines for the last four games after losing his starting left guard job, returned to action, also.

Welcome back, fellas.

TREPIDATION TURNS TO TD: Uh, oh.

That's what the 100 or so Marshall fans seated in Rice Stadium and the thousands watching across the country on CBS College Sports had to be thinking.

Marshall was taking possession at it's own 1-yard line midway through the first quarter here Saturday against Rice and everyone expected the worst.

Does the word "safety" sound familiar?

But, instead, the Herd lined up in a tight, 7-man offensive front formation and embarked on its longest touchdown drive of the season.

Cann got under center and handed off to running back Darius Marshall three straight times for gains of 6, 3 and 5 yards.

The die -- not to mention the draw -- had been cast.

The Herd was going to run the ball and run the ball and then? Run the ball some more.

There were 13 running plays wrapped around one lone pass from Cann to Slate. That eventually led to a Cann-to-Slate 9-yard touchdown pass with 14:53 remaining in the second quarter to tie the score, 7-7.

But that TD pass was the exception to the running rule.

Marshall didn't just establish the run. The Herd absolutely embraced the run. The result was a stupefying 18-play, 99-yard touchdown drive lasting 7:58 that included 15 -- count 'em, 15 -- running plays.

"Oh, that was awesome," said Marshall head coach Mark Snyder. "That's how we wanted to start the game. That's why we took the ball (after winning the coin toss.) We wanted to start just like that.

"Unfortunately, it didn't happen. They got a quick seven on us and, then, we take it and march it right down the field."

CODY CLIMBING CHARTS: When Marshall star tight end Cody Slate caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Mark Cann, it was his 19th career TD reception.

That moved the junior to No. 8 on Marshall's all-time career list, moving him past Nate Poole and LaVorn Colclough.

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