Print |
E-mail to a friend
SPORTS
Marshall holds off SMU, 34-31
Marshall running back Terrell Edwards-Maye prepares to stiff-arm a SMU defender during the C-USA football game on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009, at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
Purchase this photoRelated:
HUNTINGTON — Bowl eligible. Enough said.
A balanced offensive attack and relentless defense proved too much for Conference USA’s West Division leader. Marshall University football earned a needed sixth victory — equaling conditional postseason status — with Saturday’s 34-31 victory over SMU before a Joan C. Edwards Stadium crowd of 19,646.
Entering next Saturday’s regular season finale at UTEP, the Thundering Herd (6-5, 4-3 Conference USA) is now eligible for a bowl berth, possibly to the Dec. 29 EagleBank Bowl in Washington D.C. Marshall last played beyond the regular season in the 2004 Fort Worth Bowl.
Kyle Padron, sacked five times, pulled SMU within 27-24 on a 12-yard touchdown toss to Aldrick Robinson with 5:33 left, but again pressured heavily, Pardron heaved a long downfield pass on his team’s next possession. Marshall free safety Omar Brown intercepted and returned to SMU’s 42-yard line.
Four plays later, Brian Anderson’s 16-yard slant pass to true freshman Aaron Dobson, who enjoyed a breakout performance with more than 100 receiving yards, secured victory with 2:01 remaining. Earlier in the final quarter, Craig Ratanamorn booted a 42-yard fourth quarter field goal, affording Marshall’s first two-possession advantage over the Mustangs (6-5, 5-2 C-USA) at 27-17.
Parlaying one of Marshall’s 14 penalties into a final-minute touchdown — Zach Line bulled in from nine yards — SMU sustained drama into the closing seconds, trimming the deficit to three points.
The back-and-forth matchup accelerated early in the second half with Marshall and SMU trading touchdowns on their initial possessions. Terrell Edwards-Maye’s 8-yard burst through the middle provided a 17-10 Thundering Herd advantage. The Mustangs required just 1:33 to again knot the score with Padron finding Emmanuel Sanders on a 43-yard scoring strike.
Running virtually the same go route, Dobson out-leaped strong safety Tyler Jones for the game’s play of the evening.
A feeling-out first quarter opened with Marshall failing to grasp opportunity following a Michael Janac forced fumble, recovered by safety Brown. Following a Thundering Herd three and out, SMU marched 54 yards in four plays, capped by Shawnbrey McNeal surging into the end zone from one yard.
Spurred by a 48-yard Dobson reception from Anderson, Marshall answered with a 92-yard scoring drive. Martin Ward leap across the goal line from two yards on a right toss sweep evened the score at 7-7, awakening the crowd.
Ratanamorn, then perfect through the season on field goals and extra points, nailed a 50-yarder, providing Marshall its first lead at 10-7 with 13:26 remaining in the opening half. Matt Szymanski countered with a 25-yard kick, leveling the halftime score at 10-10.
Along the way, Ratanamorn misfired on his first attempt this year. He connected from 31 yards, but a Brandon Campbell false start moved the attempt back to 36 yards, where Ratanamorn pulled the next kick left.
Marshall makes its second trip to El Paso, Texas, next weekend, facing a Miners squad (3-7, 2-5 C-USA West Division) that lost to Rice, 30-29, on Saturday. Kickoff is 3 p.m. and WSAZ will televise the game.
