Marshall holds off Ohio in Pizza Bowl
December 26, 2009
DETROIT (AP)—Martin Ward ran for two touchdowns in the first half Saturday andMarshall held off Ohio 21-17 in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.
DeQuan Bembry’s interception with 40 seconds left sealed the victory for theThundering Herd (7-6), who led by three touchdowns midway through the secondquarter.
The Bobcats (9-5) rallied with Shannon Ballard’s 75-yard return off a fumblein the second quarter, Terrence McCrae’s TD catch and Matt Weller’s field goal.Ohio had chances to complete the comeback but was stunted on the drive beforeits final possession.
Marshall's Andre Booker (3… AP – Dec 26, 3:02 pm EST Ohio quarterback Theo Scott (3… AP – Dec 26, 2:51 pm EST
Marshall running back Martin W… AP – Dec 26, 2:48 pm EST
Ohio's Gerald Moore (13) p… AP – Dec 26, 2:45 pm EST
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The game looked like it was going to be a route when Ward’s 2-yard run putMarshall ahead 21-0 with 7:21 left in the first half. Ward scored on a 12-yardrun late in the first quarter and Andre Booker had 58-yard punt return for atouchdown at the end of the quarter.
Just when it appeared as if the Herd were going to make the game lopsided,Ballard returned a fumble 75 yards and gave Ohio a much-needed spark. TheBobcats carried the momentum into the second half, when Theo Scott connectedwith a leaping McCrae in the end zone on an 8-yard pass midway through the thirdquarter.
Weller’s 46-yard field goal made it 21-17.
Marshall didn’t have a first down after halftime until its fourthpossession, then it negated a 20-yard gain with a holding penalty and was forcedto punt.
Ohio drove to the Marshall 13 on the ensuing drive—taking advantage of twolate-hit penalties against the Herd—but stalled and missed a field goal thatwould’ve pulled the Bobcats within a point early in the fourth quarter.
The Bobcats stayed in the game despite just 123 yards of offense.
Marshall didn’t exactly move up and down the field at will, but it scoredenough early in the game to win. Brian Anderson was 12 of 17 for 85 yards forthe Herd, and Ward ran for 72 yards and two scores on nine carries.
Scott was 14 of 26 for 111 yards with a TD and an interception for Ohio.Chris Garrett was held to 30 yards on 10 carries and Taylor Price caught fourpasses for 49 yards.
The schools, located 82 miles apart, played 52 times between 1905 and 2004in “The Battle for the Bell,” with the trophy symbolizing the Ohio Riverseparating Ohio and West Virginia. They hadn’t played since Marshall left theMid-American Conference for Conference USA in 2005.
Ohio was led by Frank Solich, the former Nebraska coach, while the Herd hadinterim coach Rick Minter on their sideline. Mark Snyder resigned at Marshallafter the season and will be replaced by John “Doc” Holliday, who was anassistant to Urban Meyer on Florida’s 2006 national championship team.
Sarah Thomas made history during the game, becoming the first woman toofficiate a bowl game, according to a Little Caesars Bowl spokesman. She was thefirst woman to be an official for a major college football game in 2007 and ison the NFL’s list of officiating prospects.
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