Marshall University Athletics
The Goal Is Simple -- "Take Back The MAC!"
12/4/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
The Goal Is Simple -- "Take Back The MAC!"
12/4/2002
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- Marshall Season Statistics
It has been more than a year now since the Marshall football program felt the pain of losing the 2001 MAC Championship game at Toledo. Letting a 23-0 lead slip away and having to watch the Rockets celebrate winning the league title left a sour taste in the mouths of many around the Herd program.
Since that game the Herd players have had a mantra that carried them through the off season, two-a-days and a long season -- ?Take Back The MAC!?
Saturday the Herd will get that chance against the very same Toledo Rockets who put an end to Marshall?s run of four straight league crowns.
The Marshall players gave an indication that they are peaking at the right time with a convincing 38-14 victory over Ball State. The game was never in doubt, almost from the moment that senior quarterback Byron Leftwich emerged from the Shewey Building to a standing ovation during pregame senior introductions.
Leftwich, who had missed the last two starts after injuring his left shin on November 2 at Akron, turned in the most efficient performance of his incredible collegiate career, completing 35 of 42 passes (83.3%) for 401 yards and two scores in just 2 1/2 quarters of action. The effort pushed him past former Western Michigan quarterback Tim Lester for the all-time MAC lead in total offensive yards and left him just 50 yards shy of breaking Lester?s league record for career passing yards.
Leftwich spread the ball around to 10 different receivers in the game, but his favorite targets were his three wideouts -- Denero Marriott, Darius Watts and Josh Davis. The group combined for 25 catches for 326 yards and two scores. Davis surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for the season, and 2,000 for his career in the game while Watts moved to within 101 yards of 3,000 career yards and one touchdown catch shy of the MAC career mark.
While the Marshall offense was rolling up 557 total yards, the Herd defense was shining as well. The Herd held Ball State?s vaunted ground game to just 105 yards, holding senior running back Marcus Merriweather, who had averaged better than 170 yards per game over the previous five, to just 87 yards on 25 carries. The Herd secondary also recorded a season-high three interceptions in the game.
Now the Herd focuses on stopping Toledo. The game promises to be an offensive shootout, with two of the top five offensive teams in college football squaring off. That means the pressure will be squarely on the opposing defensive units, both of which have played well this year with Marshall ranking 30th in total defense and Toledo ranking 44th.
Like last year, both teams have their holiday destinations in hand. The only thing left to decide is who will be fitted for another MAC championship ring.