Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Topples Ohio, 28-0
11/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Marshall Topples Ohio, 28-0
11/28/2003
- Box Score
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall used a strong defensive effort and a high-powered rushing attack to pick-up a 28-0 win over rival Ohio in the annual "Battle for the Bell" Saturday.
"I'm really proud of our team," Marshall head coach Bob Pruett said. "We dominated the game today."
Marshall (8-4 0verall, 6-2 MAC) pounded out 290 rushing yards and had two running backs eclipse the 100-yard mark for the second time this season. Junior Earl Charles rushed for 115 yards on 23 carries, while senior Franklin Wallace notched 108 yards and a touchdown on 15 touches for the Thundering Herd.
Charles' performance put him over the 1,000-yard mark for the season. The junior college transfer finishes the regular season with 1,039 rushing yards. He is only the seventh player in Marshall history to post a 1,000-yard rushing season and the first to do so since Doug Chapman in 1998.
Senior Darius Watts became the first player in Mid-American Conference history and only the second Marshall player ever to break the 4,000 career receiving yards mark. He also caught a 37-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter that increased his career total to 47. He currently stands second all-time in NCAA career receiving touchdowns, just three shy of Troy Edwards' national record mark of 50.
Marshall scored often early and used a dominating defensive effort to close out the contest. Marshall scored all four of its touchdowns in the first half, including a 40-yard fumble return for a touchdown by defensive end Johnathan Goddard at the 8:14 mark of the first half.
Marshall's defense also limited Ohio (2-10, 1-7 MAC) to only 153 yards and eight first downs en route to posting its first shutout since shutting out Temple (34-0) in 1999.
Marshall out-gained Ohio 409 to 153 and dominated the time of possession 35:20 to 24:40.
At halftime of the contest, Marshall University Stadium was renamed in honor of philanthropist Joan C. Edwards.
Joan C. Edwards Stadium and James F. Edwards Field is the only Division 1-A football stadium to be named after a woman.
Edwards has donated about $50 million to Marshall University over the last decade. The field was named after her late husband in 1993.
Winner of six of its last seven games, Marshall must now wait and see if a bowl opportunity will present itself.
"We need some luck and for people to realize how great our fans our," Pruett said. "We travel well and do a lot of things very well as a program."