Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Ohio
Herd Falls at Ohio, 21-10
9/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
ATHENS, Ohio -Marshall football (1-1) had its six-game road-win streak snapped by the Ohio Bobcats (2-0) on Saturday night at Peden Stadium, 21-10.
Junior running back Devon Johnson (Richlands, Va.) ran for 170 yards and scored the longest touchdown of his career: a 73-yarder at 10:07 in the second quarter. In his second game at quarterback for the Herd, junior Michael Birdsong (Matoaca, Va.) went 13-of-29 for 84 yards and had two interceptions.
Ohio's first drive of seven plays and 62 yards ended with a 33-yard rushing touchdown by Daz'mond Patterson at 11:45, putting the Bobcats up 7-0. Although an interception by safety Taj Letman (Elberton, Ga.) at 2:56 provided a spark for the Herd, every Marshall possession in the first quarter was a three-and-out. Letman's pick was his second of the season and the Herd's fifth in two games.
After the first drive by each team in the second quarter ended in punts, Johnson got the Herd offense going with the second-longest run of his career: a 73-yard sprint to the end zone with 10:07 remaining before the break. His longest run of 75 yards, which did not result in a touchdown, was in a 2014 win at UAB.
The Bobcats intercepted Birdsong with 5:02 remaining before halftime and put together a four-play drive that ended in a 38-yard touchdown pass from JD Sprague to Sebastian Smith. Marshall had no success on its final possession of the half. On the resulting Bobcat drive, Ohio took the ball down the field and attempted a 43-yard field goal with the clock expiring before halftime, but missed and took a 14-7 lead into the locker room.
The teams traded possessions on the respective opening drives of the second half, and Marshall looked poised to score on a six-play, 19-yard drive deep into Bobcat territory. However, a sack at 8:37 caused Birdsong to fumble and the Bobcats recovered on their own 21. Marshall found some relief when the Bobcats muffed a 46-yard punt by Tyler Williams (Fort Wayne, Ind.), and senior Matt Cincotta (Charlotte, N.C.) recovered for the Herd at the 11-yard line with 4:35 remaining in the quarter. A 34-yard field goal by Nick Smith (Plain City, Ohio) cut the deficit to 14-10 at 3:44.
Marshall suffered its third turnover of the game as time expired in the third quarter when Johnson fumbled at the Ohio 35-yard line. The Herd kept Ohio from extending its lead until late in the fourth quarter, when the Bobcats drove for 5:53, 15 plays, 85 yards and a one-yard touchdown by A.J. Ouellette. On the Herd's next drive, Birdsong was intercepted for the second time, and the Bobcats ran out the clock through the final 2:05 and took the 21-10 victory over Marshall.
Up next, the Herd will host Norfolk State in the Hall of Fame Game at Joan C. Edwards Stadium on Sept. 19 at 3:30 p.m. For all the latest information about Marshall football, follow @HerdFB on Twitter.
---HerdZone.com---
