Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
3-0 , 1-0
WKU
1-3 , 1-1
MCGILL: No suspense as Marshall tops WKU in C-USA opener
10/10/2020 11:46:00 PM | Football, Word on the Herd
Herd built a 38-0 lead to pick up the league road victory
By Chuck McGill
HerdZone.com
The suspense was terrible. It didn't last.
After three consecutive years of single-digit margins of victory for Marshall football against rival Western Kentucky, the Thundering Herd squashed the possibility of another dramatic finish early in Saturday's 38-14 win against the Hilltoppers.
It took the Marshall offense two plays and 38 seconds to take the lead against WKU at Houchens-L.T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and the Herd never looked back. Marshall, which has not trailed at all this season, led for 59 minutes and 22 seconds of its Conference USA opener. Now, the Herd is 3-0 on the season and 1-0 in league play.
"I was concerned about being off for three weeks and being rusty," Marshall head coach Doc Holliday said. "But I thought our kids came out and started fast."
MU freshman quarterback Grant Wells connected with sophomore receiver Broc Thompson for a 30-yard gain on the first play, and then junior running back Brenden Knox rumbled 45 yards for a touchdown to open the scoring.
"We talk to our team about starting fast," Holliday said, "and we started about as fast as we could."
Knox's season-long run was the first of four rushing touchdowns for the Herd in the opening half. Junior running back Sheldon Evans scored from 5 yards out with 2:21 left of the first quarter to make it 14-0, Marshall.
Knox added a 1-yard touchdown run with 2:14 left of the first half and then scored again 107 seconds later to balloon the lead to 28-0, Herd, with 27 seconds left until intermission.
Evans' touchdown run, his second of the season, and Knox's career-best third rushing touchdown came after the Marshall defense forced and recovered fumbles.
The Herd made it three takeaways early in the third quarter when senior linebacker Tavante Beckett scooped up a loose ball and ran 38 yards for a touchdown to make it 35-0 with 9:20 left of the period.
"That score right before the half and it was huge to get that fumble recovery for a touchdown as well," Holliday said. "We're playing really well as a team in all three phases."
In fact, Marshall had built its lead to 38-0 before the WKU offense advanced the ball inside the MU 40-yard line. The Hilltoppers scored a touchdown on the final play of the third quarter and its last offensive play of the fourth quarter to become the first team to reach double digits against Marshall this season.
The Herd entered Saturday night as the No. 1 scoring defense in the nation. Marshall held WKU to 85 rushing yards, the third consecutive opponent to fail to reach the 100-yard mark against the Herd defense.
"We want to be the best defense in the country," Beckett said. "That's our motivation. That's what gets us up and gets us going every day … you could tell how hungry our defense was."
Sophomore linebacker Eli Neal, senior defensive back Nazeeh Johnson and junior safety Derrek Pitts shared the team lead for tackles with five. Senior safety Brandon Drayton recorded the team's only sack, while junior defensive back Steven Gilmore and junior linebacker Abraham Beauplan were credited with forced fumbles.
The production came from all over, but it was Beckett's three fumble recoveries – which tied a school record – that helped turn this into a rare rout in the series. Marshall has won nine consecutive games under Holliday when winning the turnover battle by three or more.
Offensively, Knox eclipsed 100 rushing yards for the 12th time in his career, picking up 107 yards on the ground on 15 carries. He was complemented by Evans, who had 14 carries for 64 yards.
Thompson set a new career-high with 94 receiving yards on four catches.
Wells did not throw a touchdown pass for the second consecutive game, but completed 16 of 22 passes for 162 yards and did not commit a turnover in his first road and conference start.
"I'm really proud of Grant," Holliday said. "We didn't turn it over, which was huge. For a young quarterback he plays with a lot of poise."
After a three-week wait to play WKU, Marshall will play on consecutive weekends for the first time this season next Saturday at Louisiana Tech (3-1 overall, 2-0 C-USA).
"We've got a lot of work to do to get better as a team," Holliday said, "but we'll take this one."
Chuck McGill is the Assistant Athletic Director for Fan/Donor Engagement and Communications at Marshall University and an eight-time winner of the National Sports Media Association West Virginia Sportswriter of the Year award. In addition to HerdZone.com's Word on the Herd, McGill is the editor of Thundering Herd Illustrated, Marshall's official athletics publication. Follow him on Twitter (@chuckmcgill) and Instagram (wordontheherd).
Team Stats
MAR 7, WKU 0
MAR - KNOX, Brenden 45 yd run (CIUCCI, Shane kick), 2 plays, 75 yards, TOP 0:38
MAR 14, WKU 0
MAR - EVANS, Sheldon 5 yd run (CIUCCI, Shane kick), 9 plays, 60 yards, TOP 4:30
MAR 21, WKU 0
MAR - KNOX, Brenden 1 yd run (CIUCCI, Shane kick), 4 plays, 45 yards, TOP 1:49
MAR 28, WKU 0
MAR - KNOX, Brenden 9 yd run (CIUCCI, Shane kick), 7 plays, 37 yards, TOP 1:33
MAR 35, WKU 0
MAR - BECKETT, T. 38 yd fumble recovery (CIUCCI, Shane kick)
MAR 38, WKU 0
MAR - CIUCCI, Shane 28 yd field goal 11 plays, 34 yards, TOP 5:20
MAR 38, WKU 7
WKU - THOMAS, K. 2 yd run (NARVESON, B. kick), 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:22
MAR 38, WKU 14
WKU - SMITH, D. 26 yd pass from THOMAS, K. (NARVESON, B. kick) 11 plays, 80 yards, TOP 1:37
