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12-27-2013, 07:28 PM
Marshall beats Maryland in the Military Bowl, 31-20.
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12-27-2013, 11:55 PM
A proper salute
Dec. 27, 2013 @ 11:33 PM
GRANT TRAYLOR
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- In the biggest football game of the season, Marshall University came up with its biggest performance of the year.
Marshall's Rakeem Cato threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns Friday to earn Most Valuable Player honors and solidify the Thundering Herd's 31-20 win over Maryland in the Military Bowl played in front of 30,163 fans at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
The win gives Marshall (10-4) its first 10-win season since 2002.
"Our senior group is a special one," Marshall head coach Doc Holliday said. "They played their best football this season and translated this season's success into a bowl win. I am very proud of how they played in all three phases.
"It is a great way to send the seniors out and (keep) the momentum into next season."
With Marshall clinging to a four-point lead and just less than four minutes remaining, Cato and tight end Gator Hoskins connected for the game's biggest play.
The Herd had a third-and-12 play from the Maryland 36 and Cato stepped into a throw and found Hoskins over the middle for a first down. On the next play, Cato hit Hoskins for an 8-yard score that essentially iced the game.
"We saw that they were trying to put the safety on me," Hoskins said. "When the play happened, I saw that he was on the outside so I broke inside and Cato found me and I just made a good play."
Hoskins finished with six catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns, giving him 15 touchdowns in 14 games during his senior year.
The Hoskins score was the final blow in a fourth quarter the Herd owned after it appeared Maryland (7-6) had seized momentum on the quarter's first play. Maryland tight end Dave Stinebaugh caught a 2-yard touchdown pass to cap a 17-play, 99-yard drive that lasted for 7:44 of the game and gave the Terrapins their first lead at 20-17.
After being on the sideline for a long time, Marshall's offense came back quickly. Cato moved the team down the field before Essray Taliaferro scored on a 7-yard run with 12:05 left to answer Maryland.
The Herd didn't trail again as the defense consistently made plays and limited the effectiveness of C.J. Brown of the Terps as a rushing quarterback. Brown came into the contest with two 100-yard rushing games in the Terrapins' last three contests, but ended with just 38 yards.
Part of Maryland's inability to get going offensively came from the effective right foot of Marshall punter Tyler Williams, who had his best game of the season at the most pivotal time. Out of seven punts, Williams pinned Maryland inside its own 10-yard line on four occasions, forcing the Terrapins to drive a long field.
"The punter did a tremendous job of giving us tough field position all day long and we weren't able to overcome that," Maryland head coach Randy Edsall said.
Marshall took a 17-13 lead into the locker room at halftime with both teams feeling as though opportunities were missed.
The Herd drove into Maryland territory late in the first half and came away with no points after being forced to call its final timeout to avoid a delay of game penalty from the Terrapins' 33 with nine seconds left.
Cato found Taliaferro for an 11-yard gain, but time ran out and the Terrapins took a little momentum to the locker room.
Still, Maryland had its own opportunities to put more points on the board and failed to do so after having drives shut down following failed third-down conversions inside the Herd 20.
Alex Bazzie stuffed Brown on an option keeper on a third-and-1 late in the first half to force Maryland to settle for a 33-yard field goal from Brad Craddock, his second of the day.
"We were moving the ball well, but we were kicking field goals," Brown said. "If those drives had come out touchdowns, it would be 21-17 -- a whole different ballgame. When you get down in the red zone, you want seven (points), not three."
Tommy Shuler opened the scoring for the Herd with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Cato with 6:21 left in the first quarter, but Maryland answered on a 29-yard pass from Brown to Levern Jacobs -- a former Marshall commit.
Cato then found Hoskins for his first touchdown of the game, an 8-yard catch on a post route to give the Herd a 14-7 lead at the end of one quarter.
Shuler had nine receptions for 68 yards, giving him 106 catches for the season -- his second-consecutive 100-catch season.
Dec. 27, 2013 @ 11:33 PM
GRANT TRAYLOR
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- In the biggest football game of the season, Marshall University came up with its biggest performance of the year.
Marshall's Rakeem Cato threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns Friday to earn Most Valuable Player honors and solidify the Thundering Herd's 31-20 win over Maryland in the Military Bowl played in front of 30,163 fans at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
The win gives Marshall (10-4) its first 10-win season since 2002.
"Our senior group is a special one," Marshall head coach Doc Holliday said. "They played their best football this season and translated this season's success into a bowl win. I am very proud of how they played in all three phases.
"It is a great way to send the seniors out and (keep) the momentum into next season."
With Marshall clinging to a four-point lead and just less than four minutes remaining, Cato and tight end Gator Hoskins connected for the game's biggest play.
The Herd had a third-and-12 play from the Maryland 36 and Cato stepped into a throw and found Hoskins over the middle for a first down. On the next play, Cato hit Hoskins for an 8-yard score that essentially iced the game.
"We saw that they were trying to put the safety on me," Hoskins said. "When the play happened, I saw that he was on the outside so I broke inside and Cato found me and I just made a good play."
Hoskins finished with six catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns, giving him 15 touchdowns in 14 games during his senior year.
The Hoskins score was the final blow in a fourth quarter the Herd owned after it appeared Maryland (7-6) had seized momentum on the quarter's first play. Maryland tight end Dave Stinebaugh caught a 2-yard touchdown pass to cap a 17-play, 99-yard drive that lasted for 7:44 of the game and gave the Terrapins their first lead at 20-17.
After being on the sideline for a long time, Marshall's offense came back quickly. Cato moved the team down the field before Essray Taliaferro scored on a 7-yard run with 12:05 left to answer Maryland.
The Herd didn't trail again as the defense consistently made plays and limited the effectiveness of C.J. Brown of the Terps as a rushing quarterback. Brown came into the contest with two 100-yard rushing games in the Terrapins' last three contests, but ended with just 38 yards.
Part of Maryland's inability to get going offensively came from the effective right foot of Marshall punter Tyler Williams, who had his best game of the season at the most pivotal time. Out of seven punts, Williams pinned Maryland inside its own 10-yard line on four occasions, forcing the Terrapins to drive a long field.
"The punter did a tremendous job of giving us tough field position all day long and we weren't able to overcome that," Maryland head coach Randy Edsall said.
Marshall took a 17-13 lead into the locker room at halftime with both teams feeling as though opportunities were missed.
The Herd drove into Maryland territory late in the first half and came away with no points after being forced to call its final timeout to avoid a delay of game penalty from the Terrapins' 33 with nine seconds left.
Cato found Taliaferro for an 11-yard gain, but time ran out and the Terrapins took a little momentum to the locker room.
Still, Maryland had its own opportunities to put more points on the board and failed to do so after having drives shut down following failed third-down conversions inside the Herd 20.
Alex Bazzie stuffed Brown on an option keeper on a third-and-1 late in the first half to force Maryland to settle for a 33-yard field goal from Brad Craddock, his second of the day.
"We were moving the ball well, but we were kicking field goals," Brown said. "If those drives had come out touchdowns, it would be 21-17 -- a whole different ballgame. When you get down in the red zone, you want seven (points), not three."
Tommy Shuler opened the scoring for the Herd with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Cato with 6:21 left in the first quarter, but Maryland answered on a 29-yard pass from Brown to Levern Jacobs -- a former Marshall commit.
Cato then found Hoskins for his first touchdown of the game, an 8-yard catch on a post route to give the Herd a 14-7 lead at the end of one quarter.
Shuler had nine receptions for 68 yards, giving him 106 catches for the season -- his second-consecutive 100-catch season.
12-29-2013, 07:23 PM
Westside Wrote:Where are you at Eerie. How did the Mounties do in their bowl game?
You rang????
Great win by the Herd.
12-31-2013, 06:20 PM
Go Herd!!! Not to mention the Indoor Practice Facility is finally coming along nicely... the future is looking bright in the River Cities!
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