6:00: Morning News

C-USA champs! Herd comes back to beat La. Tech 26-23

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — On a rainy, windy day at Joan C. Edwards Stadium, Justin Haig booted a Conference USA championship-record four field goals and Rakeem Cato threw for two touchdowns as Marshall captured its first C-USA title with a 26-23 win over Louisiana Tech.

“We finally got it done today,” said Cato. “Our team fought so hard, offense, defense and special teams. We executed our gameplan.”

Down by four with no timeouts, Rakeem Cato led Marshall on an 11-play, 68-yard winning drive.

Marshall trailed 23-16 heading into the fourth quarter, and then scored 10 consecutive points to capture its first ever C-USA title and its first conference crown since a Mid-American Conference championship in 2002.

“They have come so far and the culture has changed here at Marshall,” beamed coach Doc Holliday. “I am just really excited to get this program back to where we wanted to get it to: That is winning championships for our fan base, our community, and our school. This is what they deserve.”

The Herd’s defense forced a Louisiana Tech punt and got the ball back for Cato and the offense with 10:08 left in the game. The Bulldogs were able to keep Marshall out of the endzone but the Herd moved the ball well within Justin Haig’s field goal range. Haig, the game’s Most Valuable Player, drilled a 24-yard field goal, his fourth of the day, to draw Marshall to within four of Louisiana Tech,

Needing another defensive stop, Marshall responded. Louisiana Tech, which ran the ball 45 times for 196 yards, used a 30-yard pass from Cody Sokol to Sterling Griffin to move the ball to the Marshall 36. But Louisiana Tech could not get to the endzone. It had to a settle for a 49-yard field goal attempt that kicker Kyle Fischer missed wide left, giving Cato and the Herd one more shot to win the game.

“On that last drive we knew we had to score to win the ballgame,” said Cato.

Marshall got the ball back on its own 32-yard line and Cato was nearly perfect on the game-winning drive, completing five of his six passes moving his team down the field. With time running out, Cato found Deon-Tay McManus in the back of the endzone for five yards out to give the Herd its first lead of the day.

“We had a play drawn up but the defense figured it out so I just stayed alive and Cato found me,” said McManus.

“(La. Tech) did a great job of covering the play,” said Cato. “I had to find some time using my feet and he (McManus) made a great move to get open and I just had to deliver him a catchable ball.”

Any chance of a Louisiana Tech comeback was extinguished when Sokol was intercepted by linebacker Neville Hewitt on the Bulldogs’ next offensive play.

“I’m still shocked,” said Hewitt after sealing Marshall’s first championship in 12 years. “It’s still surreal to me.”

That final 1:50 was the only time Marshall led.

“It’s a hard pill to swallow,” said Sokol, who finished 7-of-20 for 72 yards after averaging almost 260 yards passing per game. “It’s a game you want to win and our guys wanted to win. We gave it our all.”

Louisiana Tech took advantage of Marshall mistakes scoring touchdowns on two Marshall turnovers and a blocked punt. Following a bobbled handoff from Cato to Steward Butler, Kenneth Dixon broke loose for a 33-yard touchdown run for the Bulldogs. Later in the half, Marshall defense forced a Louisiana Tech punt, but it was muffed by the Herd. The ball bounced hitting Michael Johnson in the leg, giving the Bulldogs the ball back at Marshall’s 40-yard line.

Dixon struck again, this time for a 30-yard touchdown run gave the Bulldogs a 17-7 lead.

Marshall got a pair of field goals from Justin Haig before the end of the half. Haig hit from 40 yards our then with time expiring connected from 46 yards before the end of the second quarter.

Louisiana Tech tried to ice Haig, calling a late timeout just before the ball was snapped and Haig actually missed on the first try. The second time the kick was good and would prove to be a difference maker at the end of the game.

“It was just an extra practice rep for me,” Haig said about Louisiana Tech’s attempt to ice him.

The Bulldogs got on the board one more time in the second half on a 19-yard touchdown run by Dixon, after blocking a Marshall punt.

Marshall finished with 429 yards, with Cato throwing for 308.

Louisiana Tech was limited to just 268 yards.

“I can’t say enough and how proud I am of the coaching staff, how proud I am of this team,” said Holliday. “They overcame a lot out there.”





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