HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall doesn’t have time to feel sorry for itself following a humiliating 65-38 loss to Akron Saturday afternoon. Not with the challenge it faces this Saturday when the No. 3 Louisville Cardinals come to town for prime time kickoff at the Joan.
“You’ve just got to throw it behind you,” said senior Ryan Yuracheck. “We’ve got one of the top two or three teams in the country coming in here.”
Louisville dismantled the formerly second-ranked Florida State Seminoles 63-20 as quarterback Lamar Jackson added to his Heisman resume. The Cardinals have averaged 65 points a game through the first three weeks of the season.
“We can’t dwell on this game we’ve got to move and get ready,” said Gary Thompson.
The Herd gave up 524 yards of total offense to the Zips. That’s a scary thought with Louisville rolling into town next Saturday. The Cardinals Lamar Jackson scored five touchdowns in another dazzling Heisman audition, rushing for four scores and 146 yards and throwing for 216 yards and a fifth score.
Through three games, Jackson has thrown for 913 yards and rushed for another 464. Add it all up and Jackson has accounted for 1,377 yards of offense and 18 touchdowns in three games.
By comparison, Marshall has 1,090 yards of total offense as a team through its first two games.
“We can hurt their season if we can win,” said tailback Hylek Foster. “Our season isn’t lost.”
If Marshall can slow down Jackson, it will be the first team to do so this season. Jackson threw for 411 yards against Syracuse and in the season opener against Conference USA’s Charlotte; Jackson threw for 286 yards and rushed for 119 in a 70-14 win.
“We have to make certain every player’s head is right. Once we watch the film this game is over and we are on to Louisville,” emphasized defensive end Gary Thompson.
Akron is now in the rearview mirror for the Herd. Upsetting Louisville might just be enough for the Herd to forget what happened this past Saturday.