Six first half turnover and poor tackling gave Ohio all the fuel it needed to race out to a 27-7 lead at the half. Ohio quarterback Tyler Tettleton completed 17 of 22 for 259 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.
Meanwhile Rakeem Cato looked more like a true freshman quarterback going 5 of 10 for just 70 yards and four picks. Most of those yards came on a single play, a 45 yard touchdown pass to Aarond Dobson. Marshall had trouble holding onto the football as well. C.J. Crawford and Travon put the ball on the ground for a grand total of five turnovers in the first half.
Cato’s first pick came on the third play from scrimmage and was probably the only one that was the least his fault. Cato’s pass was tipped in the air and picked by Omar Leftwich. The turnover set up a seven yard touchdown pass from Tyler Tettleton to Lavon Brazill giving Ohio a 7-0 leadwith 11:50 left in the opening quarter.
Marshall quickly answered and Cato made up for the miscue on the next offensive series. Cato laid a 45 yard touchdown pass out for Aaron Dobson to tie the game at 7-7. However, the Bobcat special teams would respond just moments later returning the kickoff 74 yards down to the Marshall 19 yard line.
Ohio had the chance to blow the game open, but a spectacular one handed catch by Donte Foster was erased on an illegal formation penalty and the touchdown was wiped off the board. The Bobcats would have to settle for a 20 yard Matt Weller field goal to go up 10-7.
Rakeem Cato threw his second pick just four plays into the next series, but Marshall would create its one of its own. Marshall’s defense came up with a turnover with Ohio threatening on The Herd’s 28 yard line when Kellen Harris striped the ball from Blankenship and George Carpenter was there to pounce on it for Marshall. Alas, that switch in momentum would be short lived.
Cato completed the first quarter interception hat trick on 3rd and 13. Travis Carrie picked off the pass and set up another Ohio scoring drive at the Marshall 33 yard line. This time it was Tyler Tettleton using his legs, to run it in from seven yards out giving Ohio a ten point advantage.
The mistakes continued for Marshall when Cato completed a first down pass to C.J. Crawford, but Crawford couldn’t hold on to the football, fumbled and the Bobcats pounded. However, after easily moving ball down the field, Ohio’s drive stalled just yards shy of the goal and Ohio had to settle for another Matt Weller field goal push its lead to 20-7.
Tyler Tettleton continued to carve up the Marshall defense following another inept offensive series by The Herd. Tettleton hit Phil Bates in the flat with blockers in front of him for a 50 yard touchdown play and Ohio was firmly in control 27-7 with 2:27 left in the half.
Ohio would take advantage of Marshall’s fifth turnover of the half late in the second quarter. Travon Van put the ball on the ground at midfield and Nate Carpenter picked up for the Bobcats. Just like he’d done all first half, Tyler Tettleton marched his team down the field and on another swing pass into the flat, Lavon Brazill was escorted to the endzone by a wall of blockers for a 22 yard touchdown pass making it 34-7.
Ohio amassed 359 yards of total offense in the first half, while Marshall could only muster 195 yards.