— By David Walsh
Marshall opened a four-touchdown lead early in the third quarter, then survived a frantic comeback try by Connecticut to earn a 28-14 win Monday in the third Myrtle Beach Bowl at Coastal Carolina’s Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C.
ESPN televised the game witnessed by a crowd of 12,023 and saw Thundering Herd coach Charles Huff get the traditional Gatorade bath when the contest ended.
The Thundering Herd snaps a three-game bowl losing streak and improves to 13-6 all-time in bowls. Marshall (9-4) concluded the 2022 season on a five-game win streak.
“So proud of these guys,” Huff said. “The players, coaches, staff. It’s been a good year. Had ups and downs. Now call them champions.”
UConn (6-7) made its comeback try late in the third period and early in the fourth with freshman Victor Rosa scoring two times. He had touchdowns on runs 14 and 24 yards in the third period.
UConn had a chance to draw even closer early in the final quarter. However, Huskies’ quarterback Zion Turner tried to hit Marion Keeland on a deep ball and Steven Gilmore broke it up. UConn fans and coach Jim Mora sought a pass interference call, didn’t get it and instead Mora got a 15 yard penalty on an unsportsmanlike conduct call. Not long after, the Huskies kept their offense on the field for fourth-and-8 and did the same following a false start penalty, but Turner’s pass fell incomplete on fourth-and-13.
Later, UConn got to the Marshall 20, but Micah Abraham intercepted Turner for a touchback to seal the outcome with 5:09 remaining.
Marshall went 3-for-3 in the red zone for 21 points. UConn went 1-for-3 and scored 7.
Cam Fancher threw two touchdown passes on a light day with 10 completions in 20 tries for 93 yards.
Marshall appeared to play a bit conservative as Fancher battled through a sore back early.
“Had to change some of the things we do,” Huff said. “It loosened (second half) and we made big plays when it counted.”
The Herd totaled 210 rushing yards. Rasheen Ali, in his third game since his returning from a preseason knee injury, had 92 yards on 15 carries and a TD. Khalan Laborn netted 90 on 21 tries. He finished with more than 1,500 yards for the season along with 16 scores after arriving from Florida State via the transfer portal.
Ali was voted the game’s MVP.
Fancher’s TD passes covered 9 yards to Corey Gammage and 10 to tight end Devin Miller for a 21-0 lead at the half. Ali went over from 2 yards out on the Herd’s first possession of the third period to make it 28-0 get the Herd fans in attendance really rocking.
The defense, which is at or near the top in Sun Belt Conference statistics and ranked high nationally, made stops at the end when it appeared the Huskies had momentum. It also delivered a big play early in the game when Damion Barber picked off a screen pass try from Turner and rambled 34 yards for the score.
“The defense battled,” Huff said. “Had some issues. Let them back in it in the second half. When the defense needed to step up, they did.”
Marshall’s defense also delivered a turnover on its first play. Immediately after Fancher was stopped behind the line of scrimmage on fourth-and-1 and ultimately lost a fumble that the Huskies’ Durante Jones recovered, UConn took over at its 34. Turner tried to get off a late pitch on an option, but it resulted in a fumble recovered by MU’s Isaiah Norman, which he returned 18 yards.
Starting from the UConn 16, Fancher threw a 7-yard pass to Gammage, and the duo connected again for a 9-yard scoring pass on the next play to give the Herd a 7-0 lead 3:45 into the matchup.
The teams had met just once before in 2015 when Marshall topped the Huskies, 16-10, in the St. Petersburg Bowl.
Turner completed only 9-of-27 attempts for 166 yards. Rosa totaled 75 rushing yards on 24 tries.
Huff had a positive message for the Herd team and family after the contest ended.
“First bowl win as a Sun Belt team, 4-0 in November, beat Notre Dame, Myrtle Beach Bowl win,” he said. “Call yourself champs. I’m proud of you guys.”
The Herd defense finished with three interceptions and nine tackles for loss.
UConn’s Ian Swenson was flagged and ejected for targeting after a review in the third period. That call came during the Herd’s final touchdown drive.