— By David Walsh
For the second straight week, Marshall’s defense made a key stop to allow the Thundering Herd hang on. This one was good enough to produce a 30-24 victory Saturday night against Missouri State at Robert W. Plaster Stadium in Springfield, Mo.
Hard to say when the two teams combined for nearly 1,000 yards.
Marshall (2-1) forced a rare punt by the Bears with less than 9 minutes left and then drove to the home team’s 15, where quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson fumbled the ball away. On that drive, Judah Price had runs of 11, 10 and 24 yards, but the miscue from Del Rio-Wilson was recovered by Antonio Smith.
The Bears then drove to the Marshall 7 after Ramone Green Jr. had runs of 16 and 29 yards and Locklear rambled 23 on a keeper.
Faced with fourth-and-goal from the 7, there were offsetting penalties, and on the second try, Javae Gilmore came with a breakup on the Locklear pass to help preserve the win. That marked the fourth straight incompletion to disappoint the home crowd of 16,010.
Our ball! 🏈
It’s Javae on the pass breakup!
📺: CBSSN pic.twitter.com/vre1cg8V84
— Marshall Football (@HerdFB) September 20, 2026
After the stop, Khalil Wilkins, a transfer from West Virginia, ran for 11 yards and a first down to wrap up the result.
A week ago, the Herd defense broke up a two-point pass after a late Middle Tennessee State score to preserve the victory, 28-26.
Marshall totaled 484 yards with 267 rushing and 197 through the air. Missouri State (1-2) racked up 505 yards as Skyler Locklear threw for 320 and the Bears ran for 185.
Marshall also had some gifts from Missouri State. On one, the Bears had an interception on a believed free play. On a fumble, the Bears thought they had it, but Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw got credit for the recovery after a review. The home team had an interception reversed. The Herd would block a field goal right before the half. And the Bears would lose a man to a targeting call in the third period.
Missouri State attempted an onside kick to start to start the third period. The Herd recovered and got an extra 5 yards as the Bears were offside. Joshon Barbie later would break free on a 26-yard run to the home team’s 13, and then a personal foul moved the ball to the 6. Del Rio-Wilson scored on the next play for a 24-10 lead with 13:26 on the clock.
Missouri State would bounce back from that bummer and drive 75 yards in eight plays for a score, that coming on Breezy Dunbar’s 1-yard TD run.
Marshall came right back, and with the help of a targeting call, moved to the 17, where Jorge Diaz Nicolas drilled a 32-yard field goal. Earlier in the drive, Turner-Bradshaw and Christian Ford for the Bears collided on a deep pass. Ford got called for the helmet-to-helmet hit for 15 yards plus an ejection for targeting.
Missouri State moved late for a TD, going 75 yards in nine plays. Locklear hit Isaiah Myers for 28 yards on a third-and-15 down to the Herd 31. The capper came when Locklear scrambled and found Jeron Askren for a 25-yard TD strike to make it 27-24 with 2:06 left in the third period.
Diaz Nicolas upped the Herd lead to six on a 32-yard field goal with 10:24 to play — and that proved to be the final scoring play.
Marshall showed its belief in the offense on its first possession when on a fourth-and-2, the Herd went for it. Del Rio-Wilson took a jab step left, then looked right where T.J. Lester had shifted, and then he ran the circle route, went by the safety coming up, and hauled in a 39-yard TD pass.
Missouri State came right back and drove for a field goal from Yousef Obeid, whose 25-yard boot made it 7-3.
The Herd offense remained effective as it went 60 yards in seven plays and scored on Barbie’s 1-yard run.
The Bears rebounded for their first TD when Locklear hit Witt Edwards on a 38-yard TD pass to make it 14-10.
Marshall countered and went up seven on the first field goal from Diaz Nicholas, this one a 28-yarder.
Right before the half, the Bears moved to the Herd 7 after Locklear hit Jmariyae Robinson for 30 yards for a first-and-goal. The Herd contained the Bears for three plays, then after a timeout, Obeid came out for a 22-yard field goal, but Marshall’s Kenyetta Hardge II, who goes 293 pounds, charged up the middle and blocked the field goal to keep it 17-10.
The Bears edged the Herd, 21-20, last year in Huntington.
Marshall returns home Saturday for a matchup with Gardner-Webb.