Marshall Thundering Herd vs Tulsa Golden Hurricane Box Score on Nov 14, 2013

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 15, 2013

Marshall 45, Tulsa 34: Rakeem Cato passed for a career-high 456 yards and five touchdowns as the visiting Thundering Herd survived five turnovers - including four fumbles in the second half - to down the Golden Hurricane.

Devon Smith and Tommy Shuler combine for three touchdown catches, including two during the first quarter, for Marshall (7-3, 5-1 Conference USA), which pulled into a first-place tie with East Carolina atop the East Division. Essray Taliaferro ran for 68 yards and a score.

Trey Watts exploded for a career-high 169 yards rushing and two touchdowns for Tulsa (2-8, 1-5), which has dropped four straight. Dane Evans threw for 161 yards and a touchdown.

Cato ended each of the Thundering Herd’s first three drives with touchdown passes as Marshall rolled to a 21-0 advantage after one quarter. Watts’ 1-yard score and Thomas Roberson’s 26-yard TD catch on consecutive possessions trimmed the Golden Hurricane’s deficit to seven, but Cato’s fourth touchdown pass of the first half and a 31-yard field goal from Justin Haig left Marshall ahead 31-14 at the break.

Marshall fumbled on each of its first two drives of the second half, allowing Evans and Watts to score rushing touchdowns, and Carl Salazar drilled two field goals to give Tulsa a 34-31 advantage at the beginning of the fourth quarter. However, Cato’s final scoring throw with 3:47 left and Taliaferro's 1-yard run following a failed fourth-down conversion by the Golden Hurricane sealed it.