Saturday, October 18, 2014 06:00 PM
(ET)
Recap: Marshall 45, Florida International 13
SportsDirect Inc. staff
Oct 18, 2014
No. 24 Marshall 45, Florida International 13: Rakeem Cato threw four touchdown passes - two to Devon Johnson - in a record-setting effort to help the visiting Thundering Herd remain unbeaten.
Cato, who was 15-of-27 for 214 yards and established an FBS record by throwing at least one touchdown pass in 39 straight games as Marshall (7-0, 3-0 Conference USA) continued its best start since going 13-0 in 1999. Johnson amassed 196 yards from scrimmage as the Thundering Herd rolled after spotting the Panthers a 7-0 lead.
Alex McGough threw for 176 yards with two interceptions and had a rushing TD to pace Florida International (3-5, 2-2), which had a 23-18 advantage in first downs. Alex Gardner produced 104 rushing yards and Jonnu Smith had a game-high eight catches for 74 yards for the Panthers.
McGough finished off a 13-play drive midway through the first quarter with a 1-yard TD plunge before Marshall took over. Johnson's 71-yard run set up Cato's short scoring strike to freshman tight end Ryan Yurachek and Cato put the Thundering Herd up 14-7 with a 13-yard TD toss to Angelo Jean-Louis 5:32 before halftime.
Cato and Johnson hooked up on a 46-yard score late in the third and took advantage of McGough's interception on the final play of the third quarter with a 27-yard TD connection on the first play of the fourth to make it 31-7. McGough was picked off again moments later by Corey Tindal, who returned it 30 yards for a score, and Steward Butler's 61-yard TD run with 8:07 left capped the scoring for Marshall.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Marshall has won all three meetings by a combined margin of 113-33. ... Cato's TD streak was tied at 38 with former North Carolina State and Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson. ... The Thundering Herd, who entered the day ranked second in FBS with an average of 47.8 points, topped the 40-point mark for the seventh time this season and 13th time in 15 games dating to 2013.
Oct 18, 2014
No. 24 Marshall 45, Florida International 13: Rakeem Cato threw four touchdown passes - two to Devon Johnson - in a record-setting effort to help the visiting Thundering Herd remain unbeaten.
Cato, who was 15-of-27 for 214 yards and established an FBS record by throwing at least one touchdown pass in 39 straight games as Marshall (7-0, 3-0 Conference USA) continued its best start since going 13-0 in 1999. Johnson amassed 196 yards from scrimmage as the Thundering Herd rolled after spotting the Panthers a 7-0 lead.
Alex McGough threw for 176 yards with two interceptions and had a rushing TD to pace Florida International (3-5, 2-2), which had a 23-18 advantage in first downs. Alex Gardner produced 104 rushing yards and Jonnu Smith had a game-high eight catches for 74 yards for the Panthers.
McGough finished off a 13-play drive midway through the first quarter with a 1-yard TD plunge before Marshall took over. Johnson's 71-yard run set up Cato's short scoring strike to freshman tight end Ryan Yurachek and Cato put the Thundering Herd up 14-7 with a 13-yard TD toss to Angelo Jean-Louis 5:32 before halftime.
Cato and Johnson hooked up on a 46-yard score late in the third and took advantage of McGough's interception on the final play of the third quarter with a 27-yard TD connection on the first play of the fourth to make it 31-7. McGough was picked off again moments later by Corey Tindal, who returned it 30 yards for a score, and Steward Butler's 61-yard TD run with 8:07 left capped the scoring for Marshall.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Marshall has won all three meetings by a combined margin of 113-33. ... Cato's TD streak was tied at 38 with former North Carolina State and Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson. ... The Thundering Herd, who entered the day ranked second in FBS with an average of 47.8 points, topped the 40-point mark for the seventh time this season and 13th time in 15 games dating to 2013.
