Marshall won the Battle for the Bell for the first time in three years, defeating Ohio 44-14 on Saturday.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — On Ohio’s first play from scrimmage, Derrius Vick connected with Chase Cochran for a 53-yard pass downfield.
It was a call similar to one during its first drive against Kentucky the week before, but that one went between the hands of an Ohio wide receiver.
Saturday, it appeared the Bobcats’ offense was rejuvenated after not scoring a touchdown against the Wildcats. However, the 10-play, 84-yard drive ended with a missed field goal by redshirt junior kicker Josiah Yazdani and the Bobcats came away empty handed.
After that drive, Rakeem Cato controlled the game’s momentum.
Cato, Marshall’s senior quarterback, picked apart the Bobcats’ secondary on his way to a 44-14 Thundering Herd victory — his first Battle for the Bell win in four attempts.
Coach Frank Solich said that ending the first drive without any points didn’t define the game.
“Right off the gate offensively we finally came out, opened it up and moved the ball the first drive,” Vick, the redshirt junior quarterback, said. “It sucks to come out of that possession with no points.”
Although the Bobcats had other opportunities to score — and eventually did — the Thundering Herd scored on each of their first five possessions, which were all the points they needed to end Ohio’s three-year winning streak in the rivalry game.
Cato finished with 425 yards after completing 17 of 29 passing attempts. He also tossed four touchdowns, including the 100th in his career.
His only major mistake was throwing his first interception in 152 passing attempts when redshirt senior safety Nathan Carpenter picked Cato off in the endzone, but that wasn’t until the fourth quarter and the Bobcats were trailing 41-7.
“You need to make a team one-dimensional in order to win the game,” Carpenter said. “There’s a reason they’re supposed to go undefeated. There’s a reason they have a dark horse Heisman candidate.”
“It seemed like nothing could go our way.”
Although Marshall outgained Ohio 705-377, the Bobcats didn’t roll over and quit. The Bobcats scored a pair of touchdowns in the second half on passes from Vick and redshirt sophomore quarterback JD Sprague.
The majority of Ohio’s drives ended in punts, though.
“Our defense has been there the whole year. It was our turn this game," Vick said. "We knew that they were going to get points, they’re one of the best offenses there is out there.”
Vick was pulled midway through the game for the second straight week in favor of Sprague, though Solich said he was proud the way Vick responded after playing just the first four drives at Kentucky.
“I thought he made good decisions,” Solich said. “Sometimes you can be trying awfully hard, but the decision-making process isn’t good, so the game doesn’t come away as being good. But I thought he played well.”
Although the Bell won’t be returning to Athens on the team bus, the Bobcats will play at Peden Stadium next weekend for the first time this season.
“I think it’ll be good for us to finally be at home next week,” Vick said.
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