Marshall honors its past with a 31-19 victory over #CCU

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Every college football program celebrates Homecoming and “Senior Day,” but only one has a tragic past that it can honor each November. On Saturday, the Marshall Thundering Herd played its “Remember the 75” game in honor of the plane crash victims of 1970.

If you’re not familiar, following a three-point loss at East Carolina on November 14th, the plane carrying the Marshall football team back from Greenville crashed just short of the Tri-State Airport runway. All 75 people on the flight died, including 37 players and staff members from the football team. The crash remains the deadliest sports-related air tragedy in American history and was the subject of the 2006 movie “We Are Marshall.”

Those seventy-five souls were honored with a 31-19 victory by Marshall over Coastal Carolina on Saturday that moved the Thundering Herd into first place in the Sun Belt East Division standings. The loss ended the Chanticleers slim chance at a division title and also has CCU still searching for an elusive sixth win to become bowl eligible.

Game Details Courtesy of Darrell Orand, CCU Media Relations: The Chanticleers (5-5/2-4 Sun Belt) opened the scoring on the first drive of the game with Brayden Bennett scoring from four yards out to put the Chants up 7-0 less than four minutes into the game.
 
Marshall (7-3, 6-1 Sun Belt) followed CCU’s score with 17 consecutive points, including the play of the game, a 65-yard blocked field goal that was returned for a touchdown, to lead 17-7 at the half. The Herd scored late in the third quarter to make it 24 consecutive Marshall points and a 24-7 lead since the Chants early score.
 
After a Kade Hensley field goal and another Marshall touchdown, the Chants made the game interesting over the final 15 minutes. Ethan Vasko hit Jameson Tucker from 47 yards out to cut Marshall’s lead to 31-17.
 
Marshall went three-and-out on its ensuing possession and Marshall’s Alec Clark dropped back to punt, but the snap sailed over his head and out of the back of the end zone for a safety to cut the lead to 31-19 with just under seven minutes left. CCU had a couple of late scoring opportunities but could get no closer.
 
Marshall came into the game averaging a Sun Belt Conference-best 239.2 yards per game but the Chants defense held the league’s top rushing team to only 32 yards on 35 carries.
 
CCU finished the game with 391 total yards while holding the Herd to 254 total yards, including only 76 yards in the second half.
 
Marshall scored 14 of its points on the blocked field goal and a fumble recovery inside CCU’s five-yard line.
 
CCU’s Vasko finished the day 21-39 throwing the ball for 267 yards and a score. His passing yards total pushed him to over 1,800 yards this season and almost 2,600 for his career.
 
CCU rushed for 124 yards with Bennett gaining 67 on 19 carries, while Bryson Graves grabbed a team-best six catches for 87 yards and Tucker added 69 yards and a score on three receptions.
 
For Marshall, quarterback Braylon Braxton finished the game completing 20 of his 31 pass attempts for 219 yards and three scores. Charles Montgomery caught six passes for 67 yards and a score.
 
The Chanticleers will be back home for the final regular season home game of the season when they host Georgia Southern, Saturday, Nov. 23.

Box Score