HUNTINGTON— Running backs Ethan Payne and Khalan Laborn both went over 100 yards rushing with two touchdowns each and Marshall routed FCS-member Norfolk State 55-3 on Saturday at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
Payne led the Herd with 10 carries for 113 yards and Laborn rushed for 102 yards on 12 carries as the Thundering Herd amassed 380 yards on the ground. The efforts of both Payne and Laborn greatly helped the offense, who was without the services of Rasheen Ali, who took a leave of absence last month for undisclosed reasons.
Payne provided a spark early on as he broke loose from the Spartan defense and raced 45-yards for his first score of the day and a 10-0 lead for the Herd with 6:57 in the opening period.
Former Texas Tech QB Henry Colombi made his first start for the Herd, completing 24 out of 26 passes for 205 yards. He also threw his first touchdown pass as a member of the Herd.
The Herd finished the game with 612 total yards of offense and 33 first downs.
The Herd defense held the Spartans to just 114 yards and five first downs for the game.
A total of five players scored touchdowns for Marshall on Saturday, including defensive lineman Owen Porter who returned a fumble 21-yards with 8:52 left in the second quarter to make the score 24-0 in favor of the Herd.
Later in the second period, Colombi would hook up with Corey Gammage to throw a 13-yard touchdown pass to extend the Herd's lead to 31-0 with 3:43 remaining in the half.
Norfolk State tried to stick to their ground attack, but would net just 30 yards on 31 carries. Quarterbacks Jaylan Adams and Otto Kuhns combined to go 6-for-14 for 84 yards.
Marshall travels to South Bend next Saturday to face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Comentários