said coach Frank Solich.
In the first half, Ohio only gained 34 total yards while allowing 199. The Thundering Herd actually had more first downs in the first half (11) than Ohio had rushing yards (10).
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DETROIT - Marshall came out hot-n-ready while the Bobcats looked like cold pizza - stale and flat.
The Bobcats looked lethargic from the moment the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl began. They found themselves in a 21 point hole early, and even though they thundered back to within four, they couldn't overcome the bad start and fell to Marshall 21-17.
For whatever reason we were not ready to go at the start of the game and you cannot play two quarters of football and expect...to win a game said coach Frank Solich.
In the first half, Ohio only gained 34 total yards while allowing 199. The Thundering Herd actually had more first downs in the first half (11) than Ohio had rushing yards (10).
But even with the awful start, Ohio found itself in a position to make the game a one-point affair with plenty of time left in the fourth quarter.
Matt Weller, who had already made a 46-yard field goal earlier in the game, lined up for 29-yard attempt with 10:23 remaining in regulation. If he had split the upright again, the score would have become 21-20, instead he missed and the momentum Ohio had gained from a near perfect second half dissipated.
Solich would have settled for a field goal, but wanted even more.
I mean you gotta put that in that's the bottom line Solich said. We needed to get seven on the board at that particular time.
Before the miss, Ohio (9-5, 7-1 Mid-American Conference) seemed poised to erase its horrendous start. The defense came out of the locker room energized and crisp, while the offense was finally able to move the ball.
With 7:11 remaining in the third quarter, Theo Scott, who had a subpar day throwing for just 111 yards on 14-of-26 passing with an interception, found Terrence McCrae in the back of the end zone. The pass-and-catch cut the score to 21-14 and Ohio was gaining momentum as Marshall (7-6, 4-4 Conference USA) finally looked like a team led by an interim head coach in Rick Minter.
Ohio's defense, led by Lineman of the Game Noah Keller (though he's a linebacker) who had 17 tackles, then held Marshall to a three-and-out. On the next Ohio drive, Matt Weller nailed the 46-yarder.
But the 21 first-half points Ohio spotted Marshall proved insurmountable.
I liked our effort in the second half we came back but we fell up short
said wide receiver Taylor Price.
It was the Marshall running backs who caused most problems for Ohio's defense in the first half. They bruised and burned the Bobcat defense for 133 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone. The Thundering Herd finished with 190 rushing yards. Ohio only managed 123 total yards.
Running back Martin Ward (72 yards rushing, two touchdowns) did Detroit proud, shedding tacklers like former Lion great Barry Sanders on his first touchdown of the day. He appeared to be stopped numerous times before giving the Herd a 7-0 lead with 1:17 left in the first quarter.
The very next drive, Ohio promptly completed its second three-and-out of the game, punted and found itself down 14-0 when Andre Booker returned the punt 58-yards for the score. It was the Marshall running back's first ever score.
The Bobcat fans who made the trip to Detroit must have been stunned that this squad - featuring the winningest senior class in school history - then fell behind 21-0 less than eight minutes into the second quarter.
Again it was Ward, capping a 54 yard, 10 play drive, who put Marshall up by three touchdowns.
The lone bright spot of the first half came when Shannon Ballard picked up a fumble, dashed 75 yards to pay dirt, and started the attempted comeback for Ohio
The Mid-American Conference East champs trotted into the locker room down 21-7, needing a near perfect second half if they wanted they wanted their first bowl win in school history and the first ten win season since 1968.
It was the second time in as many games Ohio stumbled out of the tunnel in the first half. In the MAC Championship game against Central Michigan, Keller said the team didn't start the way it wanted. After this second post season game at Ford Field, Keller said it was the same story different day.
We were close
but close doesn't cut it
he said.
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Joe Ragazzo
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