The Marshall football team ended its four-game losing streak end in a 21-14 loss at the hands of the UAB Blazers on Saturday afternoon at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.

Marshall suffered its first loss in the annual ’75’ game since the program started it in 2013.

“I understand fully how much this weekend means to a lot of people, myself included,” Head Coach Charles Huff said.

“I thought we fought hard. That’s what Marshall is about. That’s what Marshall will always be about.”

The Blazers got out to the quick start with an opening drive touchdown.

Running back DeWayne McBride scored from 3 yards out just over 2 minutes into the football game and UAB went up 7-0.

Later in the first quarter, McBride scored again on a 15-yard run to make it 14-0 UAB after the first quarter.

That touchdown run capped off an 11-play, 99-yard drive that over six minutes off the clock.

The Herd trimmed the deficit in half prior to intermission.

Grant Wells fired a 36-yard pass downfield to wide receiver Jayden Harrison to get Marshall on the board before halftime.

That late momentum built up before halftime carried over into the third quarter.

Marshall rallied to tie the game when Wells threw a screen pass to Corey Gammage who scored his first touchdown of the year.

That momentum did not last long. UAB quarterback Dylan Hopkins marched his team down the field and scored on a keeper to give the Blazers the lead for good late in the 3rd quarter, 21-14.

UAB’s biggest drive was one that resulted in zero points. It was a fourth quarter drive that went 42 yards, on 16 plays and ate up 9:59 of the fourth quarter clock.

Marshall finally had a chance late in the fourth quarter to march a comeback, but Wells threw a pass that was intercepted by UAB safety Grayson Cash that effectively ended the game.

That’s a championship-level football team right there,” Huff said.

“They fought, battled and made some big plays in some big moments. I thought our guys fought hard, played tough all the way through. We just didn’t execute consistently enough to beat a championship team.”

Wells finished the game 22 of 39 for 232 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

Rasheen Ali carried the ball 16 times for 41 yards.

Gammage was the Herd’s top wideout catching 8 passes for 67 yards and a touchdown.

Marshall falls to 6-4 overall and 4-2 in Conference USA, but remains in contention to win the league’s East Division and compete for a conference championship.

There is no margin for error moving forward.

Two wins for the Herd to finish the season and it makes a return trip to the Conference USA Championship game.

“The course has changed, but the goal has not,” Huff said. “If we were able to write the story it would be totally different, but it’s not that way.”

Marshall football returns to action on Saturday when the Herd travels to Charlotte for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff.