Running back A.J. Turner’s standout performance, which amounted to 207 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns, as well as a late-game stand from the defense led the Herd to a 35-20 win over the Georgia State Panthers on Thursday, Oct.17, at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
Turner scored three rushing touchdowns, the longest of which came at a crucial point of the game with less than two minutes to play. The Panthers trailed by one as it relied on its defense to get a stop to preserve the hope of a comeback. Turner stifled those thoughts as he broke off an 88-yard run into the end zone.
“My O-Line – I couldn’t have done it without them,” Turner said. “They put me in the best position to be successful. I believe I’ve got one of the best O-Lines in the country.”
Marshall’s offensive line dominated the point of attack. Sound blocking led to a combined 295 yards on the ground, 177 of which came from Turner. The O-line also didn’t allow a sack in Thursday’s game.
Turner leads the Sun Belt Conference in rushing, averaging more than 10 yards a carry and 717 total rushing yards.
“They just bought in to what they built and believed in the process we built this summer,” head coach Charles Huff said. “We said adversity was going to show up, and when adversity shows up, obviously, it’s not something you want, but what it does is give you an opportunity to respond. The character of a man or team is not shown in times of comfort or pleasure; it’s shown in times of challenge and adversity. The players executed today, and it was a really good job by all of them.”
The Herd jumped out to an 18-point lead in the early stages of the second quarter courtesy of a 2-yard Turner touchdown, a 47-yard Rece Verhoff field goal and a logic-defying 23-yard touchdown from Turner.
Turner rushed to the right where multiple Panther defenders stopped him; he then shook loose and reversed field around the left side where he received a block from quarterback Braylon Braxton and trotted into the end zone for an improbable touchdown.
Beginning in the second quarter, the Panthers began its attempt at a comeback, narrowing the lead to five at one point in the fourth and ultimately being down 28-20 inside of the Marshall 10-yard line.
With the Panthers encroaching into scoring position, defensive back J.J. Roberts sacked the Panthers quarterback to force a third and long that led to a Jacobie Henderson pass break up on fourth down to force the turnover on downs.
The Herd defense protected its end zone and forced a turnover on downs that set up the Turner touchdown on the ensuing Marshall drive. Roberts finished the game with nine tackles, two pass breakups and his first career sack.
Braxton finished the game with 132 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown was a 30-yard toss to none other than Turner, who accounted for all of the Herd’s touchdowns against Georgia State.
The Herd will have time to rest as it will face the Warhawks of ULM on Saturday, Nov. 2, at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
Joseph DiCristofaro can be contacted at [email protected].
