With a tandem of scores in the fourth quarter from the Marshall offense, the Herd narrowly defeated the University of Louisiana-Monroe War Hawks 28-23 at Joan C. Edwards Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 2.

The Herd trailed the War Hawks in the fourth quarter, but, in the blink of an eye and an unorthodox touchdown catch by Christian Fitzpatrick, Marshall regained the lead 21-17. Quarterback Braylon Braxton launched the ball 33 yards to Fitzpatrick, who made the grab over a ULM defender.

“The touchdown was a progression read for Bray, but sometimes you just get that feeling in your stomach that the ball is about to find you,” Fitzpatrick said. “I knew it was about to find me that play. I just made sure I had position on my DB, and when that ball was up there, I know that no one is going to reach it but me.”

The men draped in Kelly Green packed two of the longest plays of the day into the same drive. Paired with Fitzpatrick’s 33-yard snag was running back Jordan Houston’s 45-yard run where he narrowly split defenders and set up the ensuing long ball.

The War Hawks offense was in a standoff with the Herd defense, which plundered the ULM game plan and forced the War Hawks to settle for field goals and punting the ball away.

The defense made several crucial stops in the game’s final stanza. Marshall’s defense held the War Hawks on a vital possession. The stop set up the offense in good field position to add to the lead.

The offense took full advantage of the short field and pieced together a six-play 48-yard drive that was capped off with an 8-yard Ethan Payne touchdown that extended the lead 28-17.

“We knew this was going to be a tough game offensively because we knew they would try to limit us possession-wise with the style of offense they play,” Braxton said. “Finding rhythm at the beginning of the game, it was a little tough, but once we were able to get into a rhythm, we made the plays that needed to be made.”

Payne tallied two touchdowns on the day, the first of which tied the game 14-14 in the first half. Braxton completed 10 of 19 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown.

The three-headed monster that occupies the Marshall backfield of Payne, Houston and A.J. Turner combined for 180 yards and three touchdowns, with Houston leading in yards at 80 and Turner adding a touchdown of his own.

The Herd continues Sun Belt Conference play next week on the road as it will take on the Southern Miss Golden Eagles in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. 

Joseph DiCristofaro can be contacted at [email protected].