Marshall Thundering Herd vs Alabama-Birmingham Blazers Match Player Stats On Nov 22, 2014

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 22, 2014

No. 18 Marshall 23, UAB 18: Ra'Shawde Myers recovered a fumble for a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter as the visiting Thundering Herd overcame a scare to remain unbeaten.

Rakeem Cato threw for 284 yards and a pair of touchdowns for Marshall (11-0, 7-0 Conference USA), which came into the day averaging better than 41 points per game but scuffled mightily at Legion Field. Tommy Shuler led the air attack with 10 receptions for 132 yards and a score while Devon Johnson added 171 rushing yards on 20 carries.

Jordan Howard rumbled for 168 yards and a pair of scores for the Blazers (5-6, 3-4), who have dropped four of five. Cody Clements went 15-of-26 for 141 yards but had the pivotal fumble that led to the deciding score.

Cato put the Thundering Herd ahead with 3:46 remaining in the first quarter, connecting with a sliding Shuler in the end zone for a 28-yard score. Cato hit Angelo Jean-Louis for a 43-yard touchdown with 3:03 left in the opening half, and Justin Haig's 33-yard field goal as time expired sent Marshall into intermission with a 17-6 edge.

Howard led the Blazers' second-half charge, capping a seven-play, 65-yard drive with a 1-yard TD plunge early in the third quarter and adding a 10-yard scoring run with 11:22 remaining to put UAB ahead 18-17. But the Thundering Herd defense responded, as lineman Arnold Blackmon forced a Clements fumble in the UAB end zone and Myers picked up the loose ball for the go-ahead touchdown with 7:35 left.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Cato has thrown a touchdown pass in 43 consecutive games. ... Marshall racked up 515 yards of total offense but went just 6-of-17 on third downs. ... Clements has thrown just two touchdown passes over his last four games.