Friday, December 21, 2001
College football notebook
Marshall's rally: A thundering comeback
The Associated Press
MOBILE, Ala. — Eat your heart out, Randy Moss.
When Byron Leftwich's last pass capped Marshall's stunning comeback in the GMAC Bowl, it was the final act in a remarkable 4 1/2-hour drama.
The Thundering Herd's 64-61 win over East Carolina (6-6) Wednesday night produced the highest point total in any bowl. It also had enough highlights and flying footballs to make even Moss, Marshall's famous former receiver, green and white with envy.
“We just pulled some stuff out of the hat,” Leftwich said. “Our guys just found a way to get open. I did the easy part and just threw them the ball.”
He threw it 70 times, completing 41 for 576 yards and four touchdowns. Marshall (11-2) rallied from a 30-point halftime deficit and won it on Leftwich's 8-yard pass to Josh Davis in the second overtime — the team's 104th offensive play.
Then, for the first time all night, action stopped. A flag in the end zone turned out to be against the Pirates (6-6), allowing the Thundering Herd to finally celebrate.
Davis's catch was merely the final highlight:
• Darius Watts' leaping grab in the right corner of the end zone with seven seconds left in the fourth quarter tied it at 51. The extra point? Wide right.
• East Carolina's Leonard Henry busted up the middle for a 55-yard touchdown with five minutes left in the fourth quarter to put the Pirates up 51-42.
• Both teams produced a pair of defensive touchdowns, including 25-yard interception returns by Marshall's Ralph Street and Terence Tarpley in the third quarter.
Down 30 points, the Thundering Herd didn't even blink. They lopped 14 points off that deficit in the first three minutes of the second half, on Street's score and Leftwich's 9-yard run.
“We play for championships,” Marshall receiver Denero Marriott said. “When you're a champion, you never quit.”
Marriott had 15 catches for 234 yards, and the Thundering Herd racked up 649 total yards.
GEORGIA TECH:
All-Atlantic Coast Conference tailback Joe Burns is academically ineligible for the Seattle Bowl against Stanford. He has 1,165 yards and 14 touchdowns this season.
ALABAMA:
Tailback Santonio Beard, suspended for a DUI charge, will play against Iowa State in the Independence Bowl. But starting receiver Antonio Carter, offensive tackle Dante Ellington, tackle Lannis Baxley and fullback Marvin Brown will miss the game for academic reasons.
KENTUCKY:
Junior-college linebacker Kamaal Ahmad, a 6-foot-2, 230-pounder from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, has signed with UK and has three years of eligibility remaining. He is expected to compete for a starting role.
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