The Other Side of the Wall: Marshall
Two pissed-off teams enter the Vet, only one leaves victorious.
| Team | Marshall |
|---|---|
| Time, Network | 6 pm, NFL Network* |
| 2022 Record | 2-1 (0-0) |
| Best Win | Notre Dame, 26-21 |
| Worst Loss | Bowling Green, 31-34 OT |
| Troy’s Record | 2-3 |
| Last Matchup | W, 17-15 (2004) |
| Preseason Conf. Rank | 4th SBC East |
| FPI Rank | 57 |
| FPI Win% (Troy) | 40.8% |
| Spread | +3 |
We’ve covered Troy’s history with Marshall, but here’s the short version. The first matchup in 1993, the Herd ruined Troy’s perfect season in the FCS playoffs. In 1998, Marshall moved up to FBS, joining the MAC, and hosted Troy.
When Troy moved up to FBS, it set up a two-for-one with Marshall. The Trojans beat Marshall for the first time in 2003, and they’ve held a 2-0 streak for the past 20 years.
Marshall moved to the C-USA shortly after, and its move to the Sun Belt this season puts the two teams in the same conference for the first time ever.
On the surface this Marshall team looks like it suffered a hangover, from taking down top-ten Notre Dame to falling short against Bowling Green in overtime.
How did they beat Notre Dame?
- Running the ball well (219 yards)
- Avoiding turnovers
- Controlling the clock (4 fewer plays than ND, 30:47 TOP)
This is Colin Cahill’s Upset BlueprintTM. Control the line of scrimmage, avoid mistakes, and chip away at the opposing defense.
The argument could be made that Notre Dame is a bit overrated, and a first-year head coach is always a likely upset candidate, but the home opener in South Bend is still an intimidating atmosphere.
How did they lose to Bowling Green?
- Giving up sacks (4, 29 yards)
- Committed turnovers (2 fumbles, 1 INT, 1 on downs)
- Wasting time on the play clock (1 more play than BG, 28:12 TOP)
At least they ran the ball well (191 yards). Bowling Green had 14 points off of a fumble and an interception, which was just enough to tie and take the lead in the fourth quarter.
Marshall did tie it up to force overtime, but the Falcons held their ground.
Khalan Laborn has stepped up since Rasheen Ali stepped away before the season. He’s become a breakout player for the Herd, and their offense is a lot more like what we expected from Troy: run to set up the pass.
The differences are 1. Marshall has one truly great running back, and Troy has four. 2. Marshall actually passed for more yards in the loss than against Notre Dame.
Maybe the way to beat the Herd is forcing them to pass. In that case, pressure on the quarterback is a must.
Numbers can only tell us so much, though.
To help us get a better sense of what this Marshall team is really like, we reached out to the guys at Runnin’ With The Herd Podcast and asked our set of questions. Here are their answers, and my reaction to their answers.
Describe Marshall like you would a dog that’s up for adoption.
The Herd is like a beagle. Good most of the time, but once in a while does somethings you don’t understand.
Of course. Sometimes he learns to shake, sometimes he poops on the floor.
What movie title best describes the Herd’s expectations coming into this season?
Great Expectations,
Hey now, that’s what App State said.
In one word, how did the Notre Dame win feel?
Amazing.
In one word, how did the Bowling Green loss feel?
Deflating.
Which Hogwarts house is Charles Huff in?
Ravenclaw. Coach Huff has wit and wisdom.
Better answer than App State. I may actually be concerned now.
What are three names on defense Troy fans should pay attention to.
Owen Porter, Micah Abraham, Stephen Gilmore.
When Marshall snaps the ball, what is most likely to happen?
A dose of Khalan Laborn.
If we wake up Sunday and the underdog wins, what happened the day before?
An instance where the favorite didn’t play to their capability.
I guess you’re technically right.
What do fans expect the Herd to be doing in December?
Going bowling.
Going back to 2009, Marshall has only missed out on a bowl game three times.
What’s the best place to get BBQ in town (even if Troy is at home)?
Buddy’s All American Bar B Que.
Here’s the menu. Do you want the fried banana peppers, or the pimiento cheese and sausage sampler?
Is Marshall a Coke or Pepsi school?
Coke.
Troy is 1-1 against Coke schools, and 0-1 against Pepsi schools.
What’s one question you have for us about Troy (we’ll answer in the article)?
Where is the best gameday bar to get some good food?
Those are really two different questions. The best bar is either the Front Porch or the DB, but the best place to get food is either Hook’s BBQ, Sisters, Flo’s Kitchen or Crowe’s Chicken. If you want a bar and grill atmosphere, go to B. Graves on the square or the Half Shell.
Last week, Troy was supposed to be the underdog. Now, Vegas is picking against the Trojans, but it seems only because the App State loss didn’t justify faith.
I have faith in this team though. The App State loss was the best performance Troy’s had since Neal Brown was on the sideline.
Sumrall will have them fighting, and the Vet will have them energized. It will be cathartic for the winner, regardless.
Final prediction: Troy 31, Marshall 24.
Again, special thanks to Runnin’ With The Herd. You can follow them on Twitter here.