Marshall holds off UConn for bowl win
Cam Fancher threw for two touchdowns and Marshall held off UConn’s second-half rally to close the season with a fifth straight win, 28-14 in the Myrtle Beach Bowl on Monday at Conway, South Carolina.
The Thundering Herd (9-4) seemingly had things in hand, ahead
28-0 after Raseen Ali’s 2-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter.
But the Huskies rallied with 14- and 24-yard TD runs by Victor Rosa and, after an interception, drove into Marshall territory with 10 minutes to play.
That was as close as UConn (6-7) could get in its first postseason appearance since 2015.
Fancher finished 10of-20 passing for 93 yards, including a 9-yard scoring pass to Corey Gammage and a 10-yard TD toss to
Devin Miller, as Marshall led 21-0 at the half.
Ali ran for 92 yards and Khalan Laborn 90 as Marshall put up 210 yards rushing.
Marshall had one of the season’s most surprising victories, winning at No. 19 Notre Dame, 26-21, in September. It ended the regular season as one of college football’s hottest teams and posted its most victories in a season since winning nine games in 2018.
The Herd also ended a three-game bowl losing streak dating to that same season.
TCU’S DYKES IS AP COACH OF YEAR
TCU’s Sonny Dykes was named The Associated Press Coach of the Year after leading the No. 3 Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff in his first season with the school.
Dykes received 37 of 46 first-place votes and 120 points from AP Top 25 voters to become the second TCU coach to win the award, which is presented by Regions Bank. The first two were won by Gary Patterson (2009, 2014), the coach Dykes replaced after last season.
“It’s the ultimate team award,” Dykes told AP. “It’s indicative of literally everybody in our office, coaches, players, everybody, because more so than ever in college football it is truly a team effort.”
TCU (12-1) faces No. 2 Michigan (13-0) on Dec. 31 in the Fiesta Bowl for a berth in the national championship game.
ELSEWHERE
TCU: Quarterback and Heisman Trophy runnerup Max Duggan will skip his available extra season with the third-ranked Horned Frogs and make himself eligible for the NFL draft after the College Football Playoff. Duggan has started 41 games during his four seasons at TCU, though the senior could have returned for another season because all players were granted an extra year of eligibility after the
2020 season was altered by the pandemic.
Navy: Defensive coordinator Brian Newberry was promoted to head coach, replacing Ken Niumatalolo, the winningest coach in school history who was fired a week ago. Newberry, 51, has been leading the Midshipmen defense for the past four seasons. His college coaching career dates back to 2000, but this will be his first head coaching job. Athletic director Chet Gladchuk has received some criticism for firing Niumatalolo after 16 seasons with the school and 109 victories, though
Navy had four losing seasons of four wins or fewer in the past five years.
Texas: Running back Bijan Robinson is skipping his final two seasons of eligibility to enter the NFL draft and won’t play in the
Alamo Bowl. Robinson earned All-America honors after rushing for 1,580 yards with 18 touchdowns as the Longhorns (8-4) finished third in the Big
12. No. 21 Texas plays 12th-ranked Washington in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29.
Alabama: Bryce
Young and Will Anderson Jr. decided they had unfinished business at Alabama, even if it isn’t another shot at a national championship. The fifth-ranked Crimson Tide stars are sticking around for the Sugar Bowl on Dec. 31 against No. 11 Kansas
State instead of joining other high-profile NFL prospects — like Texas’ Robinson — who are skipping bowl games to get a head start on preparing for the draft and minimize their risk of getting injured. The decision by Young and Anderson is notable, because they’ve been floated as candidates for the No. 1 pick. Anderson has won the Bednarik
Award as the nation’s top defensive player.
Pittsburgh: Nick Patti’s long journey at Pittsburgh could end with one more unlikely start. The senior quarterback is in the mix to play when the Panthers (8-4) take on No. 18 UCLA (9-3) in the Sun Bowl because Kedon Slovis entered the transfer portal. Patti started the Peach Bowl last year for Pitt after Heisman Trophy finalist Kenny Pickett opted out and completed 2 of 5 passes before leaving with a broken collarbone in the first quarter of the loss to Michigan State.