Courtesy: ODU Athletics
NORFOLK, Va. – Devon Johnson rushed for 198-yards as Marshall jumped out to a 28-0 lead and defeated Old Dominion University football 56-14 Saturday afternoon at Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium.
Marshall improves to 5-0 and 1-0 in Conference USA while ODU drops to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in C-USA.
Marshall got on the board first with a six play, 58-yard drive as Devon Johnson carried in the ball from two-yards out.
Remi Watson scored on a 10-yard run to cap a five play, 71-yard drive to put Marshall up 14-0 midway through the first quarter.
Darryl Roberts intercepted Taylor Heinicke on the first play of the following ODU drive and Johnson carried the ball in from eight yards out for his second score of the game for a 21-0 Marshall lead.
After a three and out for ODU, Raheim Huskey blocked Jarrett Cervi’s punt and Brandon Byrd fell on it in the end zone for a Marshall touchdown for a 28-0 Thundering Herd lead.
After an ODU punt, true freshman Christian Byrum intercepted his first career pass leading to a 21-yard touchdown toss from Heinicke to Zach Pascal to cap off a seven play, 55-yard drive.
Marshall went on top 35-7 on a Cato to Tommy Shuler 42-yard touchdown pass. The Thundering Herd added another score just before half as Cato hit Deon-Tay McManus for a six-yard score.
Devon Johnson added his third TD run of the game to open up the second half, this one from seven-yards out, to put the Herd up 49-7 while Remi Watson added a 13-yard run midway through the quarter.
Ray Lawry capped the scoring with a 27-yard touchdown run with seven minutes to play in the fourth quarter.
Heinicke completed 10-of-25 passes for 85-yards with a touchdown and interception, while Lawry had 131-yards rushing with Gerard Johnson adding 76-yards on the ground.
Watson ran for 102-yards while Cato was 18-of-23 for 198 yards with two touchdowns and the two interceptions to Byrum.
Notes – Redshirt freshman Bumni Rotimi started his first career game at defensive tackle … With his first quarter touchdown pass, Heinicke passed USC’s Matt Barkley and moved into ninth on the all-time FBS list … Christian Byrum intercepted the first two passes of his career in the first half … Byrum joins Eriq Lewis as the only ODU player to ever record two INT’s in one game … Rakeem Cato’s streak of 32-straight games with 200-yards passing came to an end, as he threw for 198.
