The fourth and final quarter of the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl beings in Detroit rock city with the Bobcats with 2nd and 25 and the Herd with a 4 point lead.
A quick shovel pass to the TE gets 20 yards and brings the Bobcats to a much more manageable 3rd and 5, but 3rd hasn't been friendly to the Cats. Marshall drops 8 into coverage and gives Scott all day long and he finds an open receiver for the first.
Theo Scott weasels away from a John Jacobs sack, gains back a few yards befor being hauled down, and then Brandon Burns bails out the offense with a late hit. Now the Bobcats have 15 yards and the first down. Garrett with some good acting to get the call, questionable, but it's the ruling on the field.
Ohio with a bit of trickeration, the WR with a deep ball on the end around but over throws the receiver by a long shot.
2nd and 10 for the Bobcats, and a quick time out by the coaching staff of Ohio University. 13:12 remaining in the contest and the Bobcats are breathing down the neck of the Thundering Herd on this possession.
The option looks continue to not really benefit Ohio at all in the contest, as they end up with a one yard gain leading to a 3rd down. Most of Ohio's success has come on a more tradition offensive scheme.
Theo Scott scrambled out for close to a first down out of the pistol, and a late hit from Ashton Hall will give Ohio yet another charity first down. The foundation of the defense for Marshall is continuing to crumble out form underneath it as frustration mounts in this contest.
Jacobs swallowing up Garrett in the backfield, 2nd and 11 for the Bobcats inside the Marshall 15. Garrett the go-to guy again for the Bobcats, this time up the middle on the run, gets a couple yards but Marshall continues to be solid up the middle. A jump ball in the endzone and DeQuan Bembry has a better chance of catching it than the Ohio player this time, fourth down for the Bobcats as they look to get within one point.
Wide right goes the kick, and the Herd holds onto a four point lead 21-17 with 10 minutes left in the contest in Detroit.
Marshall on this drive making the change to bring in JUCO Press Taylor, who gives the Herd a bit of an option look. Taylor with some wheels is able to ramble off a gain on the ground.
A beautiful pitch to Darius Marshall but it won't be enough for the first and a botched play from Taylor will put the Herd in a punting situation. Again Ratanamorn will be in to punt for the Herd in place of Whitehead. Ratanamorn using his skills from his days in soccer and puts the kick through Brazill's hands, the Bobcats luck out on another recovery but this time will be starting back at their own 20.
Ohio has the ball, down four with 7:05 left to go and a quick plow up the middle will net them 5 yards for 2nd and 10. Ohio continues to try and play Marshall's style of football, which has ironically been more productive for the Bobcats than the option look. The Herd catches a break on 2nd and 5 and Theo Scott drops the snap to bring up 3rd and 8. A big blitz from Mario Harvey levels Scott and brings up fourth down.
Harvey with about as good a hit as a defensive coach can ask for has Ohio kicking from their endzone and Scott shaken up on the sideline. Marshall will get the ball just inside their own territory and under 5 minutes in the contest.
Brian Anderson back in with a pitch to Marshall who drags a couple of Bobcats and stays in bounds with the first down to keep the clock rolling. The Herd inside Ohio territory and a pitch to Marshall this time goes no where.
The Herd clearly trying to run some clock in the contest with the four point lead and four minutes left, it's the smart play call, but perhaps not smart to run the same play back to back. Shannon of course known for being incredibly conservative at times, calls another run play. This time it goes to Martin Ward who picks up 7. 3:30 left in the contest.
Darius Marshall breaks to the edge and out runs his defender, first down Thundering Herd off the impressive run from Marshall. The running game that has carried the Herd at many times this season finally shows some success under three minutes in the game. Back to the well for the Herd with a run up the middle and a few more ticks off the clock as the Herd is slowly inching it's way toward it's first bowl victory since 2003.
The Herd sneaks away with a false start by Lee Smith and another run play up the middle will net zero yardage. 1:45 left in the contest and Ohio will call a time out as Solich argues his point with the officials on the false start that wasn't called.
Marshall on a log third down opts for the pass, BA to Lee Smith brings the herd to 4th and 1, with 1:15 left in the contest on a rolling clock. The question of kick or go for it becomes even bigger with only a four point game on the line. It is only a minute left, but it only takes a few seconds to make a big play.
The kick is the choice and Craig Ratanamorn with only his second missed field goal of the season as he hits the top of the left upright. :57 left in the contest and Ohio starting on their own 23 yard line. First play of the drive Scott's pocket disappears and a quick pass over the middle is bobbled and dropped.
Ohio with no timeouts and 77 yards to go with the pressure on, looking for their first bowl win ever. A quick completion nets only a few yards, but the Bobcats get out of bounds. :46 left facing 3rd and 6. Scott scrambled and DeQuan Bebmry is johnny on the spot with the interception and the pile is on Bembry on the sideline as Marshall all but seals one up against rival Ohio.
Nothing brings greater joy to the heart of this Herd fan than seeing Ohio fans sad in the seats. Marshall takes the knee and Minter gets the gatorade bath. Martin Ward is named ESPN's player of the game and I can't agree more.
That wraps the contest up, Herd wins 21-17.
