Final

Sounds like Tandy took the team on his shoulders again tonight. Great come from behind win Colonels against a very good Marshall County team! :ylsuper:

Turnovers killed Marshall County.

ESPN's Chris Mortenson was at the game. His son plays for Samford, who plays at Murray State tomorrow.

ESPN's Chris Mortenson was at the game. His son plays for Samford, who plays at Murray State tomorrow.

 

Mortenson also has a friendship with Marshall Co.'s Allen Williams family.

Mortensen worked with Williams at a camp last summer and struck up a friendship with the family.

Marshall lost this game up front ... Christian blitzed a lot and the offensive line was swarmed all night. Barga, Marshall's QB, took a lot of shots, and the constant pressure stuffed Marshall's running game.

 

Alan Williams had little room to run between the tackles, so Marshall started throwing the ball to him to try and get him some open space. Williams caught 13 passes, including an 89-yarder for a touchdown in the first quarter. Late in the game, though, Christian spied on Williams and stopped him for a loss on a fourth-down screen pass that ended the Marshals' last drive.

 

Marshall led 24-16 in the third quarter and had just stopped the Colonels on fourth down inside the 10 when Barga threw his only interception, a pass that went off the hands of a receiver, hit off a linebacker and went up in the air. Jordan Williams, Christian's sophomore CB, returned it to the 6 and Christian scored on Tandy's third touchdown pass.

 

After the kickoff, Barga got sacked to the 2 on third down and Marshall punted out of the end zone, giving Christian great field position. Tandy threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game to put the Colonels ahead.

 

Tandy ran for 100-plus yards and threw for over 260. Tandy is a great scrambler and throws the ball well on the run, but doesn't throw the ball very well when he sets up in the pocket.

 

Alan Williams had well over 200 multi-purpose yards (rushing and receiving) and, as everyone in western Kentucky suspected, remains Marshall's only real offensive weapon against top-level competition. Williams caught two touchdown passes and Brandon Walker (a speedy CB who occasionally plays offense) caught an 80-yarder for a touchdown.

 

Marshall's other problem was turnovers ... two lost fumbles and the pick, with all three coming in their own territory. Williams lost a fumble on a reception for a first down and Walker lost one on a kickoff return.

 

Still, Marshall's defense played solid and well enough to win the game. Christian ended up scoring 11 points on the three turnovers, pretty good considering they were all on drives that began close to or in the red zone.

 

Christian's kicking game is suspect, too ... the Colonels missed two makeable field goals and missed an extra point. That could prove costly in a close game.