HOUSTON (AP) — Isaiah Green threw for 269 yards and a score and Marshall rolled to 20-7 victory over winless Rice on Saturday.
Brenden Knox ran for 130 yards and a touchdown and Justin Rohrwasser kicked two field goals for the Thundering Herd (6-3, 4-1 Conference USA).
Rohrwasser had his first field goal attempt blocked but made good on his second from 22 yards. Rice scored its only touchdown of the game and Knox answered for the Herd with a touchdown run to make it 10-7 with 9:33 left in the half. Green threw a 19-yard strike to Talik Keaton to give Marshall a 17-7 advantage at halftime.
Rohrwasser booted a 49-yard field goal late in the third quarter to cap the scoring as Marshall held the Rice offense to just 52 yards for the rest of the game.
JoVoni Johnsonhad 97 yards and a touchdown passing for the Owls (0-9, 0-5).
Marshall stats
Marshall 3 14 3 0 = 20
Rice 0 7 0 0 = 7
First Quarter
MSH—FG Rohrwasser 22, 1:08
Second Quarter
RICE—Trammell 2 pass from Jo.Johnson (Barnes kick), 10:20
MSH—Knox 1 run (Rohrwasser kick), 9:33
MSH—Keaton 19 pass from I.Green (Rohrwasser kick), :28
Third Quarter
MSH—FG Rohrwasser 49, 2:47
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MSH RICE
First downs 18 16
Rushes-yards 43-122 31-128
Passing 269 103
Comp-Att-Int 17-22-0 11-26-0
Return Yards 16 19
Punts-Avg. 5-36.2 5-43.4
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-0
Penalties-Yards 7-69 7-54
Time of Possession 33:08 26:52
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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Marshall, Knox 27-130, Evans 4-17, Gaines 2-6, (Team) 3-(minus 6), W.Johnson 1-(minus 8), I.Green 6-(minus 17). Rice, Otoviano 14-66, Jo.Johnson 13-65, Walter 2-5, Stewart 2-(minus 8).
PASSING—Marshall, I.Green 17-22-0-269. Rice, Jo.Johnson 10-17-0-97, Stewart 1-9-0-6.
RECEIVING—Marshall, Levias 7-96, Gaines 2-74, W.Johnson 2-47, Thompson 2-25, Keaton 2-23, Evans 1-4, Knox 1-0. Rice, Trammell 4-35, Rozner 2-27, Pitre 2-18, Otoviano 1-9, Myers 1-8, Bailey 1-6.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—Marshall, Rohrwasser 28. Rice, Barnes 38.