Cato throws 5 TD passes as Marshall crushes USM, 61-13
Published 10:14 pm Saturday, November 2, 2013
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — Rakeem Cato tied a career-high with five touchdown passes as Marshall eviscerated Southern Miss 61-13 on Saturday.
Cato’s four scoring throws in the first quarter helped Marshall (5-3, 3-1 Conference USA) open up a 28-0 lead heading into the second.
Nick Mullens connected with Makese Triplett for an 81-yard touchdown pass about midway through the second quarter and Corey Acosta’s 39-yard field goal with 3:30 left in the half cut the Southern Miss (0-8, 0-4 C-USA) deficit to 28-10.
Cato, however, led Marshall on a 13-play, 70-yard drive culminating with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Tommy Shuler, his second receiving touchdown of the afternoon, just 2 minutes and three seconds later and the rout was on.
Cato completed 21 of 28 passes for 262 yards.
Kevin Grooms and Essray Taliaferro each ran for more than 100 yards and Marshall averaged 11.3 yards per rush as a team.
The Thundering Herd will host Alabama-Birmingham at noon next Saturday.