MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — Asher O’Hara threw for 261 yards, ran for 76 yards and Jovante Moffatt had two interceptions and Middle Tennessee beat Marshall in a 24-13 win on Saturday.
Middle Tennessee (2-3) never trailed in the Conference USA opener for both teams.
Each squad exchanged touchdowns in the first quarter, and each made subsequent field goals, and the score was tied at 10. But O’Hara’s 4-yard TD run capped a 6-play, 53-yard drive that put the Blue Raiders ahead for good with 3:42 left before halftime.
O’Hara capped the scoring with a 36-yard touchdown pass to Zack Dobson with 12:43 to play.
Moffatt picked off Isaiah Green on Marshall’s (2-3) first play of its second drive. He picked off Green again on the Thundering Herd’s second-to-last drive of the contest.
Green threw for 365 yards and a touchdown but had three interceptions.
Marshall stats
Marshall 7 6 0 0 = 13
Mid. Tennessee 10 7 0 7 = 24
First Quarter
MTS—Mobley 1 run (Holt kick), 8:35
MSH—Levias 75 pass from Green (Rohrwasser kick), 8:22
MTS—FG Holt 21, 4:06
Second Quarter
MSH—FG Rohrwasser 25, 10:45
MTS—O’Hara 4 run (Holt kick), 3:42
MSH—FG Rohrwasser 24, :03
Fourth Quarter
MTS—Dobson 36 pass from O’Hara (Holt kick), 12:43
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MSH MTS
First downs 27 21
Rushes-yards 39-200 37-140
Passing 378 261
Comp-Att-Int 26-43-3 17-30-0
Return Yards 15 0
Punts-Avg. 2-35.0 6-35.33
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 1-0
Penalties-Yards 6-59 1-15
Time of Possession 33:52 26:08
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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Marshall, Knox 19-97, Green 16-95, Walden 1-12, Evans 1-5, Gaines 1-3, (Team) 1-(minus 12). Middle Tennessee, O’Hara 17-76, B.Anderson 5-38, Mobley 11-30, Dobson 2-3, Gilchrist 0-0, McDonald 1-(minus 3), (Team) 1-(minus 4).
PASSING—Marshall, White 2-2-0-11, Green 24-40-3-367, (Team) 0-1-0-0. Middle Tennessee, O’Hara 17-30-0-261.
RECEIVING—Marshall, Thompson 4-53, Gaines 4-32, Levias 3-94, W.Johnson 3-79, Keaton 3-60, T.Richardson 3-20, Miller 3-18, Evans 1-11, Knox 1-6, Morrell 1-5. Middle Tennessee, Pierce 4-74, Marshall 4-34, Windham 3-71, Dobson 3-60, Lee 3-22.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—Middle Tennessee, Holt 22.