The Marshall Thundering Herd scored 17 unanswered points in the second half to win against the Charlotte 49ers on the designated “memorial game,” an annual remembrance of the plane crash that decimated the Huntington community and nearly wiped out the MU football program on Nov. 14, 1970.

As is tradition, the team locked arms with the coaching staff and several distinguished alumni to walk onto the field rather than run out through the tunnel. It was a special anniversary with the win being the icing on the cake for a beautiful day of remembrance.

“It was a great team win for us,” said Coach Doc Holliday, “and it happened in a game where we are honoring the ’75’ [which] makes it that much more special.”

“I can’t stress enough the importance of this game,” linebacker Chase Hancock said. “There’s no better way to honor those who lost their lives than to win this game.”

But while the offense may have been stellar in the second half, it was the defense that carried the game from start to finish. After giving up 75 yards and a touchdown on the 49ers’ opening drive, the Herd only yielded 110 yards and two field goals for the rest of the contest. The offensive effort, however, is made much more impressive by the lack of Keion Davis and Tyler King in the backfield. This left an opportunity for third-string running back Anthony Anderson to beat up on the Charlotte defense while redshirt freshman Brenden Knox got his first significant collegiate playing time, gashing the Niners for 116 yards and a TD.

The Herd is now bowl eligible for the sixth time under Doc Holliday at 6-3 (4-2) on the season and will next host the UTSA Roadrunners on November 17.

Photos by Joshua Murdock below the ad.