WHAT YOU NEED NOW - CONTENT UPDATED THROUGH THE DAY
June 28, 2005
MU COUNTDOWN
#3-Dec. 23, 1999: Marshall's Motor City Bowl Win over Brigham Young Gives Undefeated Herd No. 10 Ranking
by Grant Traylor
Huntington News Network Sportswriter
As Marshall officially winds down the final ten days of being a member in the Mid-American Conference, the talk has certainly shifted to Marshall football in Conference USA.
But, before shutting the gates on the MAC career, HNN would like to take a chance to look back at some of the great moments in Marshall football.
The following is one part of a 10-day series of the greatest football games over Marshall's eight years in the Mid-American Conference…from ashes to glory and beyond.
Here's a look at our #3 classic: Marshall's 1999 Motor City Bowl win to give the Thundering Herd a 13-0 record and a #10 ranking in both polls to end the season.
Pontiac, Mich.-In a game where offense was supposed to reign supreme with Brigham Young University's high-powered passing offense, it was the defense that ruled the afternoon in a 21-3 Marshall victory.
Marshall not only dismantled the Cougars' passing game, they dismantled the Cougar quarterbacks. Kevin Feterik left the field in the third quarter after sustaining a broken collarbone on a sack by Michael "Kool-Aid" Owens.
Backup Bret Engemann suffered a similar fate after repeated beating as the Thundering Herd blitz package worked to perfection. Third-string quarterback Charlie Peterson came into the game and was ineffective…but at least he finished the game.
Marshall's defense tallied eight sacks and 13 knockdowns in the contest, holding BYU to -16 yards rushing in the contest and just 67 total yards in the second half.
Still, the Thundering Herd was not able to breath easy well into the second half as they held a 14-3 lead and were backed up against their own goal line following a BYU punt.
Doug Chapman took the drive's first play for nine yards out to the 13-yard line setting up a short 2nd down play.
Chapman then appeared to be headed for a loss as BYU All-American Rob Morris had him in his grasp, but Chapman got away from Morris and raced 87 yards for a score that would indeed take the wind out of BYU and coach LaVell Edwards.
The touchdown marked his second of the game as he rushed for 133 yards in the contest. He added a third touchdown less than two minutes later following an interception by Rogers Beckett. For the performance, Chapman was named the game's Most Valuable Player.
BYU actually scored first in the contest on a field goal by Owen Pochman and appeared to have Marshall's number as the Cougar defense stymied Heisman candidate Chad Pennington.
As a matter of fact, it took a bizarre turn of events for the Thundering Herd's ball to start rolling.
Following the Pochman field goal, Marshall drove into BYU territory, but Pennington was picked off by BYU safety Jared Lee. As Lee look to return the ball, receiver Nate Poole stripped him of the ball and recovered to give Marshall a fresh set of downs inside BYU territory.
The new set of downs would not be needed as Pennington hit Chapman with a 30-yard pass for all that Marshall's defense would need in the contest.
Although BYU's quarterbacks took a beating from the Thundering Herd defense, Pennington has no sympathy for them. Pennington stood in for 10 BYU sacks and still ended the game 17-of-28 for 207 yards with a score and an interception.
The win gave Marshall its second undefeated season in four years and first back at the Division I-A level. The final ranking of #10 in both polls was the highest that any MAC team had ever finished a season and the team's first win over a top-25 team.
Marshall might have lost many seniors following that contest; so many that fans could not possibly remember them all. However, fans remember all the players on that squad by one common ground…one common name that they share.
Fans remember them for exactly what they were….Perfect!
