Senior Willy Merrick's first collegiate field goal, a 22-yarder with 10 seconds left, gave Marshall a 31-28 win over Youngstown State in the NCAA I-AA championship game Saturday.
Marshall (12-3), winning the title for the first time, avenged a loss to Youngstown State (11-3-1) in last season's title game in a scenario that was strikingly similar, except for the outcome.Youngstown State trailed by 11 points in 1991 and came back to win; the Penguins trailed by 28 before coming back to tie the Herd 28-28 on Tamron Smith's 10-yard touchdown run with 2:28 to play Saturday.
But then quarterback Michael Payton, the I-AA player of the year, marched the Herd from its 19 to the Youngstown State 5 by completing 7 of 9 passes for 60 yards.
After Orlando Hatchett's 8-yard run put the ball at the 5, Merrick kicked the game-winner.
It was the first field goal Merrick ever attempted. Previously, the kicking was done by his brother, David, a sophomore, who was suspended for the game because he missed practice Thursday.
Merrick's kick spoiled the Penguins' strong comeback, which started after Payton hit Hatchett for a 22-yard touchdown pass, making it 28-0 with 5:46 left in the third quarter. Marshall's defense had held Youngstown State to 84 yards, while the Herd offense had accumulated 307 yards to that point.
Payton finished 25 of 39 for 270 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, while Cochran hit 18 of 31 for 256 yards, a score and two interceptions.
Payton's favorite receiver was Troy Brown, who caught 10 passes for 115 yards. Williams had five catches for 105 yards for Youngstown State.
The crowd of 31,304 was the largest in I-AA championship history.