Marshall distances itself late in 28-23 win over Louisiana-Monroe

HUNTINGTON, W. Va. (AP) — Ethan Payne ran for two touchdowns and Braylon Braxton threw for another and Marshall took control in the fourth quarter and went on to beat Louisiana-Monroe 28-23 on Saturday.

The Warhawks broke a tie at 14 with Max Larson's 29-yard field goal to start the fourth quarter. On Marshall's (5-3, 3-1 Sun Belt) following drive, Braxton threw a 33-yard touchdown to Christian Fitzpatrick to end a two-play, 78-yard drive that lasted 40 seconds. The score was set up when Jordan Houston ran 45 yards to start the brief drive.

Each team traded punts before the Thundering Herd posted a six-play, 48-yard drive that lasted three-and-a-half minutes and ended when Payne ran it in from the 8 with 3:17 left for a 28-17 lead.

Louisiana-Monroe (5-3, 3-2) got back in it when Aiden Armenta threw a 26-yard touchdown to pass to Artis Cole with 1:48 left. On the four-play drive, Armenta completed 4-of-4 passes for all 75 yards on the drive.

Marshall recovered the onside kick attempt and ran out the clock in four plays.

Ahmad Hardy ran for 207 yards on 25 carries for a touchdown for ULM.

Louisiana-Monroe offensive line coach Cameron Blankenship made physical contact with a player during a third-quarter tirade. The first-year assistant was on the field screaming — apparently at offensive lineman Drew Hutchinson as he ran onto and then off the field — then threw his headset before following Hutchinson to the sideline and twice pushed the sophomore guard's chest.

“This behavior is unacceptable and not how ULM football conducts business,” the school said in a statement. “There will be disciplinary action taken against the assistant coach. Because this is a personnel matter, the discipline will be handled internally.”

Blankenship was the offensive line coach for New Mexico in 2023 after seven seasons as an assistant at UAB.

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