| EAST CAROLINA (6-5) vs. MARSHALL (10-2) GMAC Bowl, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2 Ladd Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Ala. | |||||||
| For the first time in five years, Marshall is making an appearance in a bowl other than the Motor City, and it makes for a nice early bowl matchup. The GMAC Bowl features two of the nation's finest QBs in Marshall's Byron Leftwich and ECU's David Garrard, who have combined to throw for more than 6,000 yards and 50 touchdowns. The Pirates are coming off losses in their last two games, but have the firepower to stay with the Herd in what should be an offensive showcase. Matchup analysis | ||||||
| Player to watch | Fast fact |
| While Leftwich and Garrard will get the headlines, expect ECU tailback Leonard Henry to be the difference maker. Henry gained 1,432 yards, averaging nearly 8 per carry, and will be going up against a Marshall defense that is among the nation's worst against the run. | ECU will be the third team from Conference USA to step in front of the Thundering Herd's path in a bowl game. Marshall blew out Louisville 48-29 in 1998 and beat Cincinnati 25-14 in year's Motor City Bowl. | |
| When East Carolina has the ball | ||
| Henry's ability to pick up huge chunks of yardage every time he touches the ball will leave opportunities for Garrard to take shots down field on second-and-short. Or ECU might just be content to keep on running it -- Marshall allowed 288 rushing yards to Toledo in losing the MAC title game. | ||
| When Marshall has the ball | ||
| For the most part, Marshall will let Leftwich chuck it, mixing in the occasional handoff to Franklin Wallace. Sophomore Darius Watts caught 91 passes (18 for touchdowns) during the regular season for the nation's third-ranked passing offense. Like Leftwich, he's got his own website now too, so he must be good, right? | ||
| Special teams | ||
| Curtis Head connected on 9 of 10 field goals for Marshall when he wasn't booming punts at an average of 44.4 yards. ECU's kicking game also has been impressive. Kevin Miller went 14-for-17 on field goal attempts, making his last seven. Punter Jared Preston averaged 44.1 yards. | ||
| Bottom line: Leftwich-to-Watts will open some eyes, but Henry's legs make the difference. East Carolina, 38-34. | ||
| R E L A T E D L I N K S: |
| T O P N E W S |
