Marshall Plan Is a Winner, 64-61

In the highest-scoring bowl game in history, Marshall rallied past East Carolina, 64-61, in double overtime Wednesday night to win the GMAC Bowl behind Byron Leftwich’s 576 yards passing.

Leftwich capped his performance with an eight-yard touchdown toss to Josh Davis to end the game.

The Thundering Herd (11-2) stormed back from a 38-8 halftime deficit, tying the score, 51-51, in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. Marshall wasted a chance to win in regulation by missing the extra point.

The highest-scoring bowl game had been Texas Tech’s 55-41 victory over Air Force in the 1995 Copper.

Leftwich completed 41 of 70 passes with four touchdowns. He also ran for a score.

Leading, 51-45, East Carolina (6-6) recovered an onside kick in the final two minutes but couldn’t run out the clock and punted into the end zone.

Marshall took over at its 20 with 50 seconds left and no timeouts. After two incomplete passes, Leftwich connected with Denero Marriott for 20 yards.

Leftwich then connected with Curtis Jones for 27 yards and Marriott for 23.

Marshall tied the score, 51-51, when Leftwich hit a leaping Darius Watts in the corner of the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown with seven seconds left. Curtis Head’s extra-point try was wide right, his seventh miss this season.

Leonard Henry rushed for 195 yards and three scores in 29 carries for East Carolina, but he couldn’t overcome Leftwich’s fifth 400-yard passing performance of the year.

Marriott had 15 catches for 234 yards and Watts added 133 yards and two scores on seven receptions. The teams combined for 1,141 total yards.

Marshall held East Carolina to Kevin Miller’s 37-yard field goal in the second overtime. After two running plays lost yardage, Leftwich connected with Davis to win it.