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Southern Miss topples Marshall 27-20

Nov 15, 2009 - 2:20 AM HUNTINGTON, W.Va.(AP) -- Martevious Young threw two second-half touchdown passes to lead Southern Miss to a 27-20 win over Marshall on Saturday night.

Southern Miss (6-4, 4-2 Conference USA) became bowl eligible for the eighth straight season and denied Marshall (5-5, 3-3) a chance at becoming bowl eligible for the first time under fourth-year coach Mark Snyder.

Marshall's DeQuan Bembry fumbled a punt early in the third quarter and Southern Miss' Jamie Collins recovered at the Marshall 39. On the next play, Young threw a TD pass to Damion Fletcher to put the Golden Eagles ahead 20-13.

Southern Miss turned the ball over on downs at the Marshall 28 at the start of the fourth quarter. Brian Anderson went 4-for-5 for 54 yards on the ensuing drive, which was capped by 1-yard run by Terrell Edwards-Maye that tied the score.

Young capped Southern Miss' ensuing 63-yard drive with a 36-yard scoring toss to DeAndre Brown with 6:54 left in the game.

Southern Miss' Justin Wilson intercepted Anderson twice inside the Southern Miss 10 in the final 2 minutes.

Marshall lost running back Darius Marshall and tight end Cody Slate, the team's top receiver, to leg injuries. Darius Marshall was limited to 22 yards on 11 carries. As a team, Marshall had 26 yards on 26 carries but outgained Southern Miss overall 363-294.

Southern Miss sacked Anderson six times. Anderson was 29 of 52 for 337 yards. Antavio Wilson caught 13 passes for 153 yards.

Young was 14 of 25 for 191 yards.

Fletcher ran for 55 yards on 13 carries to move into 13th place on the Football Bowl Subdivision all-time career rushing list ahead of Michigan's Mike Hart. Fletcher has 5,076 career rushing yards.

Aaron Dobson's 29-yard touchdown reception from Anderson put Marshall ahead 10-7 midway through the second quarter, but Southern Miss' Tracy Lampley returned the ensuing kickoff 93 yards for a score.

Southern Miss' Tory Harrison provided the only scoring in the first quarter with a 1-yard TD run.

Craig Ratanamorn kicked second-quarter field goals of 27 and 46 yards for Marshall.

The game was played on the 39th anniversary of the plane crash that killed most of Marshall's football team. The university held a memorial service a few hours before the game.