DURHAM, N.C. — Alexander Marsh capped a dramatic afternoon with a 3-yard touchdown run in overtime as Shaw University held off Ferrum College, 34-28, Saturday at Durham County Memorial Stadium.
The Bears improved to 2-1 after piling up 559 yards of total offense, including 272 on the ground and 287 through the air. Shaw finished with 25 first downs and did not turn the ball over while forcing three Ferrum turnovers.
Shaw wasted little time establishing control. Fabian Diggs broke loose for a 58-yard touchdown run with 10:40 remaining in the opening quarter before Marsh connected with Antrel Gibson on a 5-yard touchdown pass to give the Bears a 13-0 advantage. Ferrum answered early in the second quarter, but Marsh struck again, finding Reggie King Jr. for a 34-yard touchdown that pushed Shaw ahead 19-7. The Panthers responded with a touchdown of their own to cut the deficit to 19-14 at halftime.
Ferrum took its first lead of the day, 21-19, on Eli Foutz's 1-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter. Shaw answered immediately with a five-play, 75-yard drive capped by Marsh's 22-yard touchdown pass to Rashid Jones, putting the Bears back in front, 25-21.
The game turned into a late fourth-quarter battle. Ferrum marched 81 yards and took a 28-25 lead on Foutz's 17-yard touchdown pass to Omarza Gray with 1:10 remaining.
Shaw responded under pressure.
Starting at its own 25, the Bears moved 58 yards in the final 70 seconds to set up Benjamin Turner, who drilled a 33-yard field goal as time expired to force overtime at 28-28.
Ferrum received the ball first in overtime but came away empty after Cooper Wolfe missed a 42-yard field-goal attempt. Shaw then took over at the Ferrum 25. Marsh connected with Trey Thorpe for 14 yards to help move the Bears into scoring position before Landon Melton sent the Bears to victory rushing 3 yards into the end zone for the walk-off score.
Marsh completed 18 of 29 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. He also scored the game-winning touchdown on the ground. King led the receiving corps with three catches for 103 yards and a touchdown, while Floyd Lyles finished with four receptions for 52 yards. Jones added two catches for 38 yards and a touchdown, and Gibson caught two passes for 12 yards and a score.
Diggs powered the rushing attack with 178 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, averaging more than 9 yards per attempt. Thorpe added 66 rushing yards on 10 carries along with three receptions for 31 yards as Shaw's offense averaged 7.7 yards per play.
Defensively, Brandon Heard and Kristopher Young shared the team lead with nine tackles apiece, while Rodney Williams Jr. added eight. Ethan Cason-Guyton recorded six tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. Jayonrte Wilson added an interception, while the Bears also recovered two Ferrum fumbles and blocked a field-goal attempt.
Shaw is back in action Saturday, September 19th as they host the Lions from Lincoln University (PA) in a CIAA showdown scheduled for 1 PM inside Durham County Memorial Stadium.
