Marshall 31, UAB 24

10/21/2006 9:57 PM

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) -Ahmad Bradshaw ran for 242 yards on 25 carries and scored two touchdowns to lead Marshall to a 31-24 victory over UAB Saturday night.

Bradshaw had touchdown runs of 26 and 67 yards to help Marshall roll up 317 yards on the ground. The Thundering Herd (2-5, 1-2 CUSA) entered the game ranked 10th in the conference in total offense, averaging 314 yards a game. The Herd passed that mark in the first half against UAB and finished with 473 total yards.

Chris Williams completed 18 of 30 passes for 205 yards and one touchdown to lead UAB (3-5, 2-2).

Williams also ran for a score and Marculus Elliott was the Blazers' leading rusher with 129 yards on 14 carries.

UAB seemed to grab momentum on the game's first possession when Will Evans intercepted a Bernard Morris pass and returned it 47 yards to the Marshall one-yard-line.

But UAB was called for a personal foul at the end of the return, moving the ball back to the 16. UAB came away with no points when Curtis Keyes intercepted a Williams pass in the end zone on third down.

That turned the momentum in Marshall's favor and the Herd never lost it. A 26-yard run by Bradshaw capped an 80-yard drive and gave Marshall a 7-0 lead. The Herd stayed ahead the rest of the way.

Elliott responded with a 45-yard touchdown run for UAB, but Parker Mullins missed the point after kick and the Blazers trailed 7-6. A 49-yard touchdown run by Chubb Small and a 31-yard scoring pass from Bernard Morris to Matt Morris gave Marshall a 21-6 lead.

UAB pulled to within 21-14 when Williams scored on an eight-yard run and added a two-point conversion run.

Bradshaw's 68-yard run put Marshall up 28-14 at halftime.

A 34-yard scoring pass from Williams to Jordan Erwin helped UAB pull to within 28-21. But Marshall ran off a 15-play drive that ended on a 41-yard field goal by Anthony Binswanger, giving the Herd a 31-21 lead with 9:50 to play in the game.

Swayze Waters kicked a 43-yard field goal for UAB and a Will Dunbar interception gave the Blazers the ball at the Marshall 41 with four minutes to play and a chance to tie the score. But UAB could not move the ball and Shavar Greer sack on fourth and long snuffed out the Blazers' last threat.