LAFAYETTE, La. — In an impressive display of football, Braylon Braxton threw two touchdown passes while Jordan Houston contributed significantly with 117 rushing yards, including a 9-yard touchdown run, leading Marshall to a commanding 31-3 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday evening. This win marks the Thundering Herd’s inaugural Sun Belt Conference Championship.
With this triumph, Marshall concluded the season with a record of 10-3, achieving a remarkable seven-game win streak within the same season for the first time since 2020. Additionally, it is their first double-digit win season since 2015, showcasing a strong turnaround since joining the Sun Belt in 2022 after spending 17 seasons in Conference USA.
The Ragin’ Cajuns kicked off the scoring with a 40-yard field goal from Kenneth Almendares with 6:42 remaining in the first quarter. However, Marshall quickly responded with determination, executing a seven-play, 75-yard offensive drive culminating in Braxton connecting with Tychaun Chapman for a 37-yard touchdown pass, which established their lead for the remainder of the game.
In the second quarter, Rece Verhoff added to the scoreline with a 32-yard field goal, followed by Ethan Payne crossing the end zone on a 15-yard run. Braxton extended the lead further in the third quarter, throwing a 20-yard touchdown pass to Bralon Brown, which brought the score to 24-3.
For Louisiana-Lafayette, freshman Daniel Beale took over the quarterback duties midway through the second quarter, completing 10 of 25 passes for 96 yards, although he did throw an interception. Starter Chandler Fields, who had recently risen to the position following Ben Wooldridge’s season-ending shoulder injury during a close game against South Alabama on November 16, ended the game with 4 completions on 8 attempts for 104 yards. Wooldridge had an impactful season prior to his injury, amassing 2,392 passing yards and 17 touchdowns across 10 games, earning recognition as the conference’s offensive player of the year.
