STATESBORO, Ga. (AP) — Backup quarterback Dexter Williams II came on in the fourth quarter and led three touchdown drives to help Georgia Southern rally from a 20-point deficit and beat Marshall 24-23 Saturday night.
Rece Verhoff kicked first-half field goals of 36, 51 and 42 yards, Braylon Braxton threw touchdown passes of 3 yards in the second quarter and 11 yards with 7:05 left in the third to Toby Payne to give Marshall (3-3, 1-1 Sun Belt) a 23-3 lead.
Cam Williams pressured quarterback Stone Earle in the end zone, forcing him to throw it away for a intentional grounding penalty that resulted in a safety. Four plays from scrimmage later, JC French ran for a 12-yard gain on fourth-and-10 before he took a hard hit and was replaced by Williams, who immediately hit LV Bunkley-Shelton for a 34-yard gain and then ran a 1-yard TD that trimmed Georgia Southern’s deficit to 23-11 with 6:31 to play.
Marques Watson-Trent forced a fumble that was recovered by Deontre Morris near midfield to eventually set up David Mbadinga’s 3-yard TD run with 2:15 remaining. Watson-Trent again forced a fumble, this time recovered by Latrell Bullard at the Eagles 34 with 1:55 to go. Williams hit Bunkley-Shelton for a 19-yard gain on a fourth-and-17 and then, two plays later, connected with Derwin Burgess Jr. for a 34-yard touchdown that gave Georgia Southern (4-2, 2-0) a 24-23 lead when the 2-point conversion pass fell incomplete with a minute to play.
Braxton was 9-of-12 passing for 97 yards for Marshall. A.J. Turner added 14 carries for 97 yards rushing.
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