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Marshall Stuns No. 6 Kansas State 27-20

Posted on: Saturday, 20 September 2003, 06:00 CDT

Graham Gochneaur threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jason Rader with just over 3 1/2 minutes left as Marshall upset No. 6 Kansas State 27-20 on Saturday.

Marshall (2-2) won NCAA Division I-AA titles in 1992 and 1996 but had never beaten a ranked major-college opponent. Kansas State (4-1) had a 41-game home nonconference winning streak broken.

Gochneaur, making his second start in relief of the injured Stan Hill, was 16-for-24 for 106 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.

Kansas State's Jeff Schwinn, another backup making his second start, was 14-for-26 for 241 yards, but also fumbled twice and threw an interception.

Hill has a sprained left knee, and Kansas State quarterback Ell Roberson has an injured left wrist.

Kansas State had one last chance to force overtime, when Schwinn's 33-yard pass to Darren Sproles gave the Wildcats a first down at the Marshall 3 with 25 seconds left.

Schwinn ran for 1 yard on first down, and the Wildcats were penalized 5 yards for snapping the ball on second down before it was set. Schwinn spiked the ball, then threw to Sproles for a 1-yard gain.

Schwinn's throw to Davin Dennis fell incomplete in the end zone as time ran out.

The Thundering Herd, known more for passing than for defense or rushing, forced four turnovers and got 112 yards rushing from Franklin Wallace. And after giving up an average of almost 203 yards rushing in their first three games, they held the Wildcats to 127 yards.

They also held Sproles - who was averaging almost 120 yards on the ground - to 77 yards on 14 carries and stuffed Schwinn on fourth-and-2 from the 3 on Kansas State's first drive of the second half.

Sproles scored on a 12-yard run with 8:22 left to put Kansas State up 20-19, after Marshall punter Klint Rose muffed a snap and Kevin Huntley recovered at the Herd 44.

But Chris Royal returned the kickoff 31 yards to the Marshall 40. Ten plays later, Gochneaur threw the game-winner to Rader and added a 2-point conversion pass to Josh Davis.

Kansas State's last drive came after Marshall's Nick Kelly missed a 45-yard field-goal attempt with 1:27 to go.

Schwinn ran for a 1-yard touchdown that put Kansas State up 7-0 - but undid his early success with fumbles that led to two TDs by the Thundering Herd.

Freshman Dylan Meier replaced Schwinn after his second fumble - and fumbled on his only play, leading to Kelly's 33-yard field goal as time ran out in the first half.

Bobby Jordan intercepted Gochneaur's pass on the first play after Schwinn's TD keeper, and Schwinn's 22-yard pass to Jermaine Moreira gave the Wildcats first-and-goal at the 10.

But on second-and-goal from the 9, Schwinn pitched the ball straight to defensive end Jonathan Goddard, who returned it 84 yards for a 7-7 tie.

Then, after Joe Rheem's 42-yard field goal put Kansas State up 10-7, Schwinn fumbled as he was sacked by Jamus Martin. Reggie Hayes recovered at Marshall's 45, and the Herd converted with Gochneaur's 9-yard TD pass to Darius Watts for a 13-10 lead.

After Ben Lewis missed the conversion, Martin recovered Meier's fumble at Kansas State 40 and Kelly's field goal put Marshall up 16-10 at the half.

Rheem hit a 43-yarder in the third quarter, pulling the Wildcats to 16-13. Kelly's 21-yarder in the fourth made it 19-13.

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