Fancher accounts for 5 TDs, Marshall beats Arkansas State 35-21, becomes bowl eligible

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- — Cam Fancher accounted for five touchdowns — including two first quarter TD passes to Chuck Montgomery — to help Marshall beat Arkansas State 35-21 Saturday to become bowl eligible in the regular season finale for both teams.

Fancher was 16-of-22 passing for 214 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions and added 18 carries for 100 yards rushing and touchdowns of 7 and 3 yards.

Marshall (6-6, 3-5 Sun Belt Conference) had 493 total yards — 279 yards rushing — and converted 8-of-17 third downs.

Montgomery scored on receptions on 9 yards with 8:05 left in the first quarter and 3 yards about 7 minutes later to make it 14-0 at the end of the first quarter. Arkansas State drove deep into Thundering Herd territory before Ahmere Foster picked off a pass at the 1, Fancher ran for a 63-yard gain on the next play, Rasheen Ali followed with an 8-yard run and Fancher hit Mason Pierce for 21 yards to set up his first TD run with 11:31 left in the second quarter and Caleb McMillan scored on a 21-yard pass from Fancher about 5 minutes later to make it 28-0.

Jaylen Raynor was 19 of 38 for 263 yards with an interception and a 2-yard touchdown pass to Courtney Jackson that capped the scoring with 2:54 to play. Jackson also returned a punt 46 yards for a TD late in the third for Arkansas State (6-6, 4-4).

Ali finished with 56 yards rushing and 1,043 this season. The senior ran for 1,401 yards and 23 TD in 2021 before injuries limited him to just 273 yards rushing in three games last season.

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