The Gasparilla Bowl served as the perfect final act to 2018 for Marshall football, as the young Herd scored a convincing victory over South Florida, 38-20.
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Led by freshmen Isaiah Green and Brenden Knox, Marshall appeared to be the team that wanted to compete inside Raymond James Stadium, racking up points and yards by the bag full under the watchful eye of game sponsor Bad Boy Mowers.
Green, who recovered in time to finish his first season in strong form, was 17-for-25 passing for 221 yards and no interceptions, while Knox concluded his debut as a member of the Herd backfield with 93 yards in the first half.
Four different Marshall players found the end zone on runs in the opening half, including Knox and Green. Seniors Keion Davis and Anthony Anderson had the other rushing scores, as the Herd raced out to a 28-7 lead late in the second quarter and never looked back.
It ended up being a very balanced night on offense for Marshall, as they went over the 200 mark both passing and running. Three different runners had over 40 yards, as they averaged almost six yards per carry.
And for the Bulls, it was a sixth consecutive loss to a season in which they opened it with a perfect 7-0 record. Blake Barnett struggled once again, and the USF ground game never got on track. The Bulls became the first team to start 7-0 and finish 7-6.
Barnett, who made felt would not even be able to play, did lead the offense on a couple drives resulting in touchdowns. But South Florida averaged under three yards per carry and never threatened Marshall.
Here are three takeaways from the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl: