Marshall football: 3 bold predictions vs. UMass in Week 10

Marshall football plays its second game of the season this weekend, and while it’s expected to compete to win big, plenty will still happen.

Being an Independent who cancelled their fall season only to decide to play in the fall after the season started, scheduling was always going to be a challenge for UMass. They’ve done well in a roll that was widely thought of as being an emergency game for teams who had opponent’s cancel due to COVID-19 protocols.

Marshall sits as the second game on a three (and still growing) game schedule.

Marshall offers a major challenge for UMass, as they sit in the top 25. The Thundering Herd will use Brenden Knox to pummel a young Minuteman defense, while Marshall wants to attack a struggling offensive line for UMass on defense.

We know that’s going to happen, but what surprises are we in store for?

3. Marshall will hold UMass to less than 5.0 yards per pass attempt

Marshall boasts one of the best passing defenses in the country. They’re 22nd in yards passing allowed per game, giving up 193 yards per game. That’s not good news for the UMass offense, who only managed 80 yards between two quarterbacks in their opening loss to Georgia Southern.

Under head coach Walt Bell UMass has proven that they want to use the screen game to open up the rest of the passing game. It didn’t work against Georgia Southern, and there’s no reason to think it will against Marshall.

This means UMass is looking at a lot of unsuccessful, short passing attempts. Add in receivers who struggle to get open downfield, and there will be plenty of incomplete passes too.