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HUNTINGTON, West Virginia (Ticker) -- Byron Leftwitch tied a school record with six touchdown passes and 24th-ranked Marshall routed Ohio, 42-18, in a Mid-American Conference contest. Leftwitch completed 28-of-49 passes for 398 yards as Marshall (9-1, 6-0 MAC East) won its ninth straight game and avenged last season's 38-28 loss at Ohio and regained possession of the "Bell." After the game, Marshall coach Bob Pruett accepted an invitation to the Mobile Alabama Bowl on December 19. The Thundering Herd host former Division I-AA rival Youngstown State next Saturday before playing MAC title game on November 30. "We are excited about the opportunity to play in the GMAC Bowl and I know our fans will travel well to Mobile and give them a big crowd," Pruett said. Four of Leftwich's touchdown passes were to Darius Watts, including the first three scores of the game as Marshall built a 21-0 lead just over three minutes into the second quarter. He tied the record set by current New York Jets backup quarterback Chad Pennington in a 42-16 win at Ball State on September 27, 1997. Watts had 10 receptions for 136 yards. The 6-2 sophomore is one of 11 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award and has nine 100-yard receiving games. "Watts, even last year, is the most talented receiver in the conference," Ohio coach Brian Knorr said. "With all the weapons Marshall has, we could not focus just on him." Ohio (1-9, 1-7) suffered its fifth straight loss and is on pace for its worst season since going 0-11 in 1994. Freddie Ray completed 7-of-15 passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed nine times for 88 yards. Ray capped a 10-play, 80-yard drive with a four-yard pass to tight end Chris Knaack to cut Marshall's lead to 21-6 with 25 seconds left in the second quarter. The Thundering Herd answered on their first possession in the second half as Leftwitch threw a three-yard pass to Trod Buggs to make it 28-6 2:33 into the third quarter. Jamel Patterson broke off a 16-yard run with 4:17 left in the third and After Jason Caesar was stopped trying to run for the two-point conversion, the Bobcats trailed 28-12. Watts had a six-yard TD to cap an eight-play, 80-yard drive and give the Thundering Herd a 35-12 cushion with 88 seconds to go in the third quarter. Freshman Stafford Owens had a 17-yard TD catch, but was stopped on the two-point conversion as Ohio closed within 35-18 with 8 1/2 minutes to play. Leftwitch hooked up with Curtis Jones on a 29-yard TD with 7:28 remanining to make it 42-18.
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