Marshall can make one more step toward locking down a coveted postseason berth Sunday night.
Marshall football well could return to bowl play for the first time since 2004 with a victory Sunday at UCF. A sixth victory likely would result in an invitation, but it's not guaranteed.
Notching a sixth victory Sunday night would secure conditional bowl eligibility for the Thundering Herd. Under Conference USA bowl agreements, a seventh win would guarantee a return to postseason play.
As for the now, Marshall is focused on rival UCF. The Thundering Herd (5-3, 3-1 C-USA) and Knights (4-3, 2-2) kick off at 8:15 p.m. at Bright House Stadium. ESPN will televise the game.
Locking down that needed sixth win and remaining in C-USA East Division contention (Marshall trails East Carolina by a half game) in part requires dealing with a raucous, partisan crowd. Bright House Stadium literally rocks forth and back, both in the bleachers and in the press box, following Knights scores.
"It is going to be packed," Marshall head coach Mark Snyder said. "We know that. It is tough to watch the end zone film there (because of the movement of the stadium).
"I likened it to Penn State and the crowd gets into it, you try to watch the end zone film and the whole thing is shaking. It is hard to watch the film. But this will be a fun environment.
"We have been in some hostile environments, but I really think our guys are ready to play."
The difference, according to Snyder and players, is maturity among the 2009 Thundering Herd. Marshall has struggled in recent seasons on the road, but won at C-USA opponents Memphis and Tulane this season.
Losses at non-conference opponents Virginia Tech and West Virginia are also included through eight games, but "road focus," so often referenced within Marshall's program, has improved.
"They've got great fans and they continually fill that stadium," Thundering Herd quarterback Brian Anderson said. "It gets pretty loud when they're banging on those aluminum bleachers.
"I don't imagine it being any louder than places we've played already. It's definitely not something we haven't been in before.
"We have to come out and focus and block that out."
UCF, meanwhile, is preparing for an active defense virtually equal to its own (the Knights allow just 19.1 points a game), and a diverse offense, led by tailback Darius Marshall, the nation's No. 2 rusher at 136 yards a game.
"I think that I counted over 40 variations offensively, and they have three big time playmakers," UCF head coach George O'Leary said. "Their running back is the second leading rusher in the nation, and I think he is a very good football player.
"The tight end (Cody Slate) and another wide receiver can definitely help them out with their ability to make plays and get open in space."
Darius Marshall has rushed for 952 yards and 10 touchdowns, forcing defenses to focus on run first, particularly in recent weeks. UAB adopted such an approach last week, and Anderson threw for 254 first half yards en route to a 27-7 victory.
Anderson simply shrugged when asked of what to expect.
"I would imagine they would (focus on stopping Darius Marshall)," Anderson said. "But if they don't we'll go another way."
Marshall football well could return to bowl play for the first time since 2004 with a victory Sunday at UCF. A sixth victory likely would result in an invitation, but it's not guaranteed.
Notching a sixth victory Sunday night would secure conditional bowl eligibility for the Thundering Herd. Under Conference USA bowl agreements, a seventh win would guarantee a return to postseason play.
As for the now, Marshall is focused on rival UCF. The Thundering Herd (5-3, 3-1 C-USA) and Knights (4-3, 2-2) kick off at 8:15 p.m. at Bright House Stadium. ESPN will televise the game.
Locking down that needed sixth win and remaining in C-USA East Division contention (Marshall trails East Carolina by a half game) in part requires dealing with a raucous, partisan crowd. Bright House Stadium literally rocks forth and back, both in the bleachers and in the press box, following Knights scores.
"It is going to be packed," Marshall head coach Mark Snyder said. "We know that. It is tough to watch the end zone film there (because of the movement of the stadium).
"I likened it to Penn State and the crowd gets into it, you try to watch the end zone film and the whole thing is shaking. It is hard to watch the film. But this will be a fun environment.
"We have been in some hostile environments, but I really think our guys are ready to play."
The difference, according to Snyder and players, is maturity among the 2009 Thundering Herd. Marshall has struggled in recent seasons on the road, but won at C-USA opponents Memphis and Tulane this season.
Losses at non-conference opponents Virginia Tech and West Virginia are also included through eight games, but "road focus," so often referenced within Marshall's program, has improved.
"They've got great fans and they continually fill that stadium," Thundering Herd quarterback Brian Anderson said. "It gets pretty loud when they're banging on those aluminum bleachers.
"I don't imagine it being any louder than places we've played already. It's definitely not something we haven't been in before.
"We have to come out and focus and block that out."
UCF, meanwhile, is preparing for an active defense virtually equal to its own (the Knights allow just 19.1 points a game), and a diverse offense, led by tailback Darius Marshall, the nation's No. 2 rusher at 136 yards a game.
"I think that I counted over 40 variations offensively, and they have three big time playmakers," UCF head coach George O'Leary said. "Their running back is the second leading rusher in the nation, and I think he is a very good football player.
"The tight end (Cody Slate) and another wide receiver can definitely help them out with their ability to make plays and get open in space."
Darius Marshall has rushed for 952 yards and 10 touchdowns, forcing defenses to focus on run first, particularly in recent weeks. UAB adopted such an approach last week, and Anderson threw for 254 first half yards en route to a 27-7 victory.
Anderson simply shrugged when asked of what to expect.
"I would imagine they would (focus on stopping Darius Marshall)," Anderson said. "But if they don't we'll go another way."
