Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw recovered Zion Turner's goal-line fumble in the end zone for Marshall's go-ahead touchdown against Middle Tennessee. He had already caught a 69-yard touchdown from Carlos Del Rio-Wilson. Those two scoring interventions helped the Herd win 28-26, with a receiver rescuing a possession that nearly came apart at the finish.
Now Marshall visits Missouri State on Saturday, September 19, at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBSSN. Fan Watch gives the Herd a 55% chance to win, a slight advantage, with room for another tight afternoon. No outside game carries enough consequence to warrant a rooting recommendation this week. The interactive guide has the forecast, with the model explained in the methodology.
Del Rio-Wilson completed seven of eight passes for 92 yards and a touchdown, adding 43 rushing yards and another score before leaving late in the second quarter with an apparent injury. Reporting through September 15 established neither a diagnosis nor his availability for Missouri State. His exit interrupted an efficient performance from the quarterback the Sun Belt had named its preseason offensive player of the year; getting that production back would matter beyond simply restoring the usual starter.
Khalil Wilkins relieved him first, then Turner directed a 10-play, 68-yard go-ahead drive. Tony Gibson praised Turner's control and distribution, while flagging his run-game execution and criticizing his decision to extend the ball toward the goal line. Turner gave Marshall a workable relief option. If Turner plays against Missouri State, he needs to execute the running game more cleanly and secure the ball through contact.
Marshall converted only four of 12 third downs and fumbled three times against Middle Tennessee, losing one. Sustaining more possessions would help, but keeping a scoring opportunity from becoming a loose-ball scramble is the most immediate improvement to want.
Missouri State supplies a painful reason to care about those chances. In the 2025 meeting, Marshall led 20-7 in the third quarter. With the advantage down to 20-14 in the fourth, Lorcan Quinn's 26-yard field-goal attempt hit the right upright. Missouri State then drove 80 yards for the winning touchdown, aided by Ramone Green Jr.'s 55-yard reception on third-and-14, to claim its first FBS victory. Protecting a lead here means both cashing in scoring chances and getting off the field when the Bears face long yardage.
Brad Lambert's defense can help with the latter. After allowing seven completions of at least 20 yards against Penn State, Marshall held Middle Tennessee's longest completion to 15 yards and stopped the final two-point pass. Zah Jackon's 54-yard interception return supplied the offense a short field, too. Jackon credited KJ Dillon with keeping him ready and said he recognized Cam'ron Lacy's dig route before jumping the throw. That anticipation is worth watching against Missouri State receiver Isaiah Myers, who caught five passes for 155 yards, including a 72-yard touchdown, against Lindenwood.
Marshall's league-leading nine preseason All-Sun Belt selections came alongside a third-place East projection. Turner-Bradshaw helped Marshall survive Del Rio-Wilson's exit, but the Herd will need to sustain drives and protect the ball more consistently to challenge that projection. This week, the satisfying finish would be a Marshall quarterback completing the next late scoring possession with the ball still safely in Herd hands.