The Herd opened as a 10.5 point favorite - the largest home favorite vs. FBS since Old Dominion in September 2023.
We've been a double-digit home favorite against an FBS team just three times in three years (-10 vs. Louisiana in '22, -14 vs Old Dominion in '23, and now).
Looking at ULM on paper, it's glaringly obvious how bad they've been on offense - specifically the passing game. The worst offense we've played against so far (excluding Stony Brook) is Virginia Tech at 377 yards per game...which is 82 more yards per game than ULM has mustered.
They've played three different quarterbacks this year including Texas transfer General Booty (sounds like a member of 2 Live Crew?) but all have played poorly.
Where they were making their hay prior to this past weekend's blowout loss to South Alabama, was by muddying up the game, keeping it close, and then taking advantage of the other team's mistakes.
ULM reminds me of a poor man's UAB team from 2018-2021. Nothing fancy. Run the ball on offense. Limit mistakes. Play sound defense, especially on the back end with no explosive plays. Their new coach is Bryant Vincent - who was OC for Bill Clark at UAB in 2014 and again from 2018-2021. Their DC also has ties to UAB, so the Bill Clark/UAB fingerprints are all over the program.
Despite not having any "all stars", their secondary has been exceptional this year. 16th best pass efficiency defense in the country so far.
We've been a double-digit home favorite against an FBS team just three times in three years (-10 vs. Louisiana in '22, -14 vs Old Dominion in '23, and now).
Looking at ULM on paper, it's glaringly obvious how bad they've been on offense - specifically the passing game. The worst offense we've played against so far (excluding Stony Brook) is Virginia Tech at 377 yards per game...which is 82 more yards per game than ULM has mustered.
They've played three different quarterbacks this year including Texas transfer General Booty (sounds like a member of 2 Live Crew?) but all have played poorly.
Where they were making their hay prior to this past weekend's blowout loss to South Alabama, was by muddying up the game, keeping it close, and then taking advantage of the other team's mistakes.
ULM reminds me of a poor man's UAB team from 2018-2021. Nothing fancy. Run the ball on offense. Limit mistakes. Play sound defense, especially on the back end with no explosive plays. Their new coach is Bryant Vincent - who was OC for Bill Clark at UAB in 2014 and again from 2018-2021. Their DC also has ties to UAB, so the Bill Clark/UAB fingerprints are all over the program.
Despite not having any "all stars", their secondary has been exceptional this year. 16th best pass efficiency defense in the country so far.
| Marshall (4-3) | ULM (5-2) | |
| PPG | 30.0 (53rd) | 22.0 (107th) |
| Points Allowed | 26.3 (81st) | 22.9 (60th) |
| Total Offense | 384.6 (76th) | 295.1 (128th) |
| Rush Offense | 215.0 (15th) | 168.0 (60th) |
| Pass Offense | 169.6 (122nd) | 127.1 (130th) |
| Offensive Pass Effic | 136.89 (60th) | 113.97 (123rd) |
| 3rd Down Offense | 40.4% (65th) | 34.4% (111th) |
| Total Defense | 399.9 (101st) | 367.3 (70th) |
| Rush Defense | 180.7 (109th) | 180.6 (108th) |
| Pass Defense | 219.1 (68th) | 186.7 (29th) |
| Defensive Pass Effic | 125.13 (52nd) | 109.60 (16th) |
| 3rd Down Defense | 31.7% (17th) | 40.7% (87th) |
| Turnover Margin Per Game | +0.29 (47th) | +0.43 (37th) |
| Penalty Yards Per Game | 50.86 (57th) | 49.86 (52nd) |
| Net Punting | 35.73 (115th) | 36.92 (103rd) |
