HODDESDON, Hertfordshire (Interstat) — In a dominant display of offensive firepower and defensive opportunism, the Marshall Thundering Herd defeated the Old Dominion Monarchs 48 to 24 on Saturday at The Stewart Edwards Stadium.

The game, played on an international stage in England, saw Marshall improve its season record to 2 wins and 3 losses, while handing Old Dominion its first loss of the season, dropping the Monarchs to 4 wins and 1 loss.

Marshall quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson of Atlanta, Georgia, was the catalyst for the Thundering Herd’s offensive explosion. The dual-threat signal-caller completed 17 of 24 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns while also leading the team in rushing with 95 yards on 17 carries, adding two more scores on the ground. His favorite target was Demarcus Lacey, who hauled in eight receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown. Lacey also contributed 14 rushing yards on a single carry.

The Thundering Herd’s defense and special teams provided crucial momentum swings. Boogie Trotter electrified the crowd with a 22-yard interception return for a touchdown in the first quarter, giving Marshall an early lead it would not relinquish. The defensive unit was relentless, with Daytione Smith of East Highland Park, Virginia, adding a second interception, and Javae Gilmore of Amite, Louisiana, recording one of the team’s two sacks.

Old Dominion, which entered the game averaging over 40 points per contest, was stifled for three quarters before a late offensive surge. Monarchs quarterback Colton Joseph of Newport Beach, California, passed for 266 yards and one touchdown and added 50 rushing yards with another score on the ground. His primary deep threat was Ja’Cory Thomas, who caught three passes for 54 yards.

The game began with a quick strike from Old Dominion, as Joseph connected with Tre’ Brown III on a 71-yard touchdown pass less than five minutes into the first quarter. Marshall responded decisively, scoring 31 unanswered points across the next two quarters to seize control.

The Thundering Herd tied the game late in the first quarter on Trotter’s pick-six. They then exploded for 17 points in the second quarter, highlighted by a 49-yard touchdown pass from Del Rio-Wilson to Michael Allen of Greenville, North Carolina, and a 6-yard scoring run by Del Rio-Wilson just before halftime. A 20-yard field goal from Lorcan Quinn of Donaghmore, Northern Ireland, contributed to the second-quarter onslaught.

Marshall continued its dominance after the break, scoring 17 more points in the third quarter. Antwan Roberts broke free for a 26-yard touchdown run, Del Rio-Wilson found Lacey for a 15-yard scoring pass, and Quinn added a 46-yard field goal to extend the lead to 41 to 10.

The Thundering Herd’s final touchdown came on another Del Rio-Wilson run, this time from 2 yards out early in the fourth quarter, pushing the advantage to 48 to 10.

Old Dominion showed resilience in the final period, scoring two touchdowns to narrow the final margin. Joseph scrambled for a 4-yard touchdown run, and Maurki James plunged in from 1 yard out with under a minute to play.

Defensively, Marshall was led by Kerion Martin of Charleston, West Virginia, and Jibreel Al-Amin of Woodbridge, Virginia, who each recorded seven tackles. For Old Dominion, Seth Naotala of Newport News, Virginia, stood out with a game-high 12 tackles.

The final score of 72 total points went under the pregame over/under line of 57.5. Marshall covered the pregame spread, having been installed as a 14.5-point favorite. The result aligned with projections from Interstat, whose game simulator had predicted a Marshall victory with a final score of 41 to 34 and whose ELO system gave the Thundering Herd a 75.20 percent probability to win.

Old Dominion will look to rebound on the road next Saturday against James Madison. Marshall returns home to host Texas State next Saturday.