Braxton, Payne and Marshall's defense overpower Southern Miss 37-3

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- — Braylon Braxton threw for 220 yards and a touchdown, Ethan Payne ran for 104 yards and a touchdown and Marshall unloaded on Southern Mississippi for a 37-3 win on Saturday.

Braxton ran it in from the 2, and Payne had a 36-yard touchdown run in the second quarter for a 17-3 halftime lead. In the third, Tychaun Chapman had a 14-yard touchdown run and Braxton threw an 18-yard touchdown to Toby Payne for a 31-3 lead with 10:45 left to play in the third.

Marshall (6-3, 4-1 Sun Belt) also got field goals of 23, 27 and 26 yards from Nathan Totten.

Connor Gibbs kept the Eagles from being shutout with a 51-yard field goal with 10:02 left in the second quarter. Marshall's defense intercepted Southern Miss quarterback Ethan Crawford three times.

The Thundering Herd kept pace with Georgia Southern atop the Sun Belt East Division with identical records. The Eagles beat South Alabama 34-30 on Saturday.

Marshall has won three straight and five of its last six since a 49-14 defeat against then No. 3 Ohio State on Sept. 21.

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