
10/10/2026 10:52:00 PM | Football
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Coastal Carolina forced six takeaways and rushed for 235 yards to earn its first Sun Belt Conference victory of the season with a 27–21 win over Marshall on a rainy Saturday night at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
The Chanticleers (2–4, 1–1 Sun Belt) scored the game's first 27 points and held off a late Marshall rally to secure head coach Ryan Beard's first conference victory at Coastal. The Thundering Herd fell to 3–3 overall and 0–2 in conference play.
Dominic Lee-Knicely led the Chanticleers with 169 rushing yards and a touchdown on 25 carries, highlighted by a 70-yard scoring run on Coastal's first offensive play of the second half. He also paced the receiving corps with three catches for 42 yards.
Coastal set the tone defensively, forcing turnovers on Marshall's first three possessions. Ja'Marion Wayne intercepted the game's first play from scrimmage for his second interception of the season.
Following an interception on Coastal's ensuing possession, Ibrahim Diawara recovered a Marshall fumble to give the Chanticleers another opportunity deep in Thundering Herd territory. Nico Cavanillas Alti capped the possession with a 26-yard field goal to put Coastal ahead 3–0 with 8:58 remaining in the first quarter.
Marshall responded with a drive inside Coastal's 10-yard line, but Travis Roman ended the scoring threat with an interception in the end zone. The pick was Roman's second of the season and preserved the Chanticleers' early advantage.
Chase Jackson added Coastal's third interception early in the second quarter, setting up a four-play, 40-yard touchdown drive. Deuce Bailey connected with Karmello English for a seven-yard score to extend the lead to 10–0 with 12:31 remaining before halftime.
Cavanillas Alti added a 40-yard field goal with 3:33 left in the second quarter, sending the Chanticleers into the locker room with a 13–0 lead.
Coastal carried that momentum into the second half as Lee-Knicely broke free for a 70-yard touchdown run just 18 seconds into the third quarter.
The Chanticleers recovered another turnover on the ensuing kickoff when Azarel Juste secured a muffed return. Coastal converted the short field into another touchdown, finishing a seven-play, 28-yard drive with a two-yard scoring run by Jaden Allen-Hendrix to push the advantage to 27–0 with 11:47 remaining in the third quarter.
Marshall got on the scoreboard with a 50-yard touchdown run by Judah Price late in the third quarter, but Coastal's defense delivered another takeaway in the fourth. Myles Woods forced a fumble on a Zion Turner scramble, and Jalen Lee recovered to halt a Marshall drive inside the Chanticleers' 10-yard line.
The Thundering Herd scored twice in the final three minutes, cutting Coastal's lead to six with 2:14 remaining. The Chanticleers secured the ensuing onside kick, and Allen-Hendrix's 19-yard run moved the chains before Coastal took two kneel-downs to seal the victory.
Bailey finished with 73 passing yards and a touchdown, while Allen-Hendrix added 39 rushing yards and a score. Coastal finished with 308 yards of total offense and committed just two penalties for 20 yards.
The Chanticleers recorded three interceptions and three fumble recoveries while limiting Marshall to two touchdowns in five red-zone trips. Coastal also registered three sacks and eight tackles for loss.
Coastal Carolina returns to Brooks Stadium on Friday, Oct. 16, to host App State at 8 p.m. on ESPN2.
Players Mentioned
Team Stats

CCU 3, MAR 0
CCU - Cavanillas Alti,Nico 26 yd field goal 4 plays, 1 yards, TOP 01:59

CCU 10, MAR 0
CCU - English,Karmello 7 yd pass from Bailey,Deuce (Cavanillas Alti,Nico kick) 4 plays, 40 yards, TOP 01:49

CCU 13, MAR 0
CCU - Cavanillas Alti,Nico 40 yd field goal 10 plays, 58 yards, TOP 05:06

CCU 20, MAR 0
CCU - Lee-Knicely,Dominic 70 yd run (Cavanillas Alti,Nico kick), 1 plays, 70 yards, TOP 00:12

CCU 27, MAR 0
CCU - Allen-Hendrix,Jaden 2 yd run (Cavanillas Alti,Nico kick), 7 plays, 28 yards, TOP 02:55

CCU 27, MAR 7
MAR - Price,Judah 50 yd run (Diaz Nicolas,Jorge kick), 4 plays, 87 yards, TOP 01:24

CCU 27, MAR 14
MAR - Price,Judah 9 yd pass from Turner,Zion (Diaz Nicolas,Jorge kick) 4 plays, 34 yards, TOP 01:10

CCU 27, MAR 21
MAR - Sweeney,Owen 19 yd pass from Turner,Zion (Diaz Nicolas,Jorge kick) 3 plays, 50 yards, TOP 00:34


















