The Chants pulled a 44-27 win against Marshall University in new airbrush-style jerseys to show their Conway pride. In true Halloween fashion, Coastal students and fans in costumes flooded the stands for the Chanticleers to take the field.
Quarterback Samari Collier started fast, picking up a first down on the ground, but Marshall defensive back Boogie Trotter gave the Herd a quick 7-0 lead by intercepting the next throw and returning it for a touchdown. Coastal answered with a 22-yard jet sweep from wide receiver Robby Washington and a 24-yard grab by wide receiver Cameron Wright. After a third-down sack, place kicker Kian Afrookhteh landed a field goal to make it 7-3.
Marshall Kicker Lorcan Quinn added a 55-yarder to extend the lead to 10-3.
The Chanticleer defense locked in with stops from linebacker Dontae Lunan and safety Xamarion Gordon.
Momentum began to shift for the Chanticleers in the second quarter.
Wide receiver Malcolm Gillie’s 44-yard kick return put Coastal in business, and running back Ja’Vin Simpkins followed with an 18-yard burst. Wide receiver Bryson Graves also added a key sideline catch,
After a face-mask call reset the downs, Collier kept it himself on the read option for the touchdown.
“I’m just scratching the surface,” Samari Collier said. “I’m still learning, still getting better every week. I just stay humble and focus on what’s ahead of us.”
Marshall led 13-10 after the exchange.
The Herd responded as running back Antwan Roberts broke a 15-yard run, and quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson found wide receiver Bryan Robinson for 19 yards. Running back Jo’shon Barbie capped the drive with a short rush to make it 20-10.
Finding their footing, Coastal fired back.
Collier scrambled for 10 yards, then running back Dominic Knicely took a pitch 59 yards to the end zone, cutting the Herd’s lead to 20-17. A defensive stand by safety Myles Woods closed the half with Coastal trailing by only three.
Out of the break, CCU safety Avyonne Jones delivered a big hit on the opening play, but Roberts flipped the field with a 55-yard run for Marshall. Moments later, Del Rio-Wilson found the back corner of the end zone to make it 27-17.
Itching for a win, the Chanticleers responded immediately.
Collier threw a short hitch to Gillie, who broke tackles and raced 70 yards, trimming the Herd’s lead to 27-24.
“Having Samari brings a different element,” head coach Tim Beck said. “You have to watch him run the ball, you have to watch our stable of running backs and you have to watch him throw. There are three things that can happen, and now defenses have to pick their poison.”
On the next Marshall drive, a backward pass hit the turf and was recovered by the Chants.
Collier capitalized, connecting with Graves for a touchdown marking the team’s first lead of the game, 31-27.
The Chanticleers’ defensive hustle kept the offense alive.
Coastal linebacker Lunan intercepted Del Rio-Wilson to set up a 42-yard field goal by Afrookhteh, who improved to a perfect 9-for-9 on the season. Moments later, Woods intercepted a tipped pass by cornerback Lionell Whitaker and running back Jevon Edwards powered inside the 10.
“We’ve got a ‘play for your brother’ mentality,” Lunan said. “It’s about looking at the guy next to you and giving everything you’ve got. When we do that, good things happen.”
Afrookhteh drilled another field goal to make it 37-27.
In the fourth quarter, Collier picked up two first downs on the ground before both teams traded punts.
Another Marshall turnover on special teams flipped the momentum again.
Coastal took over as Collier finished with a one-yard rush to extend the lead to 44-27, sealing a dominant second-half performance.
Coastal, on a three-game win streak, hopes to keep their momentum going in the coming weeks.
The Chanticleers will face Georgia State University at home on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 4 p.m. for their Homecoming matchup.
