HUNTINGTON - "That was quicker than a Ronda Rousey fight," longtime Marshall radio voice Steve Cotton said as the Thundering Herd opened scoring just seven seconds into Sunday's game against Purdue, the first-ever Big Ten team to visit Edwards Stadium.
It wasn't a knockout punch by Tiquan Lang, who intercepted a pass and raced 30 yards for a touchdown on the game's first play. Lang saved the devastating blow for the fourth quarter, when he picked off another pass, this time scurrying 55 yards for another touchdown to provide the exclamation point on a 41-31 Marshall win in front of 38,791.
The crowd was the third-largest in the 25-year history of the stadium, and it was arguably the most Marshall fans to ever attend a game here. Sixth-year Herd coach Doc Holliday pointed that out in the postgame because the top two crowds of all-time - here to see WVU in 2007 (40,383) and 2010 (41,382) - were of mixed allegiances.
The stadium Sunday was a sea of Kelly green, and the biggest turnout ever to see Marshall play an out-of-state team.
"If that wasn't the prettiest sight I've ever seen," Holliday said with a rare toothy grin.
Everyone knew the game was significant. This after last season's pontificating about the Herd's lackluster non-conference schedule in a season the program was vying for a spot in the inaugural College Football Playoff.
This was, finally, a chance for the program to flex its muscles against the big boys again. Just like 2011, when the Herd won at Louisville. Just like 2013, when Marshall nearly upset Virginia Tech in a triple-overtime loss in Blacksburg, and then later that season when the Herd downed then-ACC program Maryland in the Military Bowl in the Terrapins' final game in that league.
"I think we're 2-0 against the Big Ten the last three years," Holliday said Sunday night. "Maryland is a Big Ten team, so we can count those guys, too."
Sure, Purdue isn't among the leaders and best. The Boilermakers aren't defending national champion Ohio State or nationally ranked Michigan State. In fact, Purdue was picked dead last in the seven-team West Division in the Big Ten's preseason poll.
That's what happens when a program is 4-20 over the last two seasons, including 1-15 in Big Ten play. The Boilermakers, coached by former WVU assistant Darrell Hazell, had only beaten Indiana State, Western Michigan, Southern Illinois and Illinois the past two years. Among the two victories against FBS opponents, only Western Michigan, of the Mid-American Conference, had a winning record at season's end.
But Marshall opened as a touchdown favorite over the first Big Ten team to ever visit Huntington ... and covered. The Herd had been 3-21 when allowing 30 or more points under Holliday ... but overcame.
And this was the only major college football game scheduled for Sunday ... that can't hurt.
"I think we've proved we can play with the power five teams and play well," Holliday said. "It's great to get a win and it was great for us to have the opportunity to have a Big Ten team here for the first time in the history of the school and to walk out of here with a win made it more special."
That's why most of the 38,000-plus stayed until Marshall tipped the scales in the final three minutes. They roared as running back Devon Johnson bullied his way into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown with 2:50 left. It was deafening when Lang again corralled an Austin Appleby pass and scooted the other way.
Former Herd star and current Philadelphia Eagles defender Vinny Curry jumped and cheered as it became clear Marshall (1-0) had been successful in its lone opportunity on the regular season schedule to beat a power five program.
It wasn't Rousey-like dominance, but it certainly was a much-needed decision.