Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl 2011: Marshall Treats Itself To 20-10 Win Over FIU

Marshall Vs. FIU, St. Petersburg Bowl Recap: The Numerical

A look at the numbers that mattered in Marshall's 20-10 upset of Florida International in the Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl.

ANIMATED: Beef 'O' Brady's Brawl Ends Marshall-FIU Bowl

The most exciting competition in Tuesday night's St. Petersburg bowl action came just after the Marshall Thundering Herd picked up the win over Florida International. Players from both teams did a lot of glowering and menacing at midfield as Marshall fans chanted, and at some point this sort of thing happened:

via gif.mocksession.com

That's no punch, Mr. Official. This Golden Panther has merely consumed one too many bowls of beef queso and requires assistance in loosing his digestive system. Who could blame him? Beef queso!

When asked after the game, Marshall coach Doc Holliday referred to the scuffle as just kids having fun, but he may not have seen this particular development.

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Marshall Vs. FIU Final Score, Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl 2011: Gutsy Herd Prevail

An entirely unpleasant thing has come to an end: the 2011 Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl is over, with the previously 6-6 Marshall Thundering Herd having vanquished Florida International, 20-10. It was a very bad game.

T.Y. Hilton, the lone attraction for the uninvested observer, ended up on the wrong side of the game's key play.

With FIU trailing by only three as five minutes remained, Hilton fumbled the ball for the second time in the game. This one wound up in Marshall's hooves, and a courageous fourth-down conversion near midfield iced the game -- Rakeem Cato threw for a 35-yard touchdown to Aaron Dobson when the average team would've elected to just punt and hope for a stand. That part was pretty good. The rest of this game was so bad.

Young Dobson may get the offensive game ball, catching seven times for 81 yards and both Marshall touchdowns.

Both of these teams made it in over Western Kentucky, which had a better Sun Belt record than FIU and had beaten the Golden Panthers head-to-head. Just wanted to point that out.

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Marshall Vs. FIU Score Update: Herd Nibbling On Late Lead

After a solid hour of drudgery and stumbling on the sheeny, glistening St. Petersburg turf, the Beef 'O' Brady's [sp] Bowl finally started to perk up in the fourth quarter. But only just a tad. It's now 13-10, Marshall.

The Marshall Thundering Herd nearly returned a punt block for a touchdown, but officials whistled them for shoving the ball forward along the ground and FIU players backward after the play. With diminished field position and lots of white grass in the way, Tyler Warner banked his second 37-yard field goal of the evening. He is the hero of all.

With five minutes remaining, Florida International can still leave Marshall to pick up the check, so to speak, or the Golden Panthers could march down the field and notch a field goal of their own, thus demanding dessert.

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FIU's Wine-Tasting Class: Too Classy For Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl?

St. Petersburg Bowl 2011 Halftime Score: Marshall Takes Tie Into Third Course

It's the Beef 'O' Brady's [sp] Bowl, but many people still call it the St. Petersburg Bowl. Hello, traditionalists and despisers of fine, fine novelty cuisine. At the break, the Marshall Thundering Herd and FIU Golden Panthers are tied, 10-10, thanks to a 31-yard Rakeem Cato touchdown pass to Aaron Dobson.

We could be entering the last 30 minutes of Mario Cristobal's time as Florida International head coach. He's believed to be in the running for the Pittsburgh Panthers job, and a win could help push him into the lead there. 

Neither team has accomplished a great deal on offense, with 300 yards worth of combined offense so far. Cato is averaging 5.5 yards per attempt, while counterpart Wesley Carroll is dealing 4.3 per. Other than that catch by Dobson, big plays have been seldom. I'm not sure what more you want me to say.

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Marshall Vs. FIU Bowl Score Update: T.Y. Hilton Serves Up A Lead Change

Florida International star T.Y. Hilton has made up for a fumble with a pair of red zone feats, one a 14-yard catch-and-run to the goal line and the second a two-yard jet sweep for the touchdown. At the end of the first quarter, FIU leads the Marshall Thundering Herd, 7-3.

Hilton has 47 yards on four touches early in the 2011 Beef 'O' Brady's [sp] Bowl. Golden Panthers quarterback Wesley Carroll has seven yards on all non-Hilton targets.

Did you know FIU is playing to become the Florida team with the most wins this year? They're currently tied with the Florida St. Seminoles with eight wins each. Did you know that? You may have already known that, but we've got a long way to go tonight, and it would be best if we were all on the same page.

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Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl 2011 Score Update: Marshall Up During Appetizers Round

If you're not watching the 2011 Beef 'O' Brady's [sp] Bowl, you missed a pretty great catch by Marshall Thundering Herd receiver Jermaine Kelson. Despite being fiddled with by FIU's Jose Cheeseborough, he brought in a one-handed, 25-yard grab to set up a 37-yard field goal by Tyler Warner. Marshall leads in the first quarter, three shrimp poppers to none.

Beef 'O' Brady's [sp] fun fact No. 1: Their name is punctuated four different ways on their Wikipedia page.

If you are watching this game, you probably just want to see T.Y. Hilton stunt. He's had two touches, each going for more than 10 yards, but fumbled on one of them. Not much else has happened.

Beef 'O' Brady's [sp] fun fact No. 2: Founder Jim Mellody's surname is English in origin, not necessarily Irish.

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Rootability Index: The Beef O'Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl

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We've played three bowls, but there are 32 to go! Get ready for the next three games with Odds Shark's picks for the Beef O'Brady's Bowl, the Poinsetta Bowl, and the Las Vegas Bowl. All content comes courtesy of SB Nation's odds partners at Odds Shark.

Marshall Vs. FIU, St. Petersburg Bowl 2011: When And When Not To Watch

If you can time your channel-flipping and tune in only when Florida International has the ball, you could enjoy the St. Petersburg Bowl quite a bit. T.Y. Hilton, Vinny Curry and company gives this bowl a little more star power than you think ... but only so much more.

St. Petersburg Bowl 2011, Florida International Vs. Marshall: T.Y. Hilton Looks To Make His Mark

Florida International's T.Y. Hilton garnered Heisman hype after the second week of the season, when he starred for the Golden Panthers in an upset of Louisville, catching seven passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns. But the senior FIU speedster has not had quite as much success of late, and will be looking to reverse that mojo against Marshall in the 2011 St. Petersburg Bowl on Tuesday night.

After racking up 395 receiving yards in September and 405 yards in October, Hilton's production has slowed in November, when he caught 17 passes for just 150 yards over four games for just two touchdowns. Hilton, seen as a mid-round prospect in the 2012 NFL Draft class, could use a big game to boost his stock.

Fortunately for Hilton and the Golden Panthers, he has a history of coming through in bowl games: Hilton caught three passes for 32 yards and a touchdown and had 174 yards and a touchdown on five kickoff returns against Toledo in the 2010 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.

For more on each bowl game, stay tuned to SB Nation's 2011 college football bowls coverage. And visit SB Nation's many college football blogs. for more on the wonderful world of college athletics.

St. Petersburg Bowl 2011, Marshall Vs. FIU: Golden Panthers Can Capture Best Record In Florida

There are a lot of very big college football programs in the state of Florida. The Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles and Miami Hurricanes have all won a national championship in the lifetimes of anyone currently playing major college football. Incredibly, it was a slightly down year for all of them. If the FIU Golden Panthers defeat the Marshall Thundering Herd in the 2011 Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl, they could capture the best record for an FBS team in the state of Florida.

They don't give out a trophy for this and FIU would get crushed in the SEC, but ignore that for a second. If, at any point between the beginning of time and Florida State's loss to Clemson, someone told you that the FIU Golden Panthers would have the best record of any FBS team in Florida, in any season, EVER, you would have been very confused.

Florida State and FIU are both 8-4 at the moment. If FSU loses the Champs Sports Bowl and FIU wins the St. Petersburg Bowl, the world may explode.

For more on each bowl game as it's announced, stay tuned to SB Nation's 2011 college football bowl game bids coverage. And visit our many college football blogs.

Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl Beach Bash Hula Hoop Contest Exists, Playoffs Don't

Mario Cristobal, Pitt Each Refutes Report Of Completed Deal

Over the weekend, both the Pittsburgh Panthers and FIU coach Mario Cristobal denied or sidestepped chatter that they're doing business together. Cristobal has reportedly interviewed with Pitt as the Panthers seek Todd Graham's replacement*, but would prefer to leave it at that for the time being:

@gregauman FIU's Mario Cristobal on Pitt rumors: "All I'm really doing is my job as head football coach at FIU and getting ready for this bowl game."

Pitt, meanwhile, blames a very specific kind of report for all the trouble and confusion:

Contrary to Internet reports, the Pitt football head coaching position has not been offered to anyone, nor have any decisions on an offer been made. The search is still an ongoing process.

You never see programs specifically call out NEWSPAPER REPORTS, but that's just life.

* Seeking Todd Graham's replacement is something all of us have to go through at some point in life.

For more from the Panthers' side, visit Pitt blog Cardiac Hill and SB Nation Pittsburgh. For more on the 2011 college football coaching carousel, check out our dedicated section.

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Beef O'Brady Bowl 2011: FIU Favored Against Thundering Herd

Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl 2011: Marshall Will Meet FIU In St. Petersburg

The Marshall Thundering Herd will take on the FIU Golden Panthers in the 2011 Beef  'O' Brady's Bowl according to Brett McMurphy of CBS Sports. Pittsburgh reportedly made a push to play in the game, which in the past has featured Big East teams. It appears the Panthers are headed to the BBVA Compass Bowl again. FIU went 8-4 this season behind quarterback Wesley Carroll. Marshall went 6-6, but closed the season with two straight wins to gain bowl eligibility.

Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg

TV channel: ESPN

2010 winner and loser: Louisville 31, Southern Miss 28

For more on each bowl game as it’s announced, stay tuned to SB Nation’s 2011 college football bowl game bids coverage. And visit our many college football blogs.

2011 Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl: FIU Heading To St. Petersburg

The FIU Golden Panthers are going to their second-ever bowl game, and their second in a row named after a disagreeable dinner. The Beef 'O' Brady's bowl in St. Petersburg will pair Florida International against a middling Big East team, perhaps the Pittsburgh Panthers or likewise.

@FIUSMSports It is official: #FIU is heading to St. Petersburg to play in the Beef O' Brady's Bowl on December 20th. Opponent is undetermined yet    

Mario Cristobal's Golden Panthers made the 2010 Little Caesars Bowl, putting together an actually exciting victory over the Toledo Rockets. An eight-win season is already the best mark in FBS history for FIU.

Game date, time: 8:00 PM ET, Tuesday, December 20th

Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg

TV channel: ESPN

2010 winner and loser: Louisville 31, Southern Miss 28

For more on each bowl game as it's announced, stay tuned to SB Nation's 2011 college football bowl game bids coverage. And visit our many college football blogs.