Saturday night's game at Farris Stadium was full of missed opportunities for both Marshall and Churchill.
But when Rams defensive back Andy Garcia saw the ball in the air, he knew it was time to end all the mistakes.
His interception in the end zone with 20 seconds left ended Churchill's comeback hopes, sealing a 14-13 win for Marshall.
"(The ball) was coming right at me, I knew I had to get underneath it," Garcia said. "Then I just took it way from them."
Not only the ball, but the life out of Churchill.
The Chargers were moving the ball with ease on their way to a potential game-winning score.
They started the drive on their own 1-yard line after stopping Marshall on fourth-and-goal.
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"We did let them stay in it," Marshall coach Mike Carew said. "But we made a lot of big plays when it counted."
Churchill made the most of its chances on its own last drive as quarterback Sam Mabry completed consecutive passes of 35, 28, and 10 yards to get the Chargers to the Marshall 23.
After a timeout, the Churchill offense returned to the field. That's when Garcia, who was playing with a broken left wrist, seized his opportunity.
"And he did it with a cast on," Carew said. "It was a heck of a catch."
It wasn't the only mistake for Churchill, which missed the extra point that would have tied the game after an early fourth-quarter score.
"Those things happen to every team," Carew said. "That's just the way it turned out."
It turned out to be the difference in a game where Marshall controlled time of possession, but had numerous drives halted by failed fourth-down conversions and penalties. The Rams were 0 for 3 on fourth downs and had 10 penalties for 60 yards.
"We are a pretty young team," Carew said. "We are learning as we go. We will get there."
Both of the Rams' scores were set up by turnovers. The first came in the first quarter after a Dereck Dreyer interception. On the next play, Trey Anderson found Francis Schieldge for a 29-yard touchdown.
Then Churchill snapped the ball over the punter's head to give Marshall first-and-goal at the 8. The Rams scored three plays later, with Anderson finding Schieldge again.
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