HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Rakeem Cato threw three touchdowns and
ran for another and Marshall held off Houston's furious fourth
quarter rally to beat the Cougars 44-41 Saturday in a
Conference-USA game.



Cato completed 32 of 50 passes for 377 yards.



Marshall (5-6, 4-3) led 31-10 at halftime behind Cato's three
touchdown passes and a 69-yard rushing touchdown from Kevin
Grooms.



Cato's 5-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter extended
Marshall's lead to 38-17, but Crawford Jones threw three
touchdowns - all within a seven minute span - to tie the game,
38-38, with 10:47 left to play.



Houston's (4-7, 3-4) Matt Hogan converted a 28-yarder to tie the
game 41-all with 1:18 left to play but Justin Haig capped off an
8-play, 37-yard drive with his third field goal of the day, this
time a 45-yarder, to create the final margin with seven seconds
showing.



Jermaine Holmes had 16 tackles for Marshall.