Marshall quarterback Byron Leftwich celebrates after the Herd’s 38-15 win over Louisville in the 2002 GMAC Bowl. Leftwich, who threw four touchdown passes, was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.
The first thing that stuck out to me in the Marshall-Louisville GMAC Bowl matchup on Dec. 18, 2002 was the bright full moon illuminating the sky over Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
For this matchup between the Mid-American Conference and Conference USA, the bowl people in Mobile, Alabama had to have Marshall. For one thing, Thundering Herd fans were the only ones in the MAC who could find the place in the pre-GPS era.