NEW ORLEANS - Marshall (7-6) fell 36-21 to No. 23 Louisiana (13-1) in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl on Saturday night, despite a bowl-record performance from RB Rasheen Ali.

Ali finished with 20 carries for 160 yards (a Thundering Herd bowl record) and three rushing scores. Marshall led 21-16 heading into the fourth quarter, but Louisiana used a 20-0 run in the final quarter, including a pair of late touchdowns to pick up its 13th straight win. 

Louisiana jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead in the first quarter, but Marshall bounced back by scoring 14 unanswered to take a 14-10 advantage, with a pair of Ali touchdowns of 64 yards and 13 yards, respectively. The Ragin' Cajuns kicked a pair of field goals to close the half, and led 16-14 at the break.

The Marshall defense bent but didn't break for the majority of the night, forcing Louisiana into three field goals. Eventually though, QB Levi Lewis was too much, throwing for 270 yards with a touchdown and 74 yards rushing. Herd DE Owen Porter finished with six tackles, 4.0 tackles-for-loss and a half sack. 

Marshall concludes the 2021 season, the first under new head coach Charles Huff, at 7-6. The Herd were 1-4 this season in one-score games, and were certainly in a position to win Saturday night against the 13-1 Ragin' Cajuns.