Marshall Proves It Doesn't Belong in Playoff Conversation with Embarrassing Loss

The Marshall University Thundering Herd were never truly in the playoff conversation. Everybody knew, whether they openly admitted it or not, that the upper echelon of the Power Five would squash Marshall. 

But Rakeem Cato and Co. always had one thing that nobody else besides Florida State University had in college football—an undefeated record. 

Not anymore. 

It's a tune that is almost tired at this point, but it's something that still stings to those that grasped onto hope until the very end.

There was the University of Houston and Case Keenum's letdown in the Conference USA title game to the University of Southern Mississippi in 2011 after tearing through the regular season undefeated. 

There was Northern Illinois University in 2013, with a regular season-ending loss to Bowling Green State University after going 12-0. 

Those teams have always represented hope for the "Group of Five." After all, undefeated is undefeated, and it's hard to argue against—even if your toughest opponent was Rice University. 

However, Marshall's embarrassing loss to Western Kentucky University—a 67-66 overtime tilt that was won when the Hilltoppers converted a two-point conversion in the first overtime—proved it. Marshall doesn't belong in the playoff conversation. 

What's worse is that Marshall all but lost an opportunity to play in a top-tier bowl game as well. That honor will now likely befall either Boise State University or Colorado State University. 

Marshall's run was certainly respectable. Like I said, undefeated is undefeated and winning 11 games is admirable and worth celebrating no matter the team or the level of football. 

But the notion that Marshall belonged at the playoff table—or even in the discussion—simply because it was undefeated was naive. Marshall hasn't faced any Power Five teams, and it has even had some relatively close calls against bottom-feeder FBS schools (see Middle Tennessee State University, University of Alabama at Birmingham). 

It was Marshall that dug its own grave on Friday afternoon, though. Cato threw four interceptions—three of them in the first half. That alone gave Western Kentucky the momentum it needed to control the pace of the game, and it should remove Cato from any Heisman Trophy talk as well. 

The Herd gave up 67 points, including the game-winning two-point conversion—to Western Kentucky. 

Perhaps it's a good thing that Boise State or Colorado State will be the Group of Five representative in a top-tier bowl. Boise State has history there—successful history I might add—while Colorado State has beaten two Power Five teams. 

How would Marshall have fared against the likes of an Auburn University, University of Mississippi or Baylor University? If Brandon Doughty hung 67 on the board, imagine what Nick Marshall, Bryce Petty or even Bo Wallace would do. 

Marshall's run was a fun one. And it deserves a decent bowl selection and some prime-time billing for it. Cato is still an elite quarterback whose career outshines most at that university. 

But Marshall was never playoff worthy. It was never even close. 

Friday's loss just affirmed that.