Beef 'O'Brady'S Bowl: Live Scores, Highlights and Analysis of Marshall vs. FIU

Tonight, I will be live blogging the 2011 Beef 'O'Brady's Bowl featuring the FIU Golden Panthers vs. Marshall Thundering Herd. I will update you on live scores, highlights and in-game analysis from the opening kickoff to the final whistle.

This is the bowl's fourth year of play and marks the first time the game will feature a Sun Belt Conference team. Normally, the game is a battle between the Big East and Conference-USA, but this season, the Big East failed to yield enough bowl-eligible teams.

FIU is making its second consecutive bowl appearance coming off its first back-to-back winning seasons. The Golden Panthers are 1-0 all-time in postseason play after defeating Toledo in the Little Caesers Pizza Bowl last year. They are led by head coach Mario Cristobal and finished the season with an impressive 8-4 record overall and 5-3 in the Sun Belt.

Marshall is making its first bowl appearance since the 2004 Fort Worth Bowl. The Thundering Herd are 6-3 all-time in postseason play. They are coming into bowl season on a hot streak winning four of their final six games. They are led by head coach Doc Holliday and finished the season with an 6-6 record overall and 5-3 in Conference USA.

This will mark the first time these two teams have played each other.

Conference-USA has had its struggles in the Beef 'O'Brady's Bowl losing all three games to the Big East. With no Big East team in the picture this year, the game is wide open for a new conference to take home the trophy.

Marshall is winning 13-10 in the fourth quarter.

Jamal Wilburg is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.

Follow him on twitter @JWilburg or visit his website www.jamalwilburg.com