Marshall scores on first 6 drives in 49-21 rout of N. Texas

DENTON, Texas (AP) - Grant Wells passed for 323 yards and two touchdowns, ran for three more and Marshall routed North Texas 49-21 on Friday night.

Marshall (4-3, 2-1 Conference USA) scored touchdowns on six consecutive possessions in the first half with Wells, who completed 24 of 32 passes, connecting with eight receivers. The defense forced five punts and five turnovers on downs on 14 North Texas drives.

Rasheen Ali, who gained 109 yards on 20 carries, burst up the middle, spun out of a tackle and finished an 8-yard scoring run for the Herd’s first touchdown.

Grant Wells scored all three rushing touchdowns on 3-yard keepers.

An interception plus an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty gave Marshall possession at the 33 and Wells found Xavier Gaines over the middle at about the 24 for a touchdown.

North Texas (1-5, 0-3) had a net of nine yards rushing until DeAndre Torrey broke left for a 75-yard touchdown run late in the first half — keeping his feet inbound as he was shoved towards the sideline at the pylon — to get Mean Green on the scoreboard, 35-7.

Torrey, who gained 179 yards on 20 carries, scored a second touchdown on a 51-yard run. North Texas, which has lost its last five, scored touchdowns on its final two possessions.

Friday was the fourth straight game Mean Green have dug at least a three-touchdown hole after falling behind UAB 30-0 on Sept. 18, Louisiana Tech 24-0 on Sept. 25 and Missouri 31-7 last week.