Doug Smock: Another puntfest could break out in St. Pete

Marshall quarterack Chase LittonST. PETERSBURG, FLA. — Marshall’s first football journey to the Tampa Bay area was very un-Marshall-like, from a historical perspective.

The 2011 St. Petersburg Bowl was a defensive struggle or an offensive pillow fight, or both.

Whatever it was, the Thundering Herd’s 20-10 win over Florida International is the lowest-scoring of seven games on Tropicana Field’s first-base line. It is the lowest-scoring bowl in MU’s modern era.

Marshall held the Panthers to bowl record lows in first downs (12), plays (59) and passing yards (163). The teams set an unwelcome high of 15 punts, and it was appropriate that MU’s block with 7:35 left was the game-turning play.

That game…