Beef O’Brady’s Bowl: Rakeem Cato Channels His Inner-Tom Brady in Marshall’s 20-10 Victory

You know Tom Brady. One of the top quarterbacks in NFL history, with a couple of Super Bowl rings, golden boy looks and charm and all around winner on and off the field. Honestly, who wouldn’t want to be Tom Brady just for one day? On Tuesday, Marshall’s freshman quarterback Rakeem Cato, a Miami native, claims to have had his Tom Brady mojo going as Marshall pulled away from Florida International in the Beef O’Brady’s Bowl, 20-10.

“I told Coach, ‘I’m feeling like Tom Brady right now’ … I just told him to put it on my back and we’re going to bring it home,” Cato said after the game. Cato’s 35-yard touchdown pass to star receiver Aarn Dobson with 30 seconds left in the game put the icing on the cake for the Thundering Herd, who took the lead earlier in the quarter following a blocked punt leading to a 39-yard field goal. Cato finished his night with 226 yards, two touchdowns (both to Dobson) and one interception. It was the fifth time this season Cato had 200 passing yards.

Florida International’s T.Y. Hilton had eight catches for 88 yards and he rushed for a short touchdown in his FIU finale. After the game Hilton expressed some sorrow about his final performance.

“It hurts a lot. I was trying to go out with a bang,” Hilton said. “Unfortunately it didn’t happen tonight… I wish I could have done more.”

While Hilton will move on in hopes of making it in the NFL, the focus now shifts to head coach Mario Cristobal. Cristobal is a hot name in coaching rumor mills right now, especially in the Pittsburgh coaching search. He is considered a leading candidate for the job and has denied already meeting with the school who recently lost Todd Graham to Arizona State. FIU Athletics Director Pete Garcia said he would meet with Cristobal following the game.

A number of reports suggest that Pittsburgh will name a head coach by the end of this week. Will Cristobal be moving from the Golden Panthers to the Panthers?

 

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About Kevin McGuire

Contributor to Athlon Sports and The Comeback. Previously contributed to NBCSports.com. Host of the Locked On Nittany Lions Podcast. FWAA member and Philadelphia-area resident.

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