Marshall opened a 17-3 lead at the half as the Ragin’ Cajuns had little success on offense and it played more than half the game with No. 3 quarterback Daniel Beale after No. 2 Chandler Beavers got hurt. The host team had to settle for a 40-yard field goal by Kenneth Almendares for its only lead at 3-0.

The win is the first conference championship since Marshall’s 26-23 win over Louisiana Tech in the 2014 Conference USA Championship. It is their first title win in the Sun Belt. Marshall will likely learn its bowl destination Sunday.

Marshall and Louisiana faced off for the Sun Belt Conference crown. Both teams entered assured of bowl games and are far outside the scope of the College Football Playoff.

Louisiana freshman Daniel Beale replaced starter Chandler Fields midway through the second quarter and completed 10-of-25 passing for 96 yards with an interception as the Ragin'

Louisiana-Lafayette is trying to win its second outright Sun Belt football title and first since the departure of current Florida coach Billy Napier when the Ragin' Cajuns host the Marshall Thundering Herd.

Georgia moved up to No. 2 behind Oregon in The Associated Press Top 25 on Sunday, Texas and Penn State remained in the top five after losing conference championship games and Arizona State appeared in the top 10 for the first time in a decade.