JORDAN — The Marshall football team avenged its 20-7 loss to Jordan in last year’s season opener with a 26-8 victory to kick off the 2024 season. Mason Eickhoff returned the game’s opening kickoff for an 85-yard touchdown and the Tigers road that early momentum to victory.

Beyond the early special teams touchdown, Eickhoff was also a force out of the backfield on offense. His 56 rushing yards on 11 carries were second only to Gavin Schaefer’s 62 yards on 12 carries. Eickhoff also added another pair of rushing touchdowns while fumbling once.

Marshall went into the locker room with a 13-0 lead. While Jordan scored a touchdown and 2-point conversion in the third quarter, Marshall got a touchdown in the third and fourth quarters, converting the extra point on just the latter of the two, to hold off the Hubmen for the victory.

In his first start at quarterback for the Tigers, Levi Maeyaert completed four of his seven pass attempts for 61 yards. Last year’s quarterback, Josh Kraft, proved himself as an effective receiver with a 31-yard reception on the day.

Marshall (1-0) will host Willmar on Friday at 7 p.m. for its home opener. The Tigers scored four unanswered touchdowns in the teams’ meeting last year to overcome a 14-0 deficit for a 28-21 victory.