Troy Football’s Top Ten Games of the Neal Brown Era
Everyone’s favorite visor-donned coach is finally moving on. Neal Brown is heading to West Virginia as reported by numerous outlets, leaving an unprecedented legacy in the city of Troy.
Brown led the Trojans to a program record three consecutive 10-plus win seasons, including a record 11 wins in 2017.
This was the third year in a row where Brown’s name was hot on the market. He was swooped up late in the cycle this time around thanks to Houston firing Major Applewhite.
Brown’s departure isn’t being met with hatred, but rather an amalgamate of pride and happy disappointment around Troy. Brown followed through on his promise to Rebuild the Wall, bringing a conference championship to Troy and national recognition thanks to some marquee wins.
Here, we have gathered and ranked some of the most memorable games in the CNB era. Let us know which one was your favorite or if we left anything out.
10. Appalachian State 44 Troy 41 (3OT) — 2015
The Trojans were 2-5 with losses to South Alabama and Idaho heading into a road contest with the 6-1 Appalachian State Mountaineers. It was Brown’s first season in Troy and his offense was only averaging 21.2 points per game against FBS opponents (and that number was greatly skewed by a 52-7 win over NMSU the week prior).
Brandon Silvers threw a pick-six three plays into the game and the Trojans went backwards three yards on their next drive. The offense gained traction in the second half, though, and a neck-and-neck race ensued.
Teddy Ruben caught a touchdown pass with 3:49 remaining to tie the game at 31. In overtime, both teams found the endzone in the first period while each settled for a field goal in the second.
Faced with a fourth-and-short at the five-yard line in the third overtime, Brown went with a trick play but it came up short. The Mountaineers hit a field goal and not only escaped with the win, but went on to win 11 games.
This game gave Troy fans a glimpse of the future, both with CNB’s gutsiness and his penchant for playing up to perceivably stronger opponents.
9. Troy 42 Buffalo 32 — 2018
Neal Brown’s final game as the head ball coach at Troy was a classic. The 2018 Dollar General Bowl was Troy’s third bowl appearance in as many years. The win gave Troy three bowls in consecutive seasons and gave Troy 10 victories on the season.
Brown put his offensive mind on display against Buffalo, showing the nation just how much he can fit into his visor. Sawyer Smith threw for 320 yards and four touchdowns while BJ Smith added 93 rushing yards on the ground.
A scoop-and-score in the third quarter put Buffalo in front 24-21 but Troy outscored the Bulls 21-8 the rest of the way to notch Brown’s 35th and final win at Troy.
8. Clemson 30 Troy 24 — 2016
The second and last loss on this list is simultaneously famous and infamous around Troy. The Trojans had just beaten up on Austin Peay but were still coming off of a 4-8 season as they traveled to Death Valley to take on the eventual national champions.
Troy’s defense had its official coming out party in this game, holding Deshaun Watson to a 50.9 percent completion rate and picked him off twice.
At halftime, Troy found itself only down 13-10. Then, early in the fourth quarter, a massive swing took place, courtesy of some questionable officiating.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xuYJR9E_-k]
Clemson fumbled at the goal line and the first whistle wasn’t blown until Troy was in possession and running the other way. Instead, the play was deemed unreviewable because it had been blown dead.
Instead of a 17-13 Troy lead, Clemson went up 20-10 on the next play. Troy scored twice late but could not overcome the deficit.
Nevertheless, Troy was put on the map.
7. Troy 28 South Alabama 21 — 2016
The Battle for the Belt has grown into one of the Sun Belt’s premier rivalries thanks to the back-and-forth between Brown and the South Alabama Jaguars. Brown was 2-2 at Troy against a South Alabama team that was 18-31 during Brown’s four years.
In 2016, Troy toppled the Jags in Mobile thanks to some late game heroics. South held a 21-13 lead heading into the final quarter but a Jordan Chunn touchdown run and successful two point conversion tied the game.
With less than two minutes left, Silvers found Sydney Davis who went 42 yards to the Jags one-yard line. Chunn punched it in and the Trojans returned home with their fifth straight win.
6. Troy 24 Nebraska 19 — 2018
Neal Brown vs Scott Frost in one of college football’s most storied venues was bound to be a good one. Brown has been known for his offense, but it was Troy’s proficiency on the defensive side of the ball and special teams that carried the Trojans on this day.
Troy jumped out to a 17-0 lead thanks in part to a Cedarius Rookard punt return touchdown. Nebraska scored 13 unanswered to claw its way back into the game but a massive 26 yard touchdown run by BJ Smith put Troy back up by multiple scores.
After a Husker touchdown and failed two point attempt, Nebraska had one last chance but an Adrian Martinez pass was picked off by Will Sunderland to end the game.
Troy solidified itself as giant slayers with the win. The outcome was fully expected across the homeland, a testimony to the job Brown did at Troy in building a winning culture.
5. Troy 50 North Texas 30 — 2017
The 2017 New Orleans Bowl was one of the funnest to watch in the CNB era. Silvers and Damion Willis put on a clinic while the Troy defense harassed Mason Fine all day.
This game was quite the rollercoaster. After scoring on the opening drive of the game, Troy forced and recovered a North Texas fumble and scored again, this time converting a surprise two point conversion.
Troy went up 22-7 and was threatening to score again when the momentum suddenly changed. A bad snap flew well over Silvers’ head and was scooped and returned for a Mean Green touchdown. North Texas scored again after a Silvers interception to cut the deficit to 22-20.
The second half belonged to the Trojans, though. Troy outscored North Texas 28-3 before giving up a garbage time touchdown with 28 seconds left.
Josh Anderson rushed for a career-high 113 yards in his final game. North Texas accumulated a grand total of -8 rushing yards.
4. Troy 28 Ohio 23 — 2016
Troy defeated MAC East Division champion Ohio in the 2016 Dollar General Bowl to give the Trojans their first 10-win season in FBS history and first bowl win since the 2010 season.
The Trojans forced five turnovers, including four interceptions in the game. One of those picks came inside Ohio’s own 10-yard line and led to a four yard touchdown plunge by Chunn.
That score gave Troy a 28-13 lead in the third quarter and would hold Ohio to six more points as the Bobcats missed a field goal and turned the ball over on downs late in the game.
Deondre Douglas caught six passes for 113 yards while Emanuel Thompson hauled in eight receptions for 83 yards and a score.
3. Troy 28 Appalachian State 24 — 2016
This may be hands down the most thrilling home win of the Neal Brown era. It was the seventh consecutive win of that season and thrust Troy into the AP top 25 for the first time in school history. The No. 25 ranking was also the first time a Sun Belt school has ever been ranked.
Troy opened the game with a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter but the Mountaineers answered with 14 points in the second to tie the game. Troy took a 21-17 lead into the final quarter but Jalin Moore gave App State the lead with a score with just 3:29 remaining.
The Trojans were faced with a fourth and five from their own 47-yard line with 1:21 left to play and the win streak on the line. Silvers lofted a bomb down the left side and it was hauled in by Davis through contact to set Troy up at the Mountaineer 10-yard line.
Jordan Chunn scored on the next play and Troy took a 28-24 lead. A last second heave to the endzone by Taylor Lamb was knocked down to seal the win.
2. Troy 32 Arkansas State 25 — 2017
The Wall was successfully rebuilt on December 2, 2017 when the Troy Trojans won their first Sun Belt championship since 2010 with a road win over Arkansas State.
Marcus Jones starred in Troy’s 10th win of the season, returning both a kick and interception for touchdowns. The Red Wolves outgained Troy 606-293 and picked up 32 first downs to the Trojans 14 but it was Silvers’ 14 yard touchdown pass to Douglas in the final seconds that won the game.
Troy, holding a 24-13 lead, had a 99.3 percent chance to win midway through the fourth quarter according to ESPN’s FPI. That was completely erased by two quick Arkansas State touchdowns that gave the Red Wolves a 25-24 lead with under a minute and a half left.
The rest is history.
Silvers threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns while Troy picked off Justice Hansen three times.
1. Troy 24 LSU 21 — 2017
This shouldn’t surprise many. Brown led the Trojans into another Death Valley, this one a building that had seen LSU win 49 consecutive non-conference games. The Tigers would not reach 50.
The Trojans hit LSU in the mouth from the start, forcing a fumble on the Tigers first play and scoring the first 17 points of the game. Chunn rushed for 191 yards, including a 74 yard run early in the third quarter.
Troy went up 24-7 in the second half but a late rally gave LSU one last chance. Down three with less than 30 seconds left, Danny Etling took a shot downfield. His pass landed in the hands of Troy cornerback Blace Brown and the Trojans sealed perhaps the biggest win in program history.
Brown’s legacy at Troy will always include the Trojans’ remarkable win at LSU. Fans in Morgantown will be getting a coach who is known for winning marquee games and infusing a program with excitement.