Monday, December 23, 2024
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Troy Trojans Stay Perfect In Sun Belt with 28-21 Win over South Alabama

Nic Lewis

I feel like, if I wanted to show you one play that encapsulated this game… or the act of watching South Alabama football in general… or really a large majority of games every year in the Sun Belt, it would be this play:

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See, the Jags had the Trojans pinned deep late in the game, and with a stop, they could flip the field and start driving for a potential game-winning field goal. Instead, Troy completed a pass for 20 yards and a first down on third and four. Except the offense was called for holding. Except the defense was also called for a facemask. Offsetting penalties and the entire play is null and void.

The South Alabama Jaguars, who have defeated Mississippi State on the road, and who defeated then-#19 San Diego State by almost three touchdowns, is now 0-4 in Sun Belt conference play and 3-4 overall. But it didn’t start that way.

Early on, the Jaguar defense played fast and aggressive, and it paid off with a fumble on Troy’s second play from scrimmage and a fourth-down stop the next go around. As Troy took over possession with five seconds left in the first quarter, the Jaguars had been out-gained 102-78 but led 14-0.

And then this happened

That’s Brandon Silvers hitting Tevaris McCormick in stride, followed by McCormick absolutely smoking the entire USA defense on the way to an 80-yard touchdown romp. Anytime someone asks you why you never count Troy out of a game this season, just show them this video clip.

Now, Silvers being Silvers, he had far more passes launched five feet over his receivers heads (about half his 14 incompletions by my count), but plays like that are what this offense can do. After that, both offenses slogged along for the rest of the half and it was 21-13 Jaguars at the break.

When Troy took the ball on offense for the first time in the second half following a Jaguar punt and kept possession for just over eight minutes, I was confident they would squirm back into the game, even though that drive ended in a missed chip-shot field goal.

When Troy took possession after another USA punt and drove 83 yards to tie the game, I was almost certain they were going to win. Even when they fumbled at the Jaguar 40 yard line with just under four minutes left, I was still pretty sure they were going to win. Why? Because South Alabama’s offense couldn’t get any run game going (145 rush yards on the night, 43 of which came on their very first running play of the game). Nor could the offense pass protect well enough to string together consecutive successful pass plays (sacked six times in only 26 dropbacks).

It subsequently came as no surprise when USA took over at their own 40-yard line needing only about 35 yards to set up a game-winning field goal… and then proceeded to go three-and-out and give the ball right back to the Trojans. After watching the Jaguar defense slowly fade in the second half as Jordan Chunn ran the ball down their throats (143 yards on the night), and as receivers sprinted open in seam routes more and more, it seemed only a matter of time before something would go terribly wrong.

After that three-and-out series, an offense that had gained 91 yards the entire second half and only held the ball for 12 minutes departed, and a visibly weary defense went out one last time. A sloppy penalty led to a 24-yard pass, which led to Sidney Davis getting wide open behind the defense for a 42-yard gain. The Jaguars let Troy score rather than take the risk of them just bleeding the clock and then kicking a field goal, and they got the ball back with 1:20 to go and two timeouts.

Of course, Dallas Davis got sacked on the first play, but the Jaguars rallied and eventually turned it into a fresh set of downs at their own 40. Then Davis got sacked again, and this time insult was added to injury. The sack occurred with about 40 seconds left on the clock, but tight end Gerald Everett had run all the way to the 20-yard line – and took so long to get back onsides that the next snap didn’t occur until the clock read 00:18.

Then it happened again. One of those plays like the one I showed above. Davis finally hit a long bomb to Kevin Kutchera to the Troy 24 yard line… and Kutchera was stripped, with the Trojans recovering the fumble. Game over.

For Troy, this was another slow and sloppy start like the one against Idaho. And the one against Georgia State. They should be just fine for their next outing against UMass at home, but I doubt they can afford too many more of these with both States (App and Arkansas) coming up after that. At least they get those at home, but the Trojans are no sure thing to go undefeated in conference at this rate.

Meanwhile, the Jaguars will spend the long break trying to erase their complete lack of momentum heading into a matchup against Georgia State. I have no idea what to expect going forward – this team has talent, but they have got to find some consistent protection on the offensive line because that is bleeding out into every other aspect of the game. Georgia State’s defense in unlikely to be the cure for what ails the Jags, who now face the distinct possibility of going 4-0 in non-conference play and still not reaching bowl eligibility.

As a post-script, can we talk about the depression that was attending this game? Ladd-Peebles Stadium has bleachers along each sideline, and a much smaller end zone section on both ends. These end-zone sections are both about 1/3 the size of the sideline sections, and the top half of both are tarped over. The Troy Trojans bussed down enough students to (roughly, but not actually) fill just about one end zone, fans and marching band combined.

They drowned out the USA fans the entire fourth quarter. I was sitting directly across from the Jaguar marching band, which was at the 20-yard line at the opposite end from Troy’s band. and I repeatedly could not hear them because Troy’s fans and band were so raucous and noisy. In a game that the Jaguars did not trail until the last two minutes!!! That is absolutely inexcusable.