Tuesday Takeaways: The Comeback at Cajun Field
The Trojans have pulled off a miracle of their own. That game may well be one for the ages, and there’s plenty of stats to get through.
The Good
| Offensive MVP | Kimani Vidal |
| Defensive MVP | Antonio Showers |
| Stat of the Game | Louisiana: 2 missed FGs |
Let’s begin with this: That was the biggest Troy comeback since 2013, when Troy trailed UAB 31-17, scored the last 17 points and won 34-31 in overtime. It’s a similar circumstance, but that game had two things Saturday’s game didn’t:
- Scoring (40 total points vs. 65)
- Fans (21,398 vs. less than 8,000)
Though to be fair, the Vet may have been mostly empty by the end of the UAB game.
Regardless, this comeback felt less like an accomplishment and more like the rebirth of a phoenix. Both the offense and defense seemed dead in the water for the first 36 minutes of the game.
Then the offense got to work.
We talk about second half adjustments all the time, and the main difference is how the respective linemen battled in the trenches, getting better pass protection, making more room for Troy’s running backs and on defense, getting more pressure on the quarterback.
Let’s start with the offensive numbers:
| Stat | Troy 1H | Troy 2H |
|---|---|---|
| Rushing Yards | 66 | 83 |
| Passing Yards | 33 | 195 |
| 3rd Down Conversions | 0-5 | 6-10 |
| Plays | 27 | 45 |
| Points | 0 | 23 |
Literally looks like another team stepped in there. The run game was actually effective, too, but after 13 carries in the first quarter, the running backs only got 4 touches in the second.
Then Troy snapped the ball 20 times in the third quarter and 25 in the fourth, each quarter having almost as many plays as the first half combined.
The up-tempo, run first offense works. Don’t ever give up on it.
That felt like an awakening in the offense, honestly. Problem is, the defense was unconscious up to that point too.
Let’s do the defensive statistics now, from the fourth quarter:
Looks good right? Yes, all of that belongs in the “Good” category.
This defense was absolutely electric in the last 15 minutes of the game.
What happened before that though?
The Bad
- 301 yards given up in the 1st through 3rd quarter (112 passing, 189 rushing)
- 13-of-24 passing in the first 36 minutes of gameplay
- 0 turnovers all game (2 fumbles forced, none recovered)
Troy hadn’t given up this many rushing yards since Ole Miss, which is no doubt the best rushing attack Troy has faced all year.
Louisiana isn’t, but literally the game after holding South Alabama to 31 yards, Troy gave up 200 yards on the ground for the second time all season.
Here’s how that looks:
| Team | Rush YPG | Nat’l Rank | Rush YPG vs. Troy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ole Miss | 267.4 | 3 | 266 |
| App State | 194.9 | 29 | 155 |
| Marshall | 201.4 | 26 | 96 |
| South Alabama | 169.3 | 54 | 31 |
| Louisiana | 130.8 | 96 | 203 |
That’s the bad. This offense shouldn’t have run as well against Troy as it did in the first three quarters.
That being said, I will end the “Bad” section on a positive note.
Last week I said “Louisiana has yet to lose a game in which it commits zero turnovers.”
Louisiana lost a game in which it committed zero turnovers.
Troy’s defense forced zero turnovers. That’s a negative.
Troy won. That’s the only positive that matters.
The Ugly
This is going to be an area that proves “ugly” means neither good nor bad. Just LOOK at the win probability right before Troy’s first touchdown pass, and ignore the time left. ESPN’s stats are wonky in that area.
I’d say you hate to see it, but not this time.
Martial’s Magic Number: 20
Can we also mention Carlton made THIRTEEN tackles in that game? He’s a MONSTER.
There are three regular season games left. He *will break this record either against ULM or Arkansas State.
He’s averaging 10.5 sacks per game, so that’s pointing at the ULM game. Depends on how Saturday goes.
We’re closing in on history, y’all.