In Friday’s Duluth Trading Cure Bowl, Troy won 18-12 against UT-San Antonio, playing its best football in the second half.
Troy (12-2) shut out Roadrunner (11-3) in the second half and scored 18 unanswered points. Just 169 yards of total offense were recorded. Five turnovers were forced.
Troy has the greatest winning streak among FBS schools in Jon Sumrall’s first year as head coach, finishing with an 11-game streak. It ties for third-longest with No. 1 Georgia (15 straight wins) and No. 2 Michigan (13). The Trojans’ 12 wins are their most since becoming an FBS program in 2001, tying the school record set by a 1996 squad that went 12-1 and made it to the FCS semifinals.
Because Troy finished Friday ranked No. 24 in the College Football Playoff committee rankings, the Trojans should finish the year in the Top 25 for the first time as an FBS program. After going 15-19 over three consecutive losing seasons, the 2022 season will be a success for Troy, including a Sun Belt Conference championship.
UTSA held a 12-7 lead at the break as Troy had just 66 yards of total offense. The Trojans scored just before halftime after UTSA committed three penalties and Troy intercepted a pass that Clifford Chatman fumbled right back to Troy.
With 50 seconds left in the half, Vidal crashed into the end zone from the 2 to pull the Trojans within five points. UTSA’s Kelechi Nwachuku intercepted Watson in the end zone with 16 seconds left, preventing the Trojans from capitalizing on a Jubinor interception.
UTSA jumped out to an early lead in the game, taking a 2-0 lead after one quarter when a shotgun snap sailed past unprepared Watson and landed out of bounds for a safety. The Roadrunners drove 75 yards in 15 plays for a touchdown on the free kick, which was converted into a 9-0 lead with 12:30 remaining in the second quarter. UTSA later kicked a 42-yard field goal to make it 12-0.
With 9:18 left in the game, Brooks Buice kicked a 27-yard field goal to make it 18-12. No. 25 UT-San Antonio, the Conference USA champions, had two more chances to take the lead.
With 8 minutes to go in the game, Roadrunners running back Kevorian Barnes took off for a 53-yard run to the Troy 5, where safety Dell Pettus saved the day by tackling him. On second-and-goal, quarterback Frank Harris threw to wide-open Chris Carpenter in the end zone, but Carpenter simply dropped the ball without being touched.
UTSA took over at the Trojan 43 with 2:41 left in the half after Troy punted. Harris threw two more incompletions, neither of which was particularly close, to turn the ball over on downs.
Troy cornerback Reddy Steward broke up Harris’ deep pass on fourth down with 1:32 left, allowing the Trojans to run out the clock for the victory. A hook-and-lateral play on second down only gained one yard.
Despite Barnes’ 132 rushing yards and Harris’ 198 passing yards, UTSA was unable to convert on third down (3-for-12) or avoid committing eight penalties for 89 yards. Those four consecutive turnovers late in the second quarter and early in the third allowed the Trojans to come back.
UTSA appeared to be in control of the game with five minutes remaining in the third quarter, leading 12-7. Linebacker KJ Robertson intercepted Harris at the Roadrunners’ 2, then returned the ball 61 yards to the UTSA 37.
On third-and-4, UTSA pushed the ball to the UTSA 22 after Kimani Vidal, who rushed for 73 yards on 22 carries in the game, was penalized 15 yards for personal foul. On the next play, Watson hit Johnson for the go-ahead score.
Troy produced just 113 yards through the air, and Watson was knocked down six times. The Trojans didn’t achieve 100 yards of total offence until late in the third quarter.
Richard Jubinor had an interception, a sack, and a forced fumble for Troy, while Steward had three pass breakups and nine tackles in addition to his interception.
Troy’s linebacker Carlton Martial, the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year, recorded 14 tackles to lead the way once again. With 577 tackles, he finishes his career as the FBS record holder for most tackles, 52 more than any other major-college player in history.
In the fourth quarter, Troy quarterback Gunnar Watson connected with tight end Colin Ollendieck for a touchdown and two points, giving the Trojans a 15-12 lead. The Trojans have won six out of seven bowl games, including the last five.
THE CONVERSATION.