Troy University Athletics
Defense, Rushing Attack Key 13-10 Win in Sun Belt Conference Opener
10/4/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
DENTON, Texas - Five caused turnovers and a season-high 283 yards rushing keyed Troy to a 13-10 victory over North Texas Tuesday night in a nationally-televised battle of two of the preseason Sun Belt Conference favorites. Toris Rutledge caught a 16-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and Greg Whibbs kicked field goals of 24 and 20 yards in the victory.
Sophomore Kenny Cattouse, who entered the game with 100 career rushing yards and just 49 on 23 carries in 2005, rushed for 109 yards on 20 attempts. It marked the second time this season that the Trojans had a back go over the century mark.
"We have had some big wins before in the Southland Conference," said Troy Head Coach Larry Blakeney. "But this is one of the biggest since joining the Sun Belt. Any time you can knock off the four-time defending conference champion, it is big."
The win also snapped the second-longest conference winning streak in nation at 26 games. Boise State gained its 27th in a row at Hawaii over the weekend.
Offensive muscle power in the third quarter led the Trojans to 160 yards rushing in the period and almost 12 minutes of possession time. Whibbs made his third attempt of the night after a 10-play, 82-yard drive that lasted 4:55.
The second field goal, six minutes into the fourth quarter, proved to be the deciding points in the contest. It came at the end of an eight-play, 62-yard march that started after a Mean Green fumble on a third-and-one attempt at the Troy 36.
North Texas added a touchdown with 1:38 to play to cut the score to 13-10, but Toris Rutledge recovered the ensuing onside kick and the Trojans gained the one needed first down to salt the victory.
Troy (2-3, 1-0) capitalized on its first gained turnover in 13 quarters top open a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. Adrian Ghent recovered a muffed Mean Green punt return at the UNT 17 with 1:36 left in the period. After a short gain on first down, Meadows hit Toris Rutledge in the corner of the endzone for a 16-yard touchdown.
The Trojans dodged a bullet in the second quarter when Nick Bazaldua missed a 51-yard field goal, but a Joel Whinghter fumble at the Troy 41 set up a successful 21-yard attempt by Bazaldua on the Mean Green's next possession.
Troy answered with a 10-play, 54-yard drive over the final 1:42 of the half, but a 43-yard field goal attempt by Greg Whibbs as time expired was blocked. The big play of the drive was a deadball unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on North Texas after a failed third-and-10 conversion attempt that kept the drive alive.
Game Notes
Troy snapped North Texas' 26-game conference winning streak, the second-longest active run in the nation. (Boise State gained its 27th straight victory at Hawaii over the weekend). The Trojans now lead the series 2-1 overall, but the first two meetings were non-conference affairs.
The 109 yards rushing by Kenny Cattouse was a career-high for the sophomore. He entered the game with 49 yards in the first four games and 100 yards total in his career.
Troy outrushed North Texas 160 to 17 in the third quarter. At halftime, the Trojans had just 60 yards on the ground and 101 yards total. The Trojans finished the game with a season-high 283 yards on the ground and 40 yards through the air. The rushing figure was just shy of the 302 TOTAL in the first four games of the season, while the total offense number Tuesday was just shy of a season high (334 at Missouri).
Greg Whibbs equaled his career high with two field goals. He also had a pair against at South Carolina earlier this year and on three occasions in 2004.
Sherrod Martin intercepted his first pass of the season (fourth career) in the third quarter. The pick was just the second of the year for the Trojans.
Later, Johnny Faulk picked off his second pass of the season (10th of his career). He ranks second behind Derrick Ansley (19) in career Division I interceptions.
When Adrian Ghent recovered the fumbled punt return late in the first quarter, it marked the first gained turnover for the Trojans since the fourth quarter of the season opener against Cal Poly. The five turnovers caused in the contest (three fumble recoveries, two interceptions) were the highest of the season and most since Idaho had seven last Oct. 30.
Carl Meadows threw his seventh interception of the season on the Trojans' opening drive. It marked the 11th straight turnover for Troy turnover in the last three games (all without gaining one).
Toris Rutledge caught his second touchdown pass of the season in the first quarter. He grabbed a 33-yarder at Missouri.
Sophomore defensive back Leodis McKelvin was involved in his first offensive snap of the season on the last play of the first quarter. He lined up as a wide receiver and carried the ball on a reverse. He lost five yards on the attempt. McKelvin already has touchdowns via punt return and kickoff return this year.
Troy suffered its first blocked field goal attempt of the season Tuesday night, a 43-yard try on the final play of the first half. Last year, Gill Byrd of New Mexico State knocked a 29-yard try on Sept. 18, 2004.
Troy faced an onside kick for the first time this season and was successful in recovering it. Toris Rutledge caught the ball in the air at the North Texas 49 and went down.
