Troy University Athletics
Trojans defeat Mean Green 14-6
10/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
TROY, Ala. - In what set out to be a slow offensive day for both teams, the Troy Trojans pulled out a 14-6 victory over the University of North Texas Mean Green Saturday at Movie Gallery Stadium.
The first quarter saw only four total first downs, three for Troy and one for North Texas, and only 106 total yards for both teams.
We couldn't find any rhythm,” Troy receiver Gary Banks said. We had a few guys who had drops, but we stayed focused and worked through it.”
After exchanging punts on the first five possessions of the game, the Trojans finally got into North Texas territory where they made it to the Mean Green's 18-yard line.
The Trojans put together a 13-play, 42-yard, drive using 4:59 of the clock, only to see Greg Whibbs' 36-yard field goal attempt miss wide with 14:55 left in the half.
"That was the worst offensive performance in a half of football that I have seen at Troy since I've been here," Trojans head coach Larry Blakeney, in his 16th season at Troy, said. "It was a day that we weren't very good, our quarterback was off, our receivers were off and we couldn't block anybody."
Troy quarterback Omar Haugabook, who finished 13-for-22 for 101 yards and a touchdown, threw an interception to Aaron Weathers, which he returned to the Troy 19 at the 7:57 mark in the second.
North Texas broke the scoring drought with a 20-yard field goal from Denis Hopovac with 5:05 left in the half and took a 3-0 lead into halftime. The Mean Green put together a six play, 15-yard drive using 3:06 off the clock.
The field goal by Hopovac was the fifth straight game the Trojan's opponents have scored first. The Mean Green had just 157 total yards and six first downs in the opening half.
Troy's offense only produced 55 total yards in the first half and only three first downs.
We were dropping balls and I wasn't making plays,” Haugabook said. In the second half, we regrouped and started doing what we do - making plays.”
In the third quarter, Kenny Cattouse's 22-yard run, his longest of the season, set up the Trojans at the Troy 43. Two plays later, Banks fumbled after a catch and North Texas' Germaine Dawson recovered at the Mean Green 49.
North Texas was unable to take advantage of the turnover, even with new quarterback Woody Wilson on the field, and was forced to punt for the seventh time of the day.
"I have never been prouder of a defense," Blakeney said. "They responded to adversity all day."
The Troy offense finally showed signs of life in the third quarter when the Trojans put together a 10-play, 86-yard, drive that used 3:26 of the clock.
The Trojans started the drive with a 15-yard completion to Banks. Haugabook then broke loose on a quarterback keeper for 28 yards to the North Texas 49. A completion to Toris Rutlege for 23 yards set up the Trojans at the North Texas 25 yard line. A couple Cattouse rushes took the ball inside the 10, and Haugabook completed a six-yard touchdown pass to Banks to give Troy a 7-3 lead.
Banks finished the game with nine catches for 57 yards and a touchdown. He now stands second on the Troy Division I single-season receptions, list trailing only Heyward Skipper with 60 in 2001.
North Texas kept the game alive by converting on a fourth down and 16 from Troy 31 with a Wilson pass to Johnny Quinn down to the Troy six.
But, the Mean Green had to settle for a field goal after a series of penalties and defensive stops by the Trojans kept North Texas out of the end zone for eight plays.
Once again it forced us in a tough situation where getting some points would have been very big," North Texas coach Darrell Dickey, back after missing last weeks' game following a heart attach, said. "Instead of settling for a field goal, if we can punch it in for a touchdown, but we didn't so we have to play the circumstances that happen."
North Texas' Hopovac connected on a 22-yard field goal cutting the Trojan lead to 7-6 with 9:01 left in the game. The drive consisted of 14 plays, 42-yards using 8:33 off the clock.
"This football team did what it had to do to win and North Texas fought their guts out and tried to win the game," Blakeney said. "I'm awefully proud of this team."
North Texas tried an onside-kick on the ensuing kickoff, but the kick was recovered by Troy's Randy Underwood, setting up the Trojans at the midfield stripe.
Ten plays later, Anthony Jones scored for the Trojans on a five-yard run with 4:58 left in the game. Whibbs' PAT was good making the score 14-6.
The Mean Green tried to manage a comeback, but on a fourth-and-two on the UNT 49, quarterback Woody Wilson was sacked by Romanique Lewis.
When it was time to make a stop, they made one,” Dickey said.
Troy took over but punted and the defense held North Texas until the end of the game preserving the victory for the Trojans.
Troy improved to 3-4 overall and 2-0 in the Sun Belt as North Texas fell to 2-6 overall and 1-3 in conference play.
The Trojans will be back at home next week for homecoming as they will take on the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. Game time is slated for 3 p.m.
