Trojans Come Up Short in New Orleans

Sunday, December 21

New Orleans, La.

7:00 pm

Troy University

Southern Miss

12/21/2008 6:00:00 AM | Football

NEW ORLEANS ? Sam Glusman's attempt at a game-tying field goal was blocked in the first overtime by Southern Miss defensive back Michael McGee giving USM the 30-27 victory in the 2008 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at the Superdome.

Britt Barefoot tied the game with a 46-yard field goal with 2:57 remaining and Troy could not muster a score on its final drive sending the game to overtime.

Southern Miss (7-6) lost the toss and went on offense first and after being stopped on third down, settled for a 39-yard field goal and gave the Trojans the ball.

Troy (8-5) picked up a first down on their possession on a swing-pass to Jerrel Jernigan. Faced with a third-down just three plays later, DuJuan Harris dropped a pass in the flats that could have potentially given the Trojans a first down. The incompletion set up the game-tying attempt for Glusman.

“We knew the game was going to be a close game,” head coach Larry Blakeney said. “We knew that both teams would probably score some points. We thought that we would be able to move it a little bit better. I said last week that whoever rushes it the best will wind up winning the game and that's what happened. We got to overtime tied at 27. They get a ricochet field goal for three and we get one blocked. That's about as close as it gets.”

“Our kids played hard, played together and never gave up and we lost the game. We are going to get home and get back to work. I'm very proud of this team and especially our seniors for what they have done.”

Southern Miss' defense bothered the Trojans all night, including sacking Troy quarterback Levi Brown four times and feat that had not been accomplished all season.

“Certainly you have got to give credit to our opponent. Their defense is about as good as we've seen in a while. I was impressed,” Blakeney said.

Just two plays into the game Jorrick Calvin deflected an option pitch by USM quarterback Austin Davis and returned it 17 yards for a touchdown to give the Trojans the 7-0 lead only 50 seconds into the game.

The touchdown was the third defensive score of the year for Troy and the second by Calvin. It was also the first fumble return touchdown for the Trojans since Chris Bradwell accomplished the feat against Western Kentucky in 2007. Additionally, Calvin's return was the fastest score in New Orleans Bowl history.

Southern Miss answered back on the second play of their next possession with Davis finding Gerald Baptiste on a flee-flicker pass for a 64-yard touchdown pass to even the score at 7-7. The pass was the longest in New Orleans Bowl history. Baptiste recorded a team-high five catches and 88 yards.

The Golden Eagles took a big hit offensively midway through the first quarter when leading receiver DeAndre Brown left the game with an apparent leg injury. Brown had set USM's single-season reception record on the previous drive.

Gerald Tate broke multiple tackles to get the Trojans inside the five-yard line on a career-best 33-yard reception. Then on third down from the four-yard line, Troy went with five receivers and Brown found Kennard Burton in the back of the end zone for the score and a 14-7 lead.

The touchdown was Burton's first of the season through the air. It capped an 11-play, 72 yard drive. He became the 12th different player to catch a touchdown for the Trojans, a number that leads the nation.

Southern Miss tied the game at 14 with an eight-yard Damion Fletcher touchdown run. It ended a nine-play, 69 yard drive that took a little more than three minutes to execute. Fletcher finished with 78 yards on 14 carries and had 23 receiving yards.

Glusman connected on a 20-yard field goal attempt with 3:03 remaining in the first half to give Troy the lead 17-14.

USM added a field goal as time expired in the first half to tie the game at 17 heading into halftime.

Jernigan set the school record for season receptions with a three-yard catch in the third quarter. The catch broke Danny Grant's 40-year-old record of 72 catches in a season, set in 1968. He finished the game with nine catches and hauled in 76 on the season.

Kejuan Phillips was called for an illegal block in the back that negated a 68-yard punt return by Calvin, leaving the Trojans to start their second drive of the second half at their own 20-yard line.

Glusman added his second field goal of the game, this time a 34 yarder, for the first points of the second half to give the Trojans a 20-17 lead with 4:34 remaining in the third quarter.

On a key third-and-six, Boris Lee broke through the offensive line for a sack of USM's Davis. The sack forced a punt that Cornelius Williams picked up and returned it 39 yards down to USM's nine-yard line. Lee recorded 13 tackles and two sacks for the game.

Jernigan capped off the drive with a six-yard touchdown run up the middle to give Troy a 27-17 lead. The score was his first rushing touchdown of the season. He rushed for 24 total yards and had 65 yards receiving.

With 9:30 left on the clock, Harris was stuffed on a fourth-and-one attempt at the USM 41-yard line.

Faced with a short fourth down attempt of their own, the Golden Eagles answered with a 35-yard touchdown pass from Davis to Jonathan Massey to cut Troy's lead to 27-24. The score made it a one possession game with 7:20 to go.

The game set a New Orleans Bowl attendance record with 30,197, breaking the record of the 2004 edition between North Texas and Southern Miss.

The Trojans finished the 2008 season at 8-5 and 7-1 in the Sun Belt. Troy won it's third consecutive Sun Belt Conference Championship and it's first outright title since joining the league in 2004.