Troy University Athletics
Troy University
Bowling Green
Taylor Kick Bests Bowling Green
9/4/2010 11:21:33 PM | Football
Blakeney Improves to 20-0 in Home Openers
TROY - With Bowling Green driving and the clock dwindling, the Trojans needed a break. They got one when sophomore defensive tackle Tony Davis picked off a deflected ball and Troy took over at their own 34-yard line with 1:07 left in the game.
Redshirt freshman Corey Robinson found Tebiarus Gill for 17 yards and a first down at the Bowling Green 46-yard line with 31 seconds remaining. Another completion to Brett Moncrief followed by a Robinson run for five yards, plus a personal foul penalty put the Trojans at the Falcons 14-yard line with 11 ticks on the clock.
Robinson took a knee to drop the clock to seven seconds and the Trojans set-up for the game-winning field goal opportunity. Following a timeout by both teams, place kicker Michael Taylor connected on a game-winning 34-yarder with four seconds left.
“It was kind of scary, but I couldn't ask for a better snap and hold and the blocking was terrific,” Taylor said. “It was a great operation from start to finish.”
Robinson, who was making his first start of this career, passed for 252 yards on 25-of-37 completions. His total was the second highest total for any quarterback in his first career start under coach Larry Blakeney.
“I wasn't a part of it last year, I was a redshirt, but you are always part of the team and it definitely felt good to get a win,” Robinson said.
“I believe Coach Blakeney is 20-0 at home it felt good to get the win for him and it's a great start to the season.”
The Trojans made use of a squib kick and after two pitches by Bowling Green, Troy recovered the ball to end the game.
“I knew this was going to be a test,” Blakeney said. “We have a lot of young guys on defense. A lot more experience on the offensive side, a lot more who have played in the game. Even though we were probably going to start a quarterback who had never started a game, we had Jamie in the wings and already had a role for him to play and be ready.
“I feel that Corey did a great job, he had two picks, and that was some good defensive football. I think we learned a little about ourselves and grew some. I don't know how good this team can be.”
Willie Geter started the game's scoring with a 35-yard rush up the middle to put Bowling Green up 7-0 early. Geter rushed for 93 yards, but just 24 after halftime.
The Trojans answered back on the next possession as Robinson led the team on its first scoring drive of the night. Robinson connected on a deep ball to senior Jason Bruce to knot the game at 7-7. Bruce caught two balls for 44 yards on the night.
Matt Schilz found Adrian Hodges in the right corner of the end zone for Bowling Green's second score of the night with 1:49 left in the opening quarter. The touchdown toss was set up by 15-yard run from Tyrone Pronty down to the Troy 1-yard line.
The first play of the second quarter was overshadowed by Troy's first turnover of the season, an interception by Robinson. The ball was picked off by Keith Morgan, but the Trojans were able to force a punt and take over with 13:21 on the clock.
Another quick Troy turnover, this time an interception by BGSU's Eugene Fells, set-up a short field at the Troy 27-yard line. The Trojans defense bent, but didn't break, and held Bowling Green to a 19-yard field goal by Brian Wright for a 17-7 lead with 10:23 left in the opening half.
Troy was able to tack on a 26-yard field goal from Taylor with 7:39 remaining. The drive stalled after Shawn Southward was unable to haul in a pass from Robinson on 3rd-and-6 from the 9-yard line.
Southward tied the game at 17-17 with an acrobatic flip over the top of the line to score from one-yard out. The score was setup by cut-back, run-after-the-catch by Jernigan who pushed Troy to the five.
Southward ran for a team-best 74 yards on four carries. DuJuan Harris added 29 yards and Chris Anderson totaled 27 yards as part of Troy's three-headed rushing attack.
Faced with 3rd-and-15 and 1:05 remaining, Bowling Green's Schilz was sacked by Mario Addison forcing a fumble that was recovered by the Trojans at the BGSU 35. Robinson was able to move the Trojans down to the 4-yard line, but the first half clock expired on the catch-and-run by Anderson.
The tie score at the half was the first time the Trojans were tied with an opponent at halftime since December 4, 1999 against Florida A&M. Troy went on to lose that contest 17-10.
After converting five of their first six third down attempts, the Falcons converted just one of their next five as the Trojans tied the game going into the break. Bowling Green finished the game 7-of-16 on third down attempts.
Following a three-and-out by the Trojans to start the second half, Eugene Cooper returned a Will Goggans punt for 63 yards for a touchdown and a 24-17 lead. Cooper's touchdown was the first on a punt return against the Trojans since Marcus Woods accomplished the feat for Missouri on September 17, 2005.
Jernigan answered quickly for Troy, taking a direct snap and racing 49 yards and splitting three different sets of defenders to the end zone for the score with 12:52 left on the third quarter clock. The scamper was the longest run of the senior's career.
Another strong return by Jernigan set-up the next Trojans possession and a 40-yard field goal by Taylor with 8:45 left in the third quarter gave the Trojans their first lead of the game at 27-24.
With 2:11 left in the third quarter, the Falcons tied the game at 27 with a 23-yard field goal by Wright. It capped a seven-play, 35-yard drive that lasted two minutes and 11 seconds.
Aiming to end the game, Bowling Green milked nearly six minutes off the clock, but Wright missed a 37-yard attempt wide right and the Trojans took over possession with 7:33 remaining and their own goals in mind.
Consecutive penalties put the Trojans in a 1st and 25 situation and after a 9-yard run by Southward, Gill caught a 10-yard comeback and changed directions and fought for a first down to keep the drive alive. Gill finished the game with a Troy-best six receptions for 68 yards. Jernigan was second with six for 40 and he added 58 yards on the ground.
Consecutive incompletions brought up another 3rd-and-10 and Robinson found Moncrief for 10 yards and another first. Taylor missed a 51-yard attempt that would have given Troy the lead and Bowling Green took over at its own 33 with 2:21 to go.
Schilz completed 22-of-43 passes for 221 yards for Bowling Green. Kamar Jorden topped the squad through the air with nine receptions for 111 yards.
The Trojans are in action next on Saturday when they travel to Oklahoma State for a showdown with the Cowboys of the Big XII Conference. Kick-off is set for 6:05 pm. For more information on Troy football and all of Trojans athletics stay tuned to TroyTrojans.com and be sure to follow @TroyAthletics on Twitter.
