Troy Falls Under Heavy ASU Defense

Saturday, December 3

Jonesboro, Ark.

3:30 p.m.

Troy University

3-9 , 2-6

Arkansas State

10-2 , 8-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

TROY

Arkansas State

Photo by: Cass Davis

12/3/2011 6:56:00 PM | Football

Box Score

Troy football fell to Arkansas State 45-14 on the road on Saturday.

By: Ben Maxwell

Game Notes | Box Score | Photo Gallery

Jonesboro, Ark. – The Troy Trojans (3-9, 2-6) fell to the Arkansas State Red Wolves (10-2, 8-0) on Saturday. The Trojans defense stood strong against the explosive Red Wolves, but it was the ASU defense that made the biggest difference in the matchup.

Troy struggled in the opening kickoff as Chandler Worthy fumbled on an attempted reverse from Stanley Arukwe giving the Trojans their first offensive start on their own one yard line. The Trojan offense was able to move the ball as quarterback Corey Robinson connected on 6 of 6 passes in the opening drive. The Trojans, however would stall and be forced to punt to the Red Wolves.

Arkansas State's offense came out strong in their opening drive as quarterback Ryan Aplin connected to Julian Jones on a 51 yard pass on their first play. The Troy defense would make a stand and force a long 53 yard ASU field goal. Kicker Bobby Zalud's kick would be good diving the Wolves an early 3-0 lead on the Trojans.

Troy's offense would continue to click on the following drive as Shawn Southward ran for a 14 yard game on the first play of the drive as well as a 21 yard completion from Robinson to Corey Johnson. However, on the following drive ASU's defense would pick up a forced fumble and return for a 60 yard touchdown putting the Trojans behind 10-0.

Troy's offense would go on to struggle on their next drive and would be forced to punt back to the Red Wolves. The Trojan defense came out strong on their next series as Jonathan Massaquoi and Kyle Lucas sacked ASU's quarterback for a 13 yard loss on the play. The Wolves would not recover the yards and punted back to the Trojans.

After a defensive battle to close out the first quarter, the ASU defense struck again, this time on a Troy punting attempt. ASU's Don Jones recovered the blocked Will Goggans punt and was able to return it for a 12 yard touchdown putting the Red Wolves up 17-0.

After more offensive struggles between both squads the ASU defense would create another turnover, this time in the form of a interception by Darryl Feemster giving the Red Wolves another offensive drive starting at their own 40 yard line. Arkansas State's offense would finally find a way past the Trojan defense as they moved their way down to Troy's 20 yard line.

However, Troy's defense would not give up as they held ASU on their seven yard line and forced a 24 yard field goal attempt. This time it would be Brian Davis kicking the field goal for the Red Wolves, but it would hit the upright and fall “no good” giving Troy possession on their own seven yard line.

Troy's offense finally found their rhythm on the following drive moving down the field 80 yards capped off by a 34 yard touchdown pass from Robinson to Chandler Worthy cutting into the ASU lead 17-7.

ASU quickly answered back with their first offensive touchdown on a 30 yard touchdown pass to Dwayne Frampton to push their lead to 24-7.

With 44 seconds remaining in the first half Troy's offense was not finished. The Trojans passed their way down the field to the ASU 26 yard line. With about 18 seconds remaining Corey Robinson connected to wide receiver Eric Thomas who pushed his way up to about the ASU 15 yard line, then as he was met by two defenders Thomas quickly pitched the ball onto Felton Peyton who would take the ball into the end zone for a Trojan touchdown. The score would send both teams into halftime with ASU leading 24-14.

Although the Trojans trailed on the scoreboard at halftime they lead in offensive yards with 275 total yards compared to ASU's 206 total yards. Troy's offense also had twice as many first downs as the Red Wolves in the first half with 16 first downs. ASU had eight.

Troy kicked off to Arkansas State to begin the second half. After the Michael Taylor kickoff went into the back of the end zone ASU began their first drive on their own 20 yard line. The Trojan defense continued their performance and held the Red Wolves to a punt, although a miss cue on the punt return team would give ASU's offense possession again on Troy's 44 yard line.

After a drive down inside the Trojan red zone the defense still refused to quit as LaDarrius Madden picked off ASU quarterback Ryan Aplin on Troy's one yard line. After a 10 yard return on the interception Troy's offense finally got its first shot of the second half on its own 11 yard line.

The Trojan offense would make its way down to the ASU 31 yard line but would have to settle for a 48 yard field goal attempt by Michael Taylor. The kick went wide right and would leave the Trojans trailing at 24-14.

ASU's offense found its way around the Trojan defense again on the next drive. The Red Wolves drove 69 yards down the field for a 10 yard touchdown pass from Ryan Aplin to Taylor Stockemer to give the Wolves a 31-14 lead.

The red Wolves opted to kick a surprise onside kick on the following kick off, but Troy would recover it giving them a start on the ASU 43 yard line on the ensuing drive. Troy's offense struggled to produce out of the short yardage and punted away.

ASU went on to claim two more scores in the fourth quarter with a Derek Lawson 6 yard touchdown rush and a 9 yard pass completion to Rod Hall to give ASU a 45-14 lead.

After another Robinson interception the Red Wolves ran out the remaining clock to give them the final 45-14 victory over the Trojans.

The loss sends the Trojans out with a 3-9 overall record on the 2011 season and gives Arkansas State an outright Sun Belt conference championship. ASU is the only team, other than Troy to finish the season 8-0 in the conference.