Troy Survives & Advances to Sun Belt East Title Game

Saturday, November 17

Troy, Ala.

2:30 p.m.

Troy University

Texas State

Troy Survives & Advances to Sun Belt East Title Game

11/17/2018 8:09:00 PM | Football

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – Troy's suffocating defense forced six turnovers and Tyler Sumpter booted a school record four field goals in the Trojans' 12-7 victory over Texas State on Saturday at The Vet. Troy's 13^thstraight Sun Belt win sets up a winner-take-all battle at Appalachian State next weekend for the right to host the inaugural Sun Belt Championship Game.

"Survive and advance; that's what it was today," Troy head coach Neal Brown said. "It was not a thing of beauty but it's going to count exactly the same as the one week prior did. A lot of credit to our guys for finding a way. Very similar to the game we had at Liberty a few weeks ago the difference is, we matured enough to finish this game."

Troy (9-2, 7-0 Sun Belt) intercepted Tyler Vitt five times in the game – four in the first half – and Cedarius Rookard forced a fumble for the Trojans' first six-turnover game since 2015. The Trojans entered the weekend third nationally with 76 forced turnovers in the last three seasons and second with 51 interceptions.

Rookard pulled down two of the picks – on back-to-back possessions in the first quarter – while Blace Brown, Hunter Reese and Tyler Murray also got into the action. Playing for possibly the final time at home, Rookard, a senior from Spartanburg, S.C., also recorded a team-high seven tackles.

Sumpter tied his own school record he set two weeks ago, and also held by Greg Whibbs, and has now made a Troy Division I record 10 field goals over a three-week period. The Hoover, Ala., native has won consecutive Sun Belt Player of the Week awards and with boots of 36, 47, 42 and 27 against the Bobcats (3-8, 1-6) he is in line for another.

Troy now heads to Boone, N.C., next weekend looking to make all sorts of history. The Trojans can become just fifth team in league history to finish 8-0 in conference play, lock up the first East Division title in conference history and earn the right to host the inaugural Sun Belt Championship Game on Dec. 1. Kickoff between the Trojans and Mountaineers is set for 1:30 p.m. (CT) on Saturday, Nov. 24.

Junior running back B.J. Smith continued his historic season becoming the 10^thplayer in school history to top the 1,000-yard mark after rushing for 94 yards on 24 carries. He currently sits eighth on the single-season list with 1,040 yards this year.

Texas State's lone points came on a 3-yard touchdown run from Anthony Taylor with just over nine minutes to play in the game.

Quotable – Troy Head Coach Neal Brown
"Credit to our guys; We are sitting here 9-2, we are 7-0 in the league, we got a one-game season. That game will not define our season, we've had a successful season. We play to win championships here and we have an opportunity to play and win a championship."

Sound Smart with Your Friends
Troy's 30 wins over the last three seasons are the second most over a three-year period in school history. The 1993-95 and 1994-96 teams both won 31 games to set the mark for most wins in a three-year period in school history.

Notable
• Troy's 22 third-down attempts were tied for the most in its FBS history; the Trojans also had 22 third-down attempts against Arkansas State and Georgia State in 2013 and LSU in 2008.

• Troy is 21-3 in its last 24 Sun Belt Conference games and 21-4 in its last 25 games overall.

• Troy improved to 25-1 all-time under Neal Brown when winning the turnover battle; the Trojans forced six Bobcat turnovers and did not turn the ball over at all themselves.