Slow Start Plagues Troy at No. 18 BYU

Saturday, September 26

Provo, Utah

9:15 p.m.

Troy University

1-1

BYU

2-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Troy

BYU

9/27/2020 1:16:00 AM | Football

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

PROVO, Utah -- The Troy football program fell to No. 18 BYU, 48-7, Saturday night at LaVell Edwards Stadium.

In Troy's (1-1) first appearance in the state of Utah since 2003 (Nov. 15, Utah State), the Trojans managed just seven total points and 181 yards of total offense. The Trojans failed to record at least 200 yards of total offense in a game for the first time since 2014.

Up 7-0 at the end of the first quarter, BYU (2-0) seized control of the game early in the second quarter when Cougars quarterback Zach Wilson capped an eight-play 74-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. For the game, Wilson completed 23-of-28 passes for 392 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The signal-caller also ran for a pair of scores.

Troy looked to sneak back into the game late in the second quarter, when B.J. Smith ran into the end zone from two yards out with 65 seconds to play in the first half. The score, was Smith's first touchdown in more than a calendar year and cut the BYU advantage to just 21-7.

BYU quickly regained the momentum, converting a long 54-yard field goal as time expired that gave the home team a 24-7 advantage at the half.

Following the halftime break, the Cougars, behind a 75-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Dax Milne, took a 31-7 lead with 14:27 to play in the third quarter.

After the Trojans forced a Cougar turnover on downs, Troy quarterback Gunnar Watson found Tray Eafford over the middle for what looked to be the Trojans second touchdown of the night, but an offensive holding call wiped the Troy score off the board.

Watson completed 21-of-33 passes on the evening for 162 yards, while Eafford hauled in a pair of passes, including a 55-yard reception that set up the lone Trojan touchdown. The reception was his third reception of at least 50-yards in his career.

Quotable - Head Coach Chip Lindsey:
"Our team is very disappointed, and so are we as coaches. We did not play well or coach well tonight. We had some opportunities early to take control. We had the early turnover that we didn't take advantage of. Our defense was playing really well early, but our offense did not do a good job of helping those guys out. Last week, we did a really good job of playing complimentary football. We will rebound from this. We just have to get back to work and get better before next week."

Quotable - B.J. Smith
"Tonight, we couldn't make enough plays, and we couldn't get into a rhythm. When you get into a rhythm, that's when you start rolling. We just have to get back to doing what we do. We have to put this loss to bed because all of our goals and aspirations are still in front of us, and this performance doesn't change [the outlook of] our season. We just have to rebound and take it one week at a time."

Notable:
• Due to Utah COVID-19 regulations, tonight's matchup against BYU had an official attendance of zero
• The Trojans lost the coin toss for the second consecutive game, and have now received the opening kick-off 11 times during the Chip Lindsey era (14 games)
• In addition to the rushing score, Smith also set a new-career best in receptions (6) and receiving yards (36).

Up Next:
The Trojans return to action next Saturday night at South Alabama. Kickoff from Mobile is set for 7 p.m. on ESPNU.