Doege Comes Off Bench to Stun Former Team, Lead Troy Past Western Kentucky

Saturday, October 1

Bowling Green, Ky.

6 p.m.

Troy University

3-2 , 1-1

Western Kentucky

3-2 , 1-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Troy

Western Ky.

Doege Comes Off Bench to Stun Former Team, Lead Troy Past Western Kentucky

10/1/2022 11:17:00 PM | Football

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Sometimes, the stories just write themselves. Troy's 34-27 victory at Western Kentucky on Saturday night at Houchens-Smith Stadium is one of those times.

Jarret Doege lost his bid for WKU's starting quarterback job during fall camp, and he transferred to Troy two days later on Aug. 18. Tonight, Doege came off the bench in place of an injured Gunnar Watson and threw two fourth-quarter touchdown strikes against his former team.

Tied 20-20 heading to the fourth quarter, Doege connected with Jabre Barber on the first play of the final quarter for a 16-yard touchdown pass on 3^rd-and-11. Troy's defense forced WKU to turn the ball over on downs on its ensuing possession, and Doege marched the Trojans (3-2) right back down the field, capped by a 10-yard touchdown strike to Tez Johnson.

Doege was just one of the many storylines on the field for Troy. DK Billingsley, who rushed for just 126 yards combined in 2020 and 2021, had a breakout game with 122 yards and a touchdown; he also maintained his clean record with no negative rushes for the year.

In addition to catching what proved to be the game-winning score, Johnson also threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Watson. The Troy sophomore is just the sixth player in Troy's DI history to throw and catch a touchdown pass in the same game.

The Troy defense snapped the nation's longest streak of scoring 30-plus points in a game. WKU (3-2) had reached that threshold in 18 straight games before Saturday. Carlton Martial did Carlton Martial-type things with 12 tackles and an interception. He now ranks 10^th all-time in FBS history with 487 career tackles and is 59 shy of becoming the all-time leader in the category.

Richard Jibunor put the final stamp on the game with Troy's fifth sack of the evening as he dislodged the ball from Austin Reed and Antonio Showers recovered to end the Hilltoppers' hopes of a comeback.

Doege completed 7-of-8 attempts for 71 yards and the two scores, while Watson was 15-of-28 for 202 yards before his departure. Johnson finished with six catches for 105 yards for his second straight 100-yard game and Deshon Stoudemire added seven grabs for 93 yards.

WKU opened the scoring, needing just six plays to march down the field, capped by one of three Reed touchdown passes. Troy responded with a field goal from Brooks Buce and a 21-yard romp into the end zone from Billingsley to cap an eventful opening quarter.

The Hilltoppers scored 10 unanswered points and looked like they would carry a 17-10 lead into the break before Buce connected from 33-yards out as time expired in the half. It was the fourth time in five games this season that Troy scored on its final possession before the half and third on the final play.

The razzle-dazzle from Johnson to Watson opened the second half scoring as Troy took the opening drive of the half into the end zone for a 20-17 lead. Brayden Narveson booted a 47-yard field goal with 3:27 to play in the third quarter, tying the game and setting up Doege's heroics.

Quotable – Head Coach Jon Sumrall
In the third quarter, it seemed like we had the guy go down and another guy goes down. And then another guy goes down. But our guys kept responding. It's next man up, and we kept competing, kept fighting. Our backs were against the wall. We could have done some things better. I could have coached some things better, and our players could have done some things better. But I'll tell you what, I could not be prouder of the fight that we have on this football team.

Quarterback Jarret Doege
I knew I was ready. I knew my teammates had faith in me and the coaches had faith in me. I had faith in myself. I put in the work. I pride myself on preparing to be the best player on the field. I just had a little feeling all week that this is going to be my time. I mean, you can't write it any better. I just kept preparing and waiting for my opportunity and took advantage.

Notable
• DK Billingsley now has 284 yards and two touchdowns this season after combining for 126 yards and no touchdowns in 2020 and 2021; Billingsley rushed for 901 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2019.

• Tez Johnson's 7-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to Gunnar Watson was Troy's first by a non-quarterback since a 35-yard touchdown pass by Luke Whittemore in 2018 against Coastal Carolina.

• Gunnar Watson's 7-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter was the first by a Troy quarterback since Omar Haugabook caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from current Troy wide receivers coach Gary Banks at North Texas in 2007.

• Troy has passed for 1,653 yards through the first five games this season, the most since Troy moved to the DI level in 2001.

• Carlton Martial finished with 12 tackles and now has 487 in his career, 59 shy of becoming the all-time FBS record holder with 546 (Northwestern's Tim McGarigle holds the record with 545). He currently ranks 10th all-time in NCAA FBS history.

• Troy forced two turnovers in the game; the Trojans entered the weekend fourth nationally since 2016, averaging 1.88 turnovers per game and fifth with 147 turnovers. Troy has forced a turnover in 70 of its last 85 games and multiple turnovers in 46 of its last 85 games.

Up Next
Troy returns to Sun Belt Conference play hosting Southern Miss on Oct. 8 in The Vet. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.