Ross’ Record-Setting Game Leads Troy Past Florida A&M

Saturday, September 21

Troy, Ala.

6 p.m.

Troy University

1-3 , 0-0

Florida A&M

2-2 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Florida A&M

Troy

Ross’ Record-Setting Game Leads Troy Past Florida A&M

9/21/2024 11:47:00 PM | Football

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. - Devonte Ross rewrote the Troy record books on Saturday night, recording a program record 229 receiving yards as the Trojans took down Florida A&M, 34-12, at The Vet in head coach Gerad Parker's first career win.

The junior wide receiver has surpassed 100 yards receiving three times in four games this season and recorded a career-high 11 receptions in Saturday's win. Ross found the end zone three, becoming the first Trojan since Eric Thomas in 2011 with multiple touchdown receptions in back-to-back games after his two touchdown receptions at Iowa last week.

As Ross led the way with his historic receiving performance, quarterback Goose Crowder put together a career day with career highs in passing yards (295) and passing touchdowns (4) in his first game back from injury. Crowder hooked up with Ross for touchdowns of 20, 44 and 98 yards while hitting running back Damien Taylor for a 7-yard score.

Taylor broke off a 40-yard rushing on the opening drive, giving Troy (1-3) its first opening drive score of the season. Taylor finished the game with a career-high 109 rushing yards while tacking on the first multi-touchdown game of his career.

The Trojan defense put together its best performance of the season, keeping the Rattlers out of the end zone as they managed just four field goals. FAMU quarterback Daniel Richardson completed 25-of-39 passes for 288 yards, but the Troy run defense was stout as FAMU (2-2) was held to 55 yards on 28 carries.

Jordan Stringer led the defense with eight tackles and two tackles for loss, while Phillip Lee and Terry Thomas each recorded their first sack of the season.

After leading 14-9 at halftime, Troy exploded in the second half in front of the fourth-largest crowd in school history (29,042). The Trojans outscored the Rattlers 20-3 in the second half.

The Trojans opened the half with Ross' 44-yard touchdown while they closed out a 12-play, 75-yard drive with Taylor's second touchdown to open the fourth quarter. After a FAMU punt pinned Troy at its own 2-yard line, Ross beat the defense for 98 yards down the left sideline for the second-longest touchdown in Troy history.

Troy finished the game with 507 yards of total offense. The 221 rushing yards marked the 21^st win in the last 24 games that Troy rushed for 100-plus yards.

Up Next
Troy hosts ULM at 'The Vet' to open Sun Belt play at 6 p.m. on Saturday, September 28.

Quotable – Troy Head Coach Gerad Parker
"Happy for our staff. Happy for our players. It's certainly some momentum that's created by a lot of good play and improvement, but there's no better motivator than winning. It's certainly good to get that going and get that started. In order to sustain that there's many things we're going to have to clean up, but for tonight, we'll say that we're very happy with our movement of the staff and our players and our commitment to getting better that's led to tonight and the rest will improve tomorrow."

Notable
• Troy lost the coin toss for the fourth straight game to open the season. The Trojans are now 8-24 the last three seasons and 3-15 the last two seasons on the coin toss; Florida A&M deferred to the second half. The odds of going 8-for-24 on the coin toss are 4.39 percent.

• Troy moved to 23-6 since losing on a Hail Mary at Appalachian State in 2022.

• Troy moved to 18-0 when leading after the third quarter since the start of the 2022 season.

• Devonte Ross' 229 receiving yards is a Troy single-game record. The previous record was held by Danny Grant, who had 225 vs. McNeese State in 1968 during Troy's 1968 NAIA National Championship season.

• Goose Crowder connected with Devonte Ross for a 98-yard touchdown reception. It was the second longest scoring play in Troy history. Mike Turk connected with Titus Dixon for a 99-yard receiving touchdown in 1986.

• Devonte Ross now has six touchdown catches this season and nine in his career; his six touchdowns this season have been from an average of 46.14 yards.

• Devonte Ross finished the game with a career-high 11 catches; his fifth career game with 5-plus catches and third this season.

• Devonte Ross is the first Troy player with multiple touchdown receptions in consecutive games since Eric Thomas had two against North Texas and Florida Atlantic in 2011. Ross had two touchdown receptions last week at Iowa and had three against Florida A&M.

• Devonte Ross finished with 229 receiving yards for his third 100-yard game through the first four games of the season ... Troy's single-season record is five by Kaylon Geiger (2019) and Chip Reeves (2012).

• Damien Taylor's 40-yard touchdown run on Troy's opening drive of the game was Troy's longest run of the season and his second touchdown of the year; it was the fourth rushing touchdown of his career.

• Damien Taylor's 40-yard rushing touchdown on the opening drive marked Troy's first score this season on an opening drive.

• Damien Taylor finished with 103 rushing yards on 15 carries for his second 100-yard game this season.

• With his TD pass to Devonte Ross in the second quarter, Goose Crowder has thrown a touchdown pass in four career games and two games this season. His second TD pass to Ross marked the first time in his career that he threw multiple touchdown passes in a game. He finished the game with four touchdown passes. It was Troy's first three-plus touchdown game by a Troy quarterback since Gunnar Watson's four at ULM on Nov. 11, 2023.

• The Trojans rushed for 212 yards, marking the 21st win in the last 24 games when Troy has rushed for 100-plus yards.

• Troy moved to 27-0 since 2015 when allowing 14 or fewer points.

• Troy held FAMU to 55 yards rushing; the Trojans improved to 38-2 since 2015 when holding their opponent to fewer than 100 yards rushing.

• Jordan Stringer recorded a career-high 1.5 tackles for loss.

• With Phillip Lee's and Terry Thomas' sacks, Troy has now recorded 264 sacks since 2017. Troy entered the night ranked seventh nationally in sacks since 2017.

• Troy recorded eight tackles-for-loss. The Trojans entered the game ranked ninth in most tackles for loss since 2017.