Troy topples App State to go back-to-back as Sun Belt Champions
Braden Chalker
The stage was set, as the visiting App State Mountaineers battled the Troy Trojans for the 2023 Sun Belt Conference Championship at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy, Alabama on Saturday, Dec. 2.
The Trojans, despite being picked by one person on ESPN’s College Gameday – comedian Theo Von – would end up triumphing in dominant fashion as the South end zone goal post was taken down once again in Troy’s second straight conference championship victory.
“[I’m] extremely proud of our team,” Troy head coach Jon Sumrall said. “These guys, it’s all about them.
“I’m just grateful. I thank God for everything they’ve done. They’ve changed me and helped make me better. I’m just glad they let us coach them and could not be more proud of their accomplishments.”
Both teams’ defenses shined in the first quarter, as neither offense were able to string together much to move the ball down the field with the rain having a clear effect in the early stages.
The Trojans came up with a huge stop on fourth-and-one deep in their own territory before marching down the field to score the first points of the game with 5:33 remaining in the first half.
Senior quarterback Gunnar Watson was lined up in the shotgun formation with junior running back Kimani Vidal alongside him to his right.
Before the play, the two shifted to the left, and Vidal took the direct snap and with some fancy footwork found the endzone to score his 10th touchdown of the season, putting the hosts up 7-0.
Vidal would go on to score four more touchdowns before night was over to become the first running back to score five touchdowns in any FBS championship game all time.
“I’ve been blessed, all glory goes to God” Vidal said. “My family, my teammates, my coaches. I’m just blessed to be in this position.”
Sophomore Chris Lewis and senior Deshon Stoudemire hauled in a couple of passes to help the Trojan cause en route to the scoring drive.
The Troy defense forced a quick three-and-out on the ensuing possession for the Mountaineers, and the home side capitalized in quick fashion.
Vidal then broke outside the numbers and outraced the App State defense to score his second touchdown of the game and the 30th of his collegiate career.
Despite the two quick scores by the Trojans, App State marched down the field and got on the scoreboard with just 39 seconds to go in the half.
App State’s redshirt freshman running back Kanye Roberts looked to be stopped initially on second-and-goal, but a video review showed he got the nose of the ball into the endzone, cutting Troy’s lead in half, 14-7.
Troy led 14-7 at halftime with a balanced attack on offense, totaling 100 passing yards to go along with 117 rushing yards.
However, on the first possession of the second half, the Mountaineers marched down the field to punch it in via a six-yard run from Roberts with 10:11 to play in the third quarter.
The score was Roberts’ second of the game to bring the score to 14-14 with the Trojan offense set to come back onto the field.
The Trojans responded, and promptly. After a pair of runs from Vidal, who broke the Sun Belt Conference Championship game rushing record on that drive with 123 rushing yards, helped set up a catch from Barber before Watson heaved up a jump ball for the towering Lewis.
Lewis hauled it in, brushed off a defender and raced to the endzone to put Troy back in front 21-14. The completion for Watson saw him eclipse the 10,000 career passing yards mark in his college career, with every single yard coming as a Trojan.
The Trojans were set to get the ball back after stifling the Mountaineer offense, but Barber muffed a fair catch on a punt, and the visitors recovered it deep in Troy territory.
However, the Troy defense stood tall and kept the Mountaineer offense at bay. Junior defensive end Javon Solomon tracked down Aguilar on third down to force a field-goal try.
Junior kicker Michael Hughes connected from 41 yards out, narrowing the Trojans’ lead to 21-17.
Troy scored the first points of the fourth quarter when Vidal crossed the goal line for the third time in the game, putting the Trojans up 28-17.
The Trojans ran the ball exclusively on the drive, racking up yards on the ground with 10 straight running plays with Vidal as well as sophomore Damien Taylor.
Things went from bad to worse for the App State offense, as Aguilar was stripped by senior defensive back Don Callis. The Los Angeles native pounced to finish off the scoop-n-score play for Troy.
“About two weeks ago (against Louisiana), we called that same play,” Callis said. “[But] I didn’t go, I didn’t blitz.
“I messed that up, and I was talking to coach on the headset right before that and said, ‘I ain’t going to let you down coach, I ain’t going to let nobody down.’
“I just saw the opportunity, I just played off my instincts, I just played football.”
The Mountaineers weren’t going away, though, in a goal-to-go scenario, Aguilar scrambled outside of the pocket in search of the endzone, but he fumbled it before crossing the plane.
Luckily for App State, Eli Wilson recovered the ball in the endzone, keeping App State in the game and bringing the score to 35-23 in favor of Troy.
In the final five minutes of regulation, the Trojans would go on to score twice – a six-yard and 49-yard run from Vidal to put the icing on the cake for the home team.
Troy knocked off the Mountaineers 49-23, keeping the Sun Belt Conference Championship trophy at Veterans Memorial Stadium for a second straight year.
After scoring 21 points through the third quarter, the Trojans racked up 28 points in the fourth quarter to go back-to-back in the rain.
The win was also the 10th straight in the 2023 season, and since that Hail Mary last September at Kidd Brewer Stadium, the Trojans have gone on a dominant 22-2 run.
Vidal took home Sun Belt Championship game MVP honors after his historic performance, rushing for 233 yards and five touchdowns – an NCAA conference championship game record.
“I talk a lot, and people probably get tired of me saying it but better people make better players,” said Sumrall. “He is a really good football player and he’s a better person.
“I mean, he’s one of the best I’ve ever been around, not just as a player, but just as a man. He’s high character, he’s tough, he’s disciplined … he’s been a fantastic teammate.”
Lewis led Troy in receiving, hauling in three catches for 98 yards and one touchdown. Watson completed 16-of-24 passes to go along with one touchdown. Solomon was a force in App State’s backfield, adding two sacks to bring his season total to 16, a new single-season record in the Sun Belt.
For the Mountaineers, Aguilar went 28-of-39 for 275 yards and was sacked five times, while Roberts rushed for 55 yards on 13 carries, scoring twice.
All throughout the regular season and leading up to the conference championship, many wondered how Troy would defend its 2022 title as they had essentially had a target on its back being the ‘top dog’ in the Sun Belt.
However, Sumrall explained he chooses to look at it in a different light.
“… The good news is people can choose to hunt you, but you also get to make the decision to hunt them back,” he said. “I don’t have to stand there and have a target on my back. We can put a target on them, too.
“We won’t ever be the hunted here. We will always be the hunter.”
The Trojans will now look ahead to their final game of the season, where they await their opponents in a bowl game after capturing an eighth Sun Belt Conference title.
“We’re going to have a great experience wherever the football playoff committee, bowl people want to put us, and we’re going to prepare and be the best we can for that game,” Sumrall said. “These guys have earned every opportunity, and I think they deserve a great shot at a good opponent.
“This group’s going to make the most of it. I know what they’re about, but wherever we get sent we’re going to have a heck of a time getting ready and enjoying each other.”
