The Troy football team took down New Mexico State Aggies in its first conference matchup of the year, winning 52-6.
The Trojans (3-1, 1-0 Sun Belt) got started early as junior quarterback Brandon Silvers found sophomore receiver Deondre Douglas for a 33-yard gain, putting the ball inside the 20 on their initial drive. On fourth and goal, Silvers executed the quarterback keeper, taking the ball in for the score.
On the ensuing Aggie possession, New Mexico State started to find its rhythm, driving inside the 20. Senior quarterback Tyler Rogers then took a shot towards the end zone, but Jalen Rountree, senior cornerback, was there to pick it off.
The remainder of the first quarter was an exchange of three-and-outs, keeping the score at 7-0 in the Trojans’ favor.
The score would stand until the Trojans drove 59 yards, setting up a Silvers pass to junior receiver Emanuel Thompson for a six-yard score. Senior kicker Ryan Kay sent the PAT through the uprights, making the score 14-0 midway through the second.
On the ensuing Aggie drive, NMSU encountered a fourth down inside their own 25 and opted to punt. Jabir Frye, a senior linebacker, blocked the punt, allowing freshman running back Demetrius Cain to return the loose ball 15 yards for the Trojan score.
It was Troy’s first blocked punt returned for a touchdown since 2013.
Redshirt junior running back Jordan Chunn led the ensuing 91-yard drive, as Silvers found sophomore receiver Sidney Davis on a 17-yard touchdown through the air.
The NMSU offense drove inside the Troy 10-yard line with less than a minute remaining in the half. Rogers’ pass was picked off in the endzone by redshirt junior cornerback Blace Brown, who took the ball 54 yards the other way, setting up Kay for a 34-yard field goal to end the half with the Trojans up 31-0.
To begin the second half, Frye returned the kickoff 100 yards for the score. This was the first game in Troy’s FBS history in which it scored two special teams touchdowns in one game.
Chunn tacked onto the Trojan lead, punching in a five-yard score midway through the third. The Aggies were able to get on the board for the first time late in the third, as Rogers found his redshirt-freshman receiver Izaiah Lottie for a 13-yard passing touchdown.
The score stood at 45-6 after a failed two-point conversion.
The Trojan defense ended the game with 5 interceptions, the most since 2008, while holding the Aggies to 5-for-18 on third down.
After another score in the fourth quarter, the final score became 52-6.
Troy will travel to Moscow, Idaho, to take on the Vandals next Saturday, Oct. 1. This Sun Belt matchup is set to kickoff at 4 p.m.
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