TROY, Ala. — South Alabama rallied from a 24-point deficit but could not find the tying touchdown in a 31-24 loss at Troy on Saturday.
The Jaguars fell to 5-4 overall and 2-4 in the Sun Belt Conference. Troy improved to 5-4 and 3-4.
Bentley Injured on Opening Drive
South Alabama took the opening kickoff and drove for a touchdown, but starting quarterback Jake Bentley was forced out of the game one play before the score after taking a hit below the knee. Bentley completed all three of his passes for 49 yards before leaving.
After a Troy three-and-out, the first handoff between Desmond Trotter and Terrion Avery was fumbled and recovered by the Trojans. Troy went on to score 31 unanswered points, the last seven on an interception return for a touchdown when Trotter threw while trying to avoid a sack.
South Alabama got the ball back at the Troy 47 with 1:41 left before halftime after a personal foul on Troy during the punt return. The Jaguars put together a nine-play drive that included a fourth-down conversion and scored with nine seconds left in the half.
Second-Half Comeback
Tre Young intercepted Taylor Powell at the South Alabama 24 to end Troy’s first possession of the second half. The Jaguars followed with a 19-play, 76-yard drive that included three fourth-down conversions and ended with Trotter’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Avery, cutting the deficit to 10 points.
A 31-yard Troy punt early in the fourth quarter gave South Alabama the ball at its own 35 with 12:53 left. The Jaguars reached the Troy 10, but a sack on third-and-9 forced them to settle for a field goal with 6:45 remaining.
Troy was pinned at its own 9 after a kickoff mishap but escaped with a 34-yard completion. South Alabama’s defense forced a punt three plays later.
The Jaguars took over at their own 10 with 4:14 left. They converted one fourth down to extend the drive, but on fourth-and-3 from their own 33, Trotter overthrew an open Avery, and Troy ran out the clock.
By the Numbers
South Alabama outgained Troy 335-308, including 148-107 on the ground, while Troy held a 201-187 edge through the air. The Jaguars converted 5 of 16 third downs and 5 of 8 fourth downs. Troy was 6 of 12 on third down and did not attempt a fourth-down conversion.
South Alabama’s two turnovers, a fumble and an interception, led to 10 Troy points. The Jaguars’ defense produced one interception and turned it into a touchdown.
Trotter completed 20 of 32 passes for 138 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, and ran 11 times for 43 yards and a touchdown. Avery led the Jaguars with 75 rushing yards on 23 carries and caught four passes for 31 yards and two touchdowns. Bryan Hill added 26 yards on nine carries.
Lincoln Sefcik caught nine passes for 55 yards, Jalen Tolbert had four catches for 65 yards, and Jalen Wayne caught three for 29.
For Troy, Gunnar Watson completed 11 of 14 passes for 121 yards before leaving the game, and Taylor Powell was 6 of 11 for 80 yards and a touchdown in relief. Tez Johnson led the Trojans with four catches for 46 yards and scored on a 31-yard run, and Luke Whittemore had three catches for 59 yards. BJ Smith ran for 49 yards on 12 carries, Kimani Vidal had 29 yards on five carries, and Jamontez Woods scored twice on five carries for 7 yards.
Up Next
South Alabama travels to Boone, N.C., to face Appalachian State at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13. The Mountaineers beat Arkansas State 48-14 in Jonesboro on Saturday.
