MOBILE, Ala. — Troy scored on each of its first five possessions and held on to beat South Alabama 38-17 in the Battle for the Belt on Tuesday night at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in a nationally televised game.
The Trojans led 31-17 at halftime. South Alabama’s defense allowed only 71 total yards in the second half, but the Jaguars were unable to close the gap, and Troy added the game’s only second-half touchdown with 4:39 remaining.
South Alabama fell to 2-6 overall and 1-3 in the Sun Belt Conference. Troy improved to 6-2 and 4-0 in league play.
Two Targeting Ejections
South Alabama welcomed back Nigel Lawrence, the team’s leading tackler, after he missed the previous two games with a knee injury. His return was brief. On the third play from scrimmage, Lawrence was flagged for targeting and disqualified for the rest of the game.
Later in the first half, a pass bounced off South Alabama’s Bull Barge and was intercepted by Troy. The replay booth stopped play for a review and ejected the Jaguars’ Jeffery Whatley for targeting while he was blocking on the return.
The two ejections gave South Alabama five targeting disqualifications in its last four games.
Both teams were penalized seven times. South Alabama’s penalties cost 91 yards, while Troy was penalized 67 yards.
Turnovers and a Costly Final Play Before Halftime
South Alabama quarterback Evan Orth threw three interceptions, doubling his total for the season. Troy returned the three interceptions a combined 148 yards.
The Jaguars intercepted one pass by Troy quarterback Sawyer Smith and recovered a muffed punt late in the first half.
That muffed punt came after South Alabama was stopped on offense and Troy called a timeout to force a punt. The ball bounced and struck a Troy returner, and the Jaguars recovered at the Troy 27-yard line with three seconds left in the half. Instead of attempting a field goal, South Alabama ran a long pass play into Troy’s prevent defense. The pass was intercepted, and Tra Minter forced the returner out of bounds at the South Alabama 35 as time expired, preventing a touchdown.
Troy players ran to the south end zone to celebrate with a large group of Trojans students as the teams went to halftime with Troy ahead 31-17.
South Alabama had opened its season with a successful onside kick against Louisiana Tech and has attempted several surprise plays since. None of those subsequent attempts has worked.
Defenses Take Over After Halftime
Both defenses tightened in the second half. South Alabama moved the ball but had trouble reaching scoring position. When the Jaguars did, drives ended in an interception and a missed field goal.
With 4:39 left, Orth threw into the end zone and was intercepted. The return went for an apparent Troy touchdown, but a holding penalty brought the ball back to the 11-yard line. Two plays later, Troy scored to make it 38-17.
Statistical Leaders
South Alabama finished with 385 yards of total offense, including 275 passing. Troy gained 410 yards, with 261 passing and 252 rushing.
- Tra Minter led the Jaguars with 99 rushing yards on 23 carries and added two catches for 49 yards.
- Jamarius Way caught six passes for 80 yards and a touchdown.
- Jordan McCray had three catches for 60 yards and South Alabama’s other touchdown.
- Troy’s B.J. Smith ran for 170 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries.
- Damion Willis caught five passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns for the Trojans.
Inside the Numbers
- South Alabama had 23 first downs, one by penalty. Troy had 16, four by penalty.
- South Alabama quarterbacks were sacked four times.
- The Jaguars converted 3 of 7 third downs in the first half and 2 of 8 in the second half.
- Troy converted 4 of 7 third downs in the first half and 1 of 5 after halftime.
- Troy head coach Neal Brown is 23-1 when the Trojans win the turnover battle.
Sun Belt West Still in Reach
Despite the loss, South Alabama still controls its own path in the Sun Belt’s West Division. The Jaguars must win their final four games to become bowl eligible, and three of those four opponents are West Division teams that each have two conference losses.
South Alabama’s remaining schedule is Arkansas State, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana-Lafayette and Coastal Carolina. A 5-3 conference record that included wins over every West Division opponent would give the Jaguars the tiebreakers.
South Alabama, in its first season under head coach Steve Campbell, returns to action Saturday, Nov. 3, at Arkansas State in Jonesboro, Ark. The game will stream on ESPN+.
