Troy beat James Madison 24-21 in overtime Thursday night at Bridgeforth Stadium. The Trojans won a game they were outgained in because the Dukes could not stop giving the ball away. James Madison threw 3 interceptions and lost 2 fumbles, while Troy turned it over once.
The yardage says the Dukes should have won. They outgained Troy 408 yards to 349 and averaged about a yard more per pass attempt, a little over 7 to nearly 6. Both teams ran for just under 4 yards a carry. Ball security was the difference, and it flipped a two-touchdown lead.
How It Happened
James Madison opened fast. Camden Coleman hit Corey Scott for a 2-yard touchdown at 8:57 of the first quarter, then found Braeden Wisloski for a 31-yard score at 4:55. The Dukes led 14-0 after one.
Troy answered early in the second quarter with a Gavin Griffin 1-yard run at 14:56. James Madison restored the two-score cushion when Seth Cromwell ran in from 14 yards at 8:41. It was 21-7 at the half, and it was the last time the Dukes scored.
The third quarter belonged to Troy. At 14:26, Justin Powe picked off a pass and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown to cut the deficit to 7. At 6:25, Jaheim Merriweather broke a 28-yard touchdown run to tie it at 21.
Neither team scored in the fourth quarter. Troy's offense stalled on the money downs, going 0-for-3 on fourth down and converting just 4 of 15 third downs. James Madison wasn't much sharper, finishing 7-of-18 on third down and 1-of-3 on fourth.
Overtime
Hayden Wolfe settled it with a 27-yard field goal in overtime. That kick capped a comeback built on Troy's ground game and James Madison's mistakes. The Trojans ran it 45 times and held the ball for more than 32 minutes, keeping the Dukes' passing game on the sideline.
James Madison also hurt itself with flags, committing 10 penalties for 71 yards. Over the final two and a half quarters plus overtime, an offense that scored three first-half touchdowns produced nothing.
Key Performers
Hayden Wolfe, Troy: 27 YDS field goal (OT), extra point after all 3 Troy touchdowns
Justin Powe, Troy: 37 YDS interception return TD
Jaheim Merriweather, Troy: 28 YDS rushing TD
Camden Coleman, James Madison: 2 TD passes – 2 YDS to Corey Scott, 31 YDS to Braeden Wisloski
Troy rushing: 45 ATT, 170 YDS, 3.8 per carry
Troy passing: 15-31, 179 YDS, 0 INT
James Madison passing: 22-35, 247 YDS, 3 INT
James Madison rushing: 42 ATT, 161 YDS, 3.8 per carry
Powe's return was the swing play. It came at the start of the second half, erased half of the deficit in one snap and set the tone for a quarter in which Troy scored the only 14 points.
What It Means
Troy is back to even at 4-4, and this was its only road win of the season. The Trojans had been a different team away from home, 3-1 at home against a road mark that now sits at 1-3. They did not solve that split here so much as survive it, winning despite fewer yards and a poor third-down rate.
The takeaway for Troy is that the formula travels when the defense creates turnovers and the run game eats clock. Without the Dukes' giveaways, the road struggles likely continue.
James Madison falls to 7-2 and suffers its only home loss, dropping to 4-1 at Bridgeforth Stadium. The Dukes outplayed Troy on a per-play basis. They lost because they could not hold on to the ball.