Watson, Troy win Sun Belt title over Coastal Carolina, 45-26

Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports
0 Comments

TROY, Ala. – Gunnar Watson and the streaking Troy Trojans came out with a flurry of big plays and a defense that was barely budging.

Watson passed for 318 yards and three long touchdowns to lead the Trojans to a 45-26 victory – their 10th straight – over Coastal Carolina in the Sun Belt Conference championship game on Saturday.

“It seemed like everything was going right for us,” Watson said.

The early domination didn’t last, but it was enough.

The Trojans (11-2) raced ahead 31-0 and with a 316-22 advantage in total yards en route to their Sun Belt-record seventh league title. Coach Jon Sumrall‘s first season began 1-2, with one loss on a Hail Mary pass, and ended with fans celebrating Troy’s first Sun Belt title since 2017 by storming the field and bringing down a goal post.

A group of students carried part of the goal post out of the stadium to the parking lot. It ended up in a nearby fountain.

“That probably will be one of the coolest memories I’ll ever have here,” Troy linebacker KJ Robertson said. “That was awesome for me. I don’t know how they’re paying for that.”

By the time three-time Sun Belt player of the year Grayson McCall got the offense going for Coastal Carolina (9-3), it was all but over. McCall started at quarterback after missing the past two games with a foot injury.

“They came out and really took it to us from the opening drive and we could not respond at all there in the first half,” said Chanticleers coach Jamey Chadwell. “I was proud of our team trying to come back in the second half. I thought we showed a lot of effort and fight.”

Watson completed 12 of 17 passes, including touchdowns of 67 yards and 36 yards to Rajae’ Johnson and a 65-yarder to Deshon Stoudemire. Watson was hit as he was throwing the 67-yarder with Johnson stretching out to grab it.

Johnson then snagged the ball one-handed to answer the Chanticleers’ second touchdown.

“I saw the replay and I was like, `Holy crap,”‘ Watson said.

DK Billingsley ran for three touchdowns, including a 33-yarder, for the Trojans.

Troy, which was coming off three straight five-win seasons, hasn’t lost since that Appalachian State Hail Mary on Sept. 17. Sumrall & Co. left the field in a much better mood this time.

“That was as good of a feeling as I’ve ever had after a game,” he said. “These kids have worked so hard and they’ve done so much and they’ve been through a lot.”

McCall overcame a rough start to complete 29 of 41 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns with a late interception. He also ran for an 8-yard touchdown.

McCall led touchdown drives heading into and coming out of halftime. He said his status was a gametime decision.

“I felt good in warmups so I told coach I was good to go,” McCall said.

The momentum didn’t last.

T.J. Jackson then had a strip sack and fumble recovery inside Coastal Carolina’s 10 to set up a touchdown.

The stats evened out but the score never got too uncomfortable for Troy. Coastal Carolina actually ended with a 432-411 edge in total yards.

Coastal Carolina has lost two straight lopsided games, including a 47-7 defeat to James Madison amid speculation about Chadwell’s future. He said he has spoken to Liberty about replacing coach Hugh Freeze but “I have not signed anything with them or anything of that nature.”

TAKEAWAY

Coastal Carolina: McCall and the offense took too long to get going for the Chanticleers to have a chance, but the defense struggled to bring down both Troy’s running backs and receivers in the first half. Still, the Chanticleers have won 31 games over the last three seasons.

Troy: Might have earned its second Top 25 ranking and first since 2016. The Trojans have their longest win streak since winning 11 in a row in 1995. Their six Sun Belt titles had been tied with Arkansas State.

SLOW DRIVE

The fumble recovery set up a drive that didn’t go far but took nearly four minutes. Troy finally scored after the eight-play, 7-yard drive was kept alive by a personal foul on a field goal.

UP NEXT

Both teams await their bowl destinations.

Appalachian State scores on final play, beats Troy 32-28

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
0 Comments

BOONE, N.C. — Chase Brice fired a 53-yard scoring strike to Christan Horn on the final play of the game and Appalachian State pulled out a 32-28 victory over Troy in a Sun Belt Conference opener on Saturday.

Brice drove Appalachian State (2-1) down the field before throwing incomplete on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line with 1:13 left in the game.

Appalachian State tackled Gunnar Watson on first down for a safety to get within 28-26 and took over at their own 47-yard line with 15 seconds left following the kickoff. Brice’s game-winning throw came on fourth-and-10.

Wide receiver Dashaun Davis staked the Mountaineers to a 7-0 lead with a 17-yard scoring strike to Christian Wells.

Watson had two 1-yard touchdown runs in the second quarter to give Troy (1-2) a 21-14 lead at halftime.

Brice completed 22 of 34 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns. Horn had five catches for 98 yards.

Watson completed 23 of 37 passes for 302 yards with one interception for the Trojans. Troy rushed for only 57 yards on 28 carries.

Troy fires coach Chip Lindsey ahead of regular-season finale

Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
0 Comments

TROY, Ala.- Troy has fired coach Chip Lindsey with one game left in his third season.

Athletic director Brent Jones announced the firing Sunday of Lindsey, who was 15-19. Defensive coordinator Brandon Hall will finish out the season as interim coach.

The Trojans visit Georgia State on Saturday seeking win No. 6 and bowl eligibility for the first time since 2018.

“I appreciate Coach Lindsey’s hard work over these last three years,” Jones said in a statement. “However, after significant review, a change in leadership is needed. I met with Coach Lindsey this afternoon and informed him that we would be making a change effective immediately.

“Our expectation for our football program is to compete for championships, and that resolve has not waivered.”

He said a search for Lindsey’s replacement would start immediately. Lindsey is a former offensive coordinator at Southern Miss, Arizona State and Auburn.

“Ultimately, we fell short of our goal of producing a championship-winning team,” Lindsey said. “I am grateful to the administration at Troy for giving me this opportunity to serve as head coach.”

The Trojans are coming off losses to Sun Belt Conference division champions No. 23 Louisiana-Lafayette and Appalachian State.