The last two times these two teams faced off, LSU (3-2) managed to rally back late to get the win. Third time was the charm for the Troy Trojans (4-1) on Saturday night when they held off a late rally from the Tigers.
The first play from the line of scrimmage set the tone with Nick Brossette fumbling the ball, giving Troy the ball with excellent field position. Five plays later, Brandon Silvers took it into the endzone by himself to take an early 7-0 lead.
The first half ended in a strange turn of events. After Silvers connected with John Johnson on a twenty-yard pass, it seemed like the first half had ended as both teams made their way back through the tunnel. However, there were two seconds added to the clock after Neal Brown requested a review. The Trojans made it 10-0 with a 37-yard field goal bounce off the crossbar and through the uprights from Evan Legassey.
The Trojans took the first half momentum and turned into seven more points on their first drive of the second half with a 74-yard run from Jordan Chunn getting the Trojans to the one-yard line. Chunn made it 17-0 on 4th and goal from the one when he pushed through the trenches.
LSU finally got on the board late in the third quarter after John Battle forced a fumble inside the Troy five-yard line. Two plays later, Myles Brennan connected with Foster Moreau from seven-yards out to make it a 10-point game.
However, the Trojans made it 24-7 after a lengthy 10-play drive that took six-and-a-half minutes off the clock and ended with Josh Anderson running it in on his own. Danny Etling came back in on the very next drive and wasted zero time getting it back within ten points after he connected with Russell Gage on a 34-yard pass.
Michael Divinity may have been LSU’s saving grace after he recovered a fumble deep in their own territory to give the Tigers a chance to continue the rally. Etling drove the offense down the field, capping off a 13-play drive with a 20-yard pass to Moreau.
After forcing the Trojans to punt with 18 seconds left on the clock, Etling got the Tigers to their own 36, but the rally was stopped with Blace Brown intercepting a pass to give Troy the upset.
LSU will look to bounce back on the road when they take on the Florida Gators (3-1, 3-0 SEC) in Gainesville with kickoff set for 2:30 pm.
-Clint Domingue