Last-play FG lifts La. Tech
Old Dominion wins in its first bowl
FORT WORTH — Jonathan Barnes kicked a game-ending 32-yard field goal as Louisiana Tech beat Navy 48-45 in the Armed Forces Bowl on Friday.
The Bulldogs (9-5) drove for the winning score after Navy freshman quarterback Malcolm Perry ran 30 yards for a touchdown on his only play.
Ryan Higgins threw for 409 yards and four touchdowns, two each to Trent Taylor and Carlos Henderson. Taylor, a 5-foot-8 senior for Tech, set an Armed Forces Bowl record with his 12 catches for 233 yards. Henderson had 10 catches for 129 yards.
“As soon as (the holder) put the ball down, I felt like the kick was money,” Higgins said. “Each person that I hugged after that, it was just getting worse and worse. …. I just couldn’t be happier to send my class and this team out on a high note.”
Navy (9-5), which was trying for its first consecutive 10-win seasons, instead ended with its third straight loss. The Midshipmen lost the American Athletic Conference title game before its first loss to Army since 2001.
Perry, whose TD with 3:46 left tied the game for the fourth time, came in after Zach Abey took a shot to the ribs on a play that led to a targeting ejection by Tech defensive tackle Jordan Bradford.
Abey, who made only his second start, ran for 114 yards and two scores and threw for 159 yards and another touchdown.
Bahamas Bowl
OLD DOMINION 24, EASTERN
MICH. 20: In Nassau, Bahamas, David Washington came to Old Dominion a year before the program started its transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Five years later, he led the Monarchs to a victory in their first bowl game.
Washington threw three touchdowns passes and Ray Lawry ran for 133 yards as Old Dominion beat Eastern Michigan.
Old Dominion (10-3) didn’t play football for 69 years before restarting the program in 2009. The Monarchs started at the FCS level and made the transition to the FBS in 2013.
“I know I haven’t been here since the program started, but I’ve been here five years,” Washington said. “So it kind of feels like my baby. We just took it to a bowl game and won the bowl game, so it’s just really special.”
Eastern Michigan (7-6) lost in its first bowl game since 1987.
Dollar General Bowl
TROY 28, OHIO 23: In Mobile, Ala., Jordan Chunn had three short touchdown runs and Troy intercepted four passes in a victory over Ohio University.
The Trojans (10-3) finished off their first 10-win season since moving up to the FBS in 2001, thanks largely to a defense that came up with three big fourthquarter stops. The first Sun Belt Conference team to crack the Top 25, Troy forced 18 turnovers in its last five games.
The Bobcats (8-6) settled for field goal attempts twice in the fourth quarter, making one, and got one more chance from their 15 with 2:20 left and no timeouts. They managed one first down but Greg Windham couldn’t throw for another one under heavy pressure.
Louie Zervos had made a 37-yard field goal with 4:01 left to cut Troy’s lead to 28-23. They had first down from the 12 before a personal foul penalty against lineman Jake Pruehs.