Let’s go bowling
Navy linebacker Justin Norton (5) watches the 32-yard game-winning field goal by Louisiana Tech kicker Jonathan Barnes (10) as holder Logan McPherson (43) reacts at the end of the Armed Forces Bowl at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, on Friday. Louisiana Tech won, 48-45.
FORT WORTH, Texas — Jonathan Barnes kicked a game-ending 32-yard field goal and 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 with 3:46 left.
Ryan Higgins threw for 409 yards and four touchdowns, two each to Trent Taylor and Carlos Henderson. Taylor, a 5foot-8 senior, set an Armed Forces Bowl with his 12 catches for 233 yards. Henderson had 10 catches for 129 yards.
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.
• Dollar General Bowl: Troy 28, Ohio 23 — At Mobile, Ala.: Jordan Chunn had three short touchdown runs and Troy intercepted four passes in Troy’s victory over Ohio.
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 own 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.
• Bahamas Bowl: Old Dominion 24, Eastern Michigan 20 — At Nassau, Bahamas: David Washington threw three touchdowns passes, Ray Lawry ran for 133 yards and Old Dominion beat Eastern Michigan.
Old Dominion (10-3) won in its first bowl appearance in school history. The Monarchs didn’t play football for 69 years before restarting the program in 2009. They made the transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2013.
Eastern Michigan (7-6) lost in its first bowl appearance since 1987. Brogan Roback completed 26 of 46 passes for 300 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for the Eagles.
Roback threw for at least 300 yards in six of his final seven games.
Old Dominion had a 10-0 halftime lead, but Eastern Michigan rallied to tie it at 17 late in the third quarter on Paul Fricano’s 24-yard field goal. The Monarchs bounced back with Washington’s third touchdown pass, which went for 5 yards to Jonathan Duhart.