ASU leans on defense late in a shootout

TROY, Ala. — On a night when the teams combined for 93 points, 1,068 yards and 162 plays, it was a handful of game-changing defensive plays that keyed an Arkansas Sate University victory.

A scoop-and-score touchdown early in the first quarter was big for ASU. In the fourth quarter, a tackle for loss in the end zone for a safety, followed by an interception kept the Red Wolves going. But even those weren’t as big for ASU as the last play of the game.

Troy running back DK Billingsley was tackled at ASU’s 8 with under 10 seconds left and no timeouts for the Trojans, but a Troy offensive lineman remained on the ground in the backfield to stop the clock. The injury produced a 10-second runoff, and after a replay review of Billingsley’s run confirmed he had been tackled with less than 10 seconds remaining, Red Wolves players and coaches stormed the field in celebration as ASU outlasted Troy 50-43.

On the Red Wolves’ first offensive play of the game, redshirt freshman quarterback Layne Hatcher — who was making his first career start — threw one up for Omar Bayless down the sideline before the senior wide receiver made a juggling catch over a Troy defender and took off for the house. Moments later, Troy quarterback Kaleb Barker had the ball slip out of his hand while trying to make pass, and senior nickelback Logan Wescott scooped it up and returned it for a 40-yard touchdown.

Three minutes and 18 seconds into the game, the Red Wolves (3-2, 1-0 Sun Belt) were in front 14-0.

Troy marched down the field on the ensuing possession and kicked a 20-yard field goal to make it 14-3. On the kickoff, junior running back DJ Chatman muffed the ball while attempting a fair catch, and Troy recovered at ASU’s 29.

Barker hit a touchdown pass on the next play, and in a matter of less than 15 seconds on the game clock, ASU’s 14-0 lead became 1410 with 8:33 to play in the opening quarter.

The Red Wolves an- swered on the next drive when Hatcher hit Kirk Merritt for a 14-yard touchdown pass over the middle on a third and 4 to go up 21-10.

Early in the second quarter, a second fumble by Chatman — this time on a second and 10 at the Trojans’ 46 — led to another Troy touchdown, cutting the ASU lead to 21-17 with 11:40 left before halftime. After that sequence, each team came away with points on its next two possessions, and the game was tied 31-31 at the half.

The Trojans took their first lead on their first drive of the third quarter with a 22-yard field goal, making it

34-31 with 10:25 remaining. But the Red Wolves regained the lead on the next possession with a 7-yard rushing touchdown by senior running back Jamal Jones, putting ASU up 38-34 with 7:50 on the clock.

That capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive that was kept alive thanks to a fake punt pass call on a fourth and 7 near midfield, which produced a 15-yard completion from senior punter Cody Grace to junior receiver Brandon Bowling.

One of the biggest swings came late in the third quarter with ASU holding a 38-37 lead. After a three and out by

the Trojans (2-2, 0-1), Bayless broke free and blocked a punt, allowing ASU to set up shop deep in Troy territory. On the next play, Hatcher connected with junior receiver Jonathan Adams for a 32-yard touchdown pass, and the Red Wolves took a 45-37 lead with 1:52 to play in the quarter.

More big swings for the Red Wolves came in the fourth quarter, despite two interceptions by Hatcher.

After Hatcher shortarmed a deep pass toward the end zone for Bayless that was picked off at the Red Wolves’ 1, ASU junior linebacker Tajhea Chambers broke free in the Trojans’ backfield and stuffed Billingsley for a safety, putting ASU up 47-43 with 8:41 to play.

ASU got the ball back and went to work. Merritt made a circus catch over two Troy defenders down the sideline for 36 yards, which set up a first and goal at the 6. That led to a 19-yard field goal by sophomore Blake Grupe and a 50-43 lead with 5:12 to play.

On the ensuing drive, senior safety BJ Edmonds picked off an errant deep throw from Barker, but Hatcher gave the ball right back to Troy when he was intercepted on third and 7 near midfield.

One last defensive stand in the closing seconds proved to be the difference for ASU.