Silvers helps Troy defeat North Texas
NEW ORLEANS — When Troy quarterback Brandon Silvers glanced around the Superdome, his eyes would stop on the name of Archie Manning, who has become one of his mentors, or on spots in the stands where he’s sat during games he attended as a fan.
During his next visit, he’ll be able to look at spots on the field where he threw four touchdown passes, as well as the end zone where he ran for a short score, to help the Trojans beat North Texas 50-30 in the New Orleans Bowl on Saturday.
“Just being on that field today is going to be one of my great memories for a long time,” Silver said.
Silvers, a former counselor at the Manning’s football camp, threw for 305 yards, completing 24 of 31 passes. The Orange Beach, Alabama, native was intercepted once on a deep throw, but that hardly mattered in a game controlled by Troy’s defense, which produced five North Texas turnovers.
“Our ability to get pressure on quarterback was probably the difference,” said Troy coach Neal Brown, who has presided over 21 victories in the past two seasons.
Josh Anderson, filling in for injured starter Jordan Chunn, rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns for Troy (11-2).
Two of Silvers’ touchdown passes went to Damion Willis, whom Silvers targeted more than usual because of an early injury to receiver Deondre Douglas. Willis had 136 yards on a New Orleans Bowl-record-tying 11 catches.
“I hated that Deandre went down, but like coach said, you can’t flinch,” Willis said. “I didn’t flinch today.”
Mason Fine passed for 303 yards and three touchdowns for North Texas (9-5), but was intercepted twice and fumbled twice. He finished with Mean Green singleseason records of 4,052 yards and 31 TDs passing.
“Their font seven— that defensive line — gave me fits all day,” Fine said. “We never got in a rhythm. We never got comfortable.”
The Trojans were threatening to take a threetouchdown lead in the second quarter when a bad snap sailed over Silvers’ head and linebacker Colton McDonald scooped it for a 56-yard fumble return to make it 22-13. Fine later found Michael Lawrence for a 13-yard TD on a diving catch near the sideline, making it 22-20.
But early in the third quarter, Fine’s short pass was deflected back to linebacker Hunter Reese, whose interception set up Silvers’ keeper to make it 29-20.
Troy widened the lead when Silvers rifled a 59yard touchdown pass deep down the middle to Tevaris McCormick, who had 107 yards on five catches.
LAS VEGAS — Cedrick Wilson caught 10 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown, Kekaula Kaniho returned an interception 53 yards for a score and No. 25 Boise State beat Oregon.
Brett Rypien threw for 362 yards and two touchdown passes — with two interceptions — to help the Broncos (11-3) break a three-game losing streak against Power 5 opposition. Ryan Wolpin rushed for two touchdowns.
Troy Dye and Tyree Robinson each scored a defensive touchdown, and Justin Herbert was 26 of 36 passing for 233 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Ducks (7-6) in new head coach Mario Cristobal’s debut.
Boise State forced four turnovers in the first half, taking a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on Wolpin’s 1-yard touchdown run and Rypien’s 26-yard scoring pass to Wilson. Haden Hoggarth added a 39-yard field goal before an off-balance Herbert heaved a pass toward the sideline that was easily picked off and run back by Kaniho, who also had a strip-sack.
Oregon clawed back into it with two defensive touchdowns in the final minute of the first half. Dye recovered a fumble on a botched Statue of Liberty handoff and returned it 86 yards for a touchdown with 37 seconds remaining to get the Ducks on the scoreboard.
A 65-yard reception by Wilson to set the Boise State single-season record for yards receiving got the Broncos right back in the red zone, but Robinson picked off Rypien’s pass in the end zone and took it back 100 yards on the longest interception return in school history with 7 seconds remaining to make it 24-14.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Conner Manning threw for 276 yards and a touchdown to lead Georgia State to a winning record with the first bowl victory in the school’s eightyear football history.
Manning threw a 42-yard touchdown pass pass to Roger Carter, Demarcus Kirk scored on a 26-yard run, and Kyler Neal finished a 16-play drive consuming nine minutes of the fourth quarter with a 1-yard scoring run that put Georgia State (7-5) up 27-10.
Mike White had TD passes of 54 and 4 yards to Deon Yelder and finished with 351 yards for Western Kentucky (6-7). Yelder had five receptions for 112 yards.
ATLANTA — Lamar Raynard scored on a 1-yard sneak with 38 seconds left and unbeaten North Carolina A&T won its second Celebration Bowl in three years.
N.C. A&T (12-0) won its fourth Historically Black College and University national championship. In 2015, the Aggies beat Alcorn State in the first Celebration Bowl. They also won titles in 1990 and 1999
Raynard completed 23 of 43 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown.
Grambling (11-2) beat North Carolina Central 10-9 last year in the title game.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Keion Davis rushed for 141 yards, including a 68-yard touchdown run, and Marshall had two other big scoring plays in a 31-28 victory over Colorado State.
Chase Litton threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns, helping the Thundering Herd (8-5) hold off the Rams (76).
Tyre Brady had 165 yards receiving and gave the Thundering Herd the lead in the second quarter with a 76-yard touchdown reception. Tyler King added a 90yard rushing touchdown.
The Thundering Herd are 11-2 in bowl games — 5-0 under current head coach Doc Holliday.
For Colorado State, it was another disappointing postseason. The Rams have lost four straight bowl games, and lost four of their last five this season after a 6-2 start.
Nick Stevens threw for 320 yards and ran for two touchdowns for the Rams, but was sacked five times. Olabisi Johnson had 119 yards receiving, but Stevens was unable to connect consistently with standout Michael Gallup. Colorado State’s offense began to surge in the fourth quarter with 14 points, but Marshall’s defense was able to hold the Rams.
Colorado State is 6-11 in bowl games.