Turnovers cost Trojans on Robinson’s career night
Published 11:42 pm Saturday, September 8, 2012
There was a familiar taste on Troy’s tongue after Saturday’s 37-24 loss to Louisiana-Lafayette. The same taste from 2011, sour and stale.
The Trojans again fell short on a night where quarterback Corey Robinson broke five career of single-game passing records. Troy has now lost seven of its last eight Sun Belt Conference games.
“It’s hard to talk about it after a game like that, but I haven’t done it alone,” the junior said after the game. “A lot of work goes into what we do. I just want to thank my coaches and my teammates for sticking with me.”
Robinson set new career marks at Troy for passing attempts (1,103), passing yards (7,786) and total offense (7,591). He also set personal, single-game highs with 46 completions, 70 attempts and 485 yards. It was Robinson’s second career 400-yard game as he threw for 404 against UAB in 2010.
That was all Troy could positively take away from Saturday’s Sun Belt Conference and home opener.
The Trojans (1-1, 0-1) scored first on an 11-yard run by Deon Anthony with 12:15 left in the first quarter. The Ragin’ Cajuns (2-0, 1-0) tied things up nine minutes later when quarterback Blaine Gautier scampered 10-yards for the touchdown.
Gautier injured himself after the touchdown and would not return, putting the game into the hands of backup Terra Broadway.
That’s when it seemed the tide would turn.
On the ensuing drive, Troy had picked up two first downs when Robinson completed a pass to Chandler Worthy. As Worthy fought for extra yards down the Troy sideline, he fumbled the ball. Louisiana-Lafayette’s Jemarlo Moten scooped it up at the Ragin’ Cajuns 44 and raced 56 yards for the score. Troy trailed at that point 14-7 and would never regain the lead.
“We had it reviewed but review proved that it was a legal play,” Troy head coach Larry Blakeney said. “That is a rough turn of events. We’re headed down field and all of a sudden they’re headed the other way for six.”
Worthy would end up with a career-high 154 yards receiving.
Brett Baer hit two 25-yard field goals in the second quarter. Another from 32 yards in the third would give Baer the Sun Belt Conference record of 18 consecutive made attempts dating back to last season.
Troy, who committed three turnovers while Louisiana-Lafayette had none, pulled to within three, 20-17, with a Will Scott field goal with 9:50 left in the third quarter, but could get no closer as Louisiana-Lafayette answered with 17 points before Robinson found Eric Thomas for a score in the waning moments of the game.
“We wanted this one real bad,” Robinson said.
I’ve said it before, we’re not very big fans of each other. We’ve got a big one coming up with an SEC opponent (Mississippi State) coming into our house. We’ve got to get a lot better if we want to compete with them.”
Robinson finished the game 46-for-70 for 485 yards and two touchdowns.
The Trojans have now lost seven of its last eight Sun Belt Conference games.
“You may not can beat a team, but you sure can’t beat a team if you’re giving them turnovers and penalties,” Blakeney said. We’re a little behind the eight-ball right now, but you never know when we might peak out from behind it.”
The loss marked the first in a home opener for the Trojans in 25 seasons.
Troy will host Mississippi State next week. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.