Troy rallies for win over UAB, turns attention to Savannah State
Published 10:25 pm Monday, September 2, 2013
By Danielle Percival
The Troy Trojans capped off a second-half comeback with a 30-yard game-winning field goal by kicker Will Scott in overtime to defeat the UAB Blazers 34-31.
It was the second game-winning field goal of Scott’s career but he said the pressure is always high.
“I still get butterflies on every kick,” Scott said.
Scott was named the Sun Belt Conference Special Teams Player of the Week for the third time in his career.
To open the overtime period, the Trojan defense held the Blazers to a field goal attempt, but that attempt was no good.
The overtime victory is the first for the Trojans in the FBS.
Quarterback Corey Robinson, who already holds multiple career, single-season and single-game records at Troy, broke a national record Saturday night.
Robinson completed 30-of-32 passes for a completion percentage of 93.8%, which is the highest single-game completion percentage in FBS history with a minimum of 30 completions.
“No matter what I do or no matter what anybody as an individual does we got the win and so that’s what we’re hunting,” Robinson said.
Robinson finished 30-of-32 for 319 yards and a touchdown and was named the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week.
He also became the Sun Belt Conference record holder for career passing yards and completions on Saturday and is still the NCAA’s active leader in both categories.
Robinson has thrown for 10,577 yards in his career and completed 924 passes during his time at Troy.
His longest completion against UAB was the first play of the game to Deon Anthony for a 52-yard gain.
Anthony was the leading receiver and second leading rusher on the team with 61 yards and a touchdown.
His only score of the night was the touchdown needed to tie the game late in the fourth quarter.
“He was not going to be denied on that one touchdown and I commend him for that,” Robinson said.
True freshman Jordan Chunn led the team in rushing with 65 yards and a touchdown in his first collegiate game.
All ten of Chunn’s carries came in the second half.
“This young man has got a knack,” Blakeney said. “He’s got a big body, understands north and south and breaks tackles.”
The defense allowed 453 total yards to the Blazers but was able to get stops when necessary.
“I was really proud of our guys hanging in there,” Blakeney said. “Our defensive guys, they could have totally shut it down and they didn’t.”
Turnovers are one area of concern for Troy after fumbling four times and losing two of those fumbles.
“They didn’t really stop us,” Robinson said. “We stopped ourselves.”
Running back Brandon Burks scored his first collegiate touchdown to put the Trojans on the board 7-0 with 12:14 to go in the first quarter.
The Blazers answered back with two touchdowns in the first quarter and Ty Long tacked on a 50-yard field goal heading into halftime to give UAB a 17-7 lead.
Eric Thomas caught his first touchdown pass of the season halfway through the third quarter to cut the Blazers lead to 17-14.
However, the Blazers Jamarcus Nelson returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown to stretch UAB’s lead back to 10 points.
The Trojans trailed by as many as two touchdowns in the second half but continued to fight back in the fourth quarter.
“That showed me a lot about this team and about some of the guys on our football team that they have heart,” Robinson said.
In the fourth quarter, Chunn rushed for his first touchdown as a Trojan, and Anthony added on another score with 3:17 to go in the game to tie the Blazers.
It was a record setting night for Robinson, but where does it rank on his all-time list of football games?
“Number one in 2013,” Robinson said. “Anytime you win in this fashion it always goes up there to the top of your list.”
As always in football, having a short memory is key.
“UAB is over with,” Robinson said. “We got the win which is what we wanted to do.”
“The main thing we need to do is take care of ourselves,” Blakeney said. “If we do, we should be able to win.”
The Trojans will be back in action at Veterans Memorial Stadium Saturday evening at 6 p.m. against Savannah State.