Troy defeated Idaho 24-21 on Thursday night. The game was controlled by the Vandals for most of the first half. Quarterback Matt Linehan played a stellar game, going 23-of-34 for 282 yards with two touchdowns. The Vandals’ offense was prolific the entire game. The win moves Troy to 7-2 overall on the season. Idaho falls to 3-6. The Trojans face Coastal Carolina next in another Sun Belt clash.
Troy Defeats Idaho
Troy didn’t let up when the Vandals took the early lead. Brandon Silvers and the offense came out on a hot start. But Silvers threw an interception early in the red zone to give the Vandals the ball. The Trojans finished the game with 395 total yards. Idaho finished with 378.
Trojans Offense Was Key
Running back Jordan Chunn had a stellar outing in his first game back in a few weeks. Chunn finished with 113 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. Chunn still ranked second in rushing yards all time behind Trojan great DeWhitt Betterson. Having Chunn back was crucial for Troy in this matchup. The backfield was more prolific than it had been since he went down to injury. Silvers went 20-of-30 for 212 yards and a touchdown. Wide Receiver Damion Willis led the Trojans with 60 receiving yards on three receptions. This game was a lackluster at receiver for Troy. Silvers started out with four incompletions. Jamarius Henderson finished with 32 rushing yards on three carries. Chunn also tied Danny Green’s school record with 45 career touchdowns.
Defense Played A Stellar Game
On defense for Troy, Tron Folsom led the team with a whopping 16 tackles. He had never had that many tackles in a game. Seth Calloway was ejected late in the fourth quarter due to a targeting call that could have went either way. Linebacker Sam Lebbie recorded seven tackles for the Trojans. Cedarius Rookard recorded six tackles.
Fight to the Finish for Idaho
For Idaho, Linehan had 282 passing yards and two touchdowns while going 23-of-34. Star tailback Aaron Duckworth rushed for 65 yards on 13 carries. Their offense was prolific the entire game.
As for the Vandals’ defense, they didn’t let up on giving in to Troy. The defense was there on every play. Tony Lashley led the team in tackles with 11. The Vandals made it a game with :23 left when Mason Petrine found David Ungerer for a touchdown.
Post Game Reactions
Coach Neal Brown said after the game that “Linehan will be an NFL quarterback”. He also added that Troy didn’t “play their best game.” Jordan Chunn also spoke and said that he “felt good” to be back on the playing field with his team. He had been out after suffering a leg injury in October against South Alabama. Troy’s defense had six sacks, which ties for third most in a Sun Belt game for Troy.
Folsom spoke following the game and was shocked to find out he recorded 16 tackles. He spoke about his feat, saying, “I’ve never had 16 tackles, even in high school.” Every player that spoke after that game gave credit to Idaho quarterback Matt Linehan. Linehan did suffer an injury late in the game, but it was undisclosed. This win positions Troy in a quality spot to remain in the hunt for then Sun Belt title. A win over Coastal next weekend would signify that even more.
