Troy at Appalachian State, Mr. C's Official Game Thread

[Mr. C]

After some of the wonderful Internet woes we are learning to expect, we are now live from Kidd Brewer Stadium as these two old I-AA powers do battle.

On the third play from scrimmage ASU DE Ronald Blair made a great read on a screen, intercepted a pass and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown.

On its third drive, Troy responded with a running-fueled drive to score and tie the game at 7-all.

With under six minutes left in the first period, a bad spot from those wonderful Sun Belt officials led to App State being a yard short on third down and the Mountaineers punted on fourth down.

[Mr. C]

App State has been sluggish on offense. Starting right tackle Bo Nunn had season-ending ankle surgery, my reports told me and the Mountaineers have been hit with three holding penalties already.

[Mr. C]

On third and five from the Troy 41, Trojan QB Brandon Silvers misfires on a swing pass and Troy must punt it back to ASU with 3:54 left in the first period.

[Mr. C]

App State responded with a nice drive to recapture the lead on a 7-yard pass from Taylor Lamb to Simms McElfresh at the end of the first period. A big completion on a perfect timing route from Lamb to Bobo Beathard moved the ball to midfield and keyed the 9-play, 89-yard, 3:49 drive.

[Mr. C]

Troy has responded to drive the ball to the ASU 5 where it is third and goal. A badly thrown Silvers' throw on the fade route went awry on second down. 10:27 left in the second period and Troy has called a time out.

[Mr. C]

Kidd Brewer Stadium has been the home of the worst press box Internet I've experienced in some time. Here is an update on the game.

On third down, Silvers throws the fade route while his receiver ran a stop route. Field goal attempt by Jed Solomon from 22 yards is good.

Appalachian State 14
Troy 10
10:16 left in the second quarter

17 plays on the drive

[Mr. C]

ASU followed with a 29-yard Zach Matics FG to make it 17-10 at the half, but Troy shocked the Mountaineers by recovering an onside kick to start the third quarter, hit a deep post on the next play and Silvers scored from the one on third and one to tie the game at 17.

App State's offense remains inconsistent and was forced to punt, but CB Tae Hayes came up with his first career interception to give ASU the ball back at the Troy 41 with 12:04 left in the third period.

[Mr. C]

At the half, ASu had a 219-181 advantage in total offense, with Terrence Upshaw leading the way with 58 yards rushing on 7 carries. Lamb was 7-of-11 for 75 yards and a TD.

[Mr. C]

Comeback route by Montez McGuire and an on-the-money pass from Lamb gives ASU a first down at the 26 and consecutive runs by Upshaw and Cox move the ball to the 3. First and goal.

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Offsetting unsportsmanlike penalties on the two teams after the play.

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Cox up the middle to the one. 2nd down.

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Same dive play on second down and he is submarined at the two. Third and goal.

[Mr. C]

Play action off the dive fake and Lamb hits on a rollout pass to TE Burns at the left pylon.

6 plays, 41 yards on the drive.

Appalachian State 24
Troy 17
9:52 left in the third period.

[Mr. C]

The difference in this game are two interceptions given up by Troy's QB Silvers.

[Mr. C]

Unsportsmanlike on Troy after the kick return. 1st down at the Trojan 13. Sun Belt officials have thrown a lot of those today.

[Mr. C]

Big third down conversion from Silvers to Ruben at the Troy 49.

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Post play Silvers to Holmes to the ASU 14.

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Burks turns the corner on one of the few successful outside runs for Troy to the 7.

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Flakes carries to the five on a dive. 3rd and one and Silvers with the read option run for the TD.

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7 plays, 87 yards, 2:53 on the drive

5-yard run by Silvers ties the game at 24 with 6:59 left in the third period.

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Touchback will give App State the ball at the 25.

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Cox powers OT left to the ASU 31.

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Cox runs to the 30.

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Lamb to Cox on the pass for a first down at the 39.

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Cox thrown down after a run to the 42. 2nd and 7.

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Lamb hits Beathard on a sideline route at the Troy 44.

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Upshaw has to reverse field, but is dropped for a 3 yard loss

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Nice out pattern by Malachi Jones and Lamb is on target at the Troy 29.

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Cox slashes off tackle on the right side to the 19. Another first down for ASU.

[Mr. C]

Read option with jet sweep motion for Cox to the 14. Flag down, Face mask penalty on Troy makes it first and goal at the 7.

[Mr. C]

The garbage Internet service went out after the penalty. A pass interference penalty on Troy gave ASU a first and goal and Lamb scored on an option keep to make it ASU 31, Troy 24 with 1:09 left in the third period.

14 plays, 75 yards, 5:15 on the drive

[Mr. C]

Troy returns the kickoff to the Trojan 24.

[Mr. C]

Stephen Burns stops Silvers for a 2-yard loss as the third quarter ends.

[Mr. C]

Third and 12 and Silvers overthrows his target on the sideline. Big stop for ASU as Troy punts.

ASU takes over at its own 34. Upshaw with two runs to the 36.

[Mr. C]

Three and out as App State punts.

[Mr. C]

Slant complete to John Johnson at the Troy 36.

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Johnson drops a TD pass behind the secondary at the ASU 25.

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Third and long and another drop as Latrell Gibbs makes a deflection in ASU territory.

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Bad rugby kick goes is shanked to the ASU 35. Mountaineer ball with 11:50 left and a chance to all but put things away again.

[Mr. C]

Cox for six and Lamb with a bad decision and a two-yard loss. Third and 6 as Troy's defense hangs in there.

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Malachi Jones with a brilliant route and run for 38 yards to the Troy 23.

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Blitz and sack on Lamb as Calloway makes a big play for a loss to the Troy 31.

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Cox runs to the 29, flag down. Fourth holding penalty of the day on ASU.

[Mr. C]

Play action fake, good coverage and Lamb makes an iffy decision to run. He is down at the 34. 3rd and long. Bad pass is intercepted and returned to the Troy 30 by LeMarcus Farmer.

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Troy goes for the deep post again, but ASU defends for an incompletion. 2nd and 10 at the 30.

[Mr. C]

Second down counter draw for 2. Third and 8.

[Mr. C]

Silvers is burried by an inside rush, but completes a first down at the Troy 45. Loss of two on the next play.
26,130 attendance today.

[Mr. C]

Third and 3 at the ASU 48, Silvers audibles and completes a sideline pass at the 42. 5:50 left.

[Mr. C]

Another first down for Troy on a pass to the ASU 22.

[Mr. C]

Flakes runs as Troy spreads the field and has a first down at the 11. TD from Silvers to Rubin.

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Appalachian 31
Troy 30

PAT to follow with 3:49 left.

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False start on Troy, PAT is good, 31-all

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11 plays, 70 yards on the drive with a 7-yard TD pass from Silvers to Rubin to tie it for Troy.

[Mr. C]

Touchback and ASU will take over at the 25 with 3:49 left.

[Mr. C]

Two runs are stuffed. 3rd and 11.

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Lamb is sacked with 2:28 left on the clock.

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ASU will punt from the Mountaineer 23.

[Mr. C]

Time out No. 2 on Troy as the clock runs down to 1:59.

[Mr. C]

Big moment for Bentlee Critcher, the ASU punter. He punts to the 19, but it is returned to the 36 with 1:45 left.

[Mr. C]

Troy goes back to the bubble screen for minus 1

[Mr. C]

LOng throw is covered, third and 11. Draw play goes to the 39. Punt time for Troy with 1:05 left.

[Mr. C]

Break for the Mountaineers as the rugby punt misses the sideline and bounces into the end zone. First down ASU at the 20 with 58 seconds left in a 31-31 game.

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Lamb is flushed on the first down pass and throws it away.

[Mr. C]

Screen to Cox who runs to the 30 for the first down with 43 seconds to go

First down pass to Cox for zero. Time out No. 3 for ASU with 30 seconds left.

[Mr. C]

Bad throw by Lamb at McElfresh's feet. 3rd and 10 with 25 seconds left.

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Screen pass to Cox is tipped away with 21 seconds left. Punt time for ASU and overtime likely.

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Fair catch for Troy at the 21. Flag down.

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Block in the back on Troy moves the ball back to the 11.

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Overtime after Troy downs the ball

[Mr. C]

First overtime at Kidd Brewer Stadium since Jerry Moore's final game as coach against Illinois State in the 2012 playoffs.

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First overtime at Kidd Brewer Stadium since Jerry Moore's final game as coach against Illinois State in the 2012 playoffs.

[Mr. C]

Flakes scores from 3 yards out to give Troy the TD.

Troy 38
ASU 31

Mountaineer possession to come

[Mr. C]

Troy interferes with Montez McGuire, spot foul at the Troy 15.

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Lamb to Meadors on a dump to the 11. 2nd and 6.

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Lamb to Meadors on a dump to the 11. 2nd and 6.

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Cox on the run after jet sweep motion to the 7.

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Lamb option keep for 1 to the 6. 4th and 1

[Mr. C]

With the play clock winding down Cox slams to the 2 for a first down and Lamb keeps for the TD

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Matic's PAT sends the game into a second overtime

38-38

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Troy will defend ASU at the 25

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Near pick and also holding on ASU's first play

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2nd and 20 from the 35 for ASU

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Option to McElfresh to the 24.

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Cox slams to the 21.

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Lamb overthrows Meadors in the end zone. 4th and 6 and Matics is on for the field goal

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Matics from 38 yards is good

App State 41, Troy 38

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Troy gets its chance from the 25

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QB draw for Silvers to the 23. 2nd and 8

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Silvers scrambles on good coverage and gets to the 16. 3rd and 1

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Good anticipation for Blair and Troy is stopped short. Field goal attempt for the Trojans.

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35 yard attempt

[Mr. C]

Injury to an App defender might ice the Troy kicker, Jed Solomon

[Mr. C]

Blair is helped off

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Time out App State to ice Solomon some more

[Mr. C]

Solomon hooks it through

Appalachian State 41
Troy 41

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Troy gets the ball to start overtime three

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Pass to Flakes out of the backfield to the 21. 2nd and 6

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Cutback by Burks to the 13. First down

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Silvers misses his receiver in the end zone on the flag route. 2nd and 10

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Conservative run for Burks to the 12. Third and 9.

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Swing pass to Flakes, who is stopped at the 5. Fourth down, Troy keeps the offense on the field then calls timeout.

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4th and two for Troy. Who will be the hero in this one?

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Troy will kick, then they run the fake and its stuffed. ASU ball

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Shovel pass from holder John Johnson is snuffed out

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Cox counter run to the 24.

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Lamb keeps on the follow to the 19. 3rd and 4

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Cox breaks outside and breaks tackles to the 5. First down

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Cox pounds to the 2. 2nd and goal

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Lamb makes a bad read on the read option. Down at the 7. 3rd down and Matics is on for the win

[Mr. C]

Through the center on the Matics field goal

ASU 44
Troy 41

First triple overtime for Appalachian since a 26-23 classic rivalry win over Furman on the road on Oct. 19, 1991.

[AshevilleApp2]

Wish I would have bet on the spread. Glad to get a win here.