2018 Dollar General Bowl

HISTORY 2018

TROY DOWNS BUFFALO IN FOURTH STRAIGHT BOWL WIN

MOBILE, Alabama – Sawyer Smith threw for four scores and the Trojans defense forced four turnovers as Troy won its school record fourth-straight bowl game, 42-32, over Buffalo in the Dollar General Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

Troy (10-3) broke the 10-win threshold for the third-straight season – 31 wins in all – after a dominating second-half performance that limited Buffalo (10-4) to just 8:11 of possession. Both the three straight 10-win seasons and 31 wins are school records.

Smith, who earned MVP honors, had a career game passing the ball, as the sophomore completed 31 passes on 44 attempts. Smith’s favorite target was Damion Willis, who he connected with 13 times for 101 yards and two touchdowns – breaking the bowl record for receptions that he set in the New Orleans Bowl last season.

The Bulls found pay dirt on an 11-yard touchdown run just 1:48 into the ballgame, but the Trojans responded on the ensuing drive with a 60-yard score from Sawyer Smith to Tray Eafford. The two teams traded touchdowns in the second quarter, but Buffalo took a 17-14 lead into the break after a last-minute field goal – marking the first time the Trojans have ever trailed at the half in a bowl game.

After the half, Troy marched down the field to retake the lead and pulled off a sneak onside kick in what turned the momentum of the game in the Trojans’ favor. Overall, Troy scored on four of their seven possessions in the second half – including the kneel down at the end of the game.

Senior Sidney Davis iced the game with a couple of fourth quarter touchdowns, one receiving and one rushing. Davis caught a 45-yard pass early in the final frame and rushed in from 20 yards out with three minutes remaining.

The Bulls only scores of the second half came on a 93-yard fumble return and a late touchdown pass to cut into the Trojan lead.

The ball-hawking Trojan defense recovered three fumbles and picked off one pass in the game – the squad has forced 14 turnovers in the last three bowl games. Cedarius Rookard led the team with eight tackles and picked off his fifth pass of the season, while Carlton Martial tallied six tackles and forced two fumbles in the game.

Scoring Summary

UB – Patterson 11-yard run (Mitcheson kick), 13:12, 1st 0-7 TROY – Eafford 60-yard pass from Smith, S. (Sumpter kick), 11:47, 1st 7-7 UB – Marks 1-yard run (Mitcheson kick), 11:06, 2nd 7-14 TROY – Willis 7-yard pass from Smith (Sumpter kick), 6:15, 2nd 14-14 UB – Mitcheson 41-yard field goal, 0:52, 2nd 14-17 TROY – Smith, B. 2-yard run (Sumpter kick), 9:41, 3rd 21-17 UB – Hill 93-yard fumble return (Mitcheson kick), 5:23, 3rd 21-24 TROY – Willis 2-yard pass from Smith, S. (Sumpter kick), 14:13, 4th 28-24 TROY – Davis 45-yard pass from Smith, S. (Sumpter kick), 11:25, 4th 35-24 UB – Osborn 3-yard pass from Jackson (Nunn pass from Jackson), 7:24, 4th 35-32 TROY – Davis 20-yard run (Sumpter kick), 3:09, 4th 42-32

Team Statistics

First Downs Rushes-Yards Passing Yards Passes Att-Comp-Int Total Offense Plays-Yards

UB

20 33-102 274 35-20-1 68-376

TROY

21 31-113 320 44-31-0 75-433

RUSHING - (BUFFALO) Patterson 15-67 (TD), Marks 10-40 (TD), TEAM 1-(-1), Jackson 7-(-4); (TROY) Smith, B. 20-93 (TD), Davis 1-20 (TD), Jones 1-4, Daughtry-Frye 1-2, Smith, S. 5-(-1), TEAM 3-(-5)

PASSING - (BUFFALO) Jackson 20-35-1-274 (TD); (TROY) Smith, S. 31-44-0-320 (4 TD)

RECEIVING - (BUFFALO) Johnson 5-67, Nunn 4-87, Osborn 4-57 (TD), Mabry 2-17, Marks 2-12, Patterson 1-23, Overton 1-7, Rushing 1-4; (TROY) Willis 13-101 (2 TD), Davis 4-62 (TD), Douglas 4-35, Jones 4-28, Eafford 3-69 (TD), Daughtry-Frye 1-17, Whittemore 1-5, Smith, B. 1-3