Another narrow Sun Belt loss
TROY, Ala. — Idaho struck first, but Troy scored the next 17 points and hung on to beat the Vandals 24-21 in Sun Belt Conference football game Thursday night broadcast nationally on ESPNU.
The Vandals (3-6, 2-3 Sun Belt) have lost their three conference games by a combined 11 points.
Idaho trailed Troy (7-2, 4-1) 17-14 with five minutes to play when Troy lined up to kick a short field goal. The kick was good, but Idaho committed a running-into-the-kicker penalty and the Trojans elected to take the 5 yards and set up a fourth-and-1. Troy converted on a sneak by quarterback Brandon Silvers and on the next play Jordan Chunn scored from 7 yards to put the home team up 24-14.
Chunn returned after missing two games to rush for 113 yards and two touchdowns.
The Vandals put together an 81-yard drive and scored a touchdown with 23 seconds left to provide the final margin. The ensuing onside kick was recovered by the Trojans and they ran out the clock.
Matt Linehan completed 23 of 34 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns. Linehan moved up to second on Idaho’s all-time passing yards list. He now has 10,772 yards, just 52 shy of Doug Nussmeier’s all-time record. Linehan hit Alfonso Onunwor for both touchdown passes. It is the first multi-score game of Onunwor’s career.
However, Linehan left the game with an apparent injury to his right arm or hand during Idaho’s final drive.
Onunwor’s first touchdown grab came from 7 yards out and put the Vandals ahead 7-0 with 3:02 left in the first quarter. Troy tied the game with 6:01 left in the second and capitalized on an Idaho penalty late in the half to set up a 40-yard field goal as time expired.
The Trojans scored on the opening drive of the second half to take a 17-7 lead, but it was the only score of the third quarter. A 23-yard touchdown from Linehan to Onunwor capped a 91-yard drive and brought the Vandals within three at 17-14 with 8:55 to play.
A few plays after Linehan left the game, backup quarterback Mason Petrino connected with David Ungerer on a 6-yard touchdown pass for Idaho’s final tally.
Idaho’s first touchdown came after the Vandals forced a turnover. Aikeem Coleman recorded a sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery at midfield. It was the first fumble recovery of the season for Coleman.
The Vandals return to action Nov. 18 against Coastal Carolina in the home finale.
Chunn scored his 44th career rushing touchdown in the second quarter to tie it at 7 and Tyler Sumpter made a 40-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to give Troy a 10-7 lead. In the third, Tevaris McCormick was left wide open along the right side for a 14-yard touchdown to make it 17-7.
Idaho’s two third-quarter possessions ended on failed fourth-down attempts at Troy’s 33 and 34. On its third drive of the second half, Kaden Elliss’ 45-yard catch up the middle set up Alfonso Onunwor’s second touchdown grab of the game to pull within 17-14.
Idaho 7 0 0 14 — 21
Troy 0 10 7 7 — 24
First Quarter
IDA—Onunwor 7 pass from Ma.Linehan (Coffey kick), 3:02
Second Quarter
TRY—Chunn 16 run (Sumpter kick), 6:01
TRY—FG Sumpter 40, :00
Third Quarter
TRY—McCormick 14 pass from Silvers (Sumpter kick), 11:55
Fourth Quarter
IDA—Onunwor 23 pass from Ma.Linehan (Coffey kick), 8:55
TRY—Chunn 7 run (Sumpter kick), 4:12
IDA—Ungerer 6 pass from Petrino (Coffey kick), :23
IDA TRY
First downs 22 20
Rushes-yards 32-90 36-183
Passing 288 212
Comp-Att-Int 24-35-0 20-31-1
Return Yards 40 60
Punts-Avg. 3-26.66 3-32.66
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 1-1
Penalties-Yards 5-45 10-91
Time of Possession 32:53 27:07
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Idaho, Duckworth 13-64, Saunders 8-30, Ma.Linehan 10-1, Petrino 1-(minus 5). Troy, Chunn 18-113, J.Henderson 3-29, J.Anderson 6-21, S.Davis 1-9, McCormick 1-8, Silvers 6-5, (Team) 1-(minus 2).
PASSING—Idaho, Ma.Linehan 23-34-0-282, Petrino 1-1-0-6. Troy, Silvers 20-30-1-212, (Team) 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING—Idaho, Onunwor 9-111, Sannon 6-66, Ungerer 6-52, Duckworth 2-14, K.Elliss 1-45. Troy, Eafford 4-19, Willis 3-60, Douglas 3-28, J.Johnson 2-37, McCormick 2-27, Thompson 2-19, Chunn 2-13, S.Davis 1-6, J.Henderson 1-3.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—Idaho, Coffey 40.