HARRISONBURG, Va. – Hayden Wolfe booted a game-winning 27-yard field goal in overtime as Troy rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to stun James Madison, 24-21, Thursday night at Bridgeforth Stadium.
Troy's win avenged last year's Sun Belt Championship Game and, in the process, ended the Dukes' 11-game home winning streak.
The Trojans (4-4, 2-2 SBC) won the coin toss in overtime and elected to play defense. James Madison (7-2, 2-2) picked up one first down before Keno Jones stuffed Seth Cromwell on 4th-and-1 from the 5-yard line.
Troy kept the ball on the ground in overtime, rushing six times for 16 yards, including a critical 8-yard gain by Gavin Griffin on 3rd-and-6 from the 21-yard line.
People are also reading…
Wolfe, who missed from 49 yards on Troy's final possession of regulation, booted the game-winner straight down the middle of the uprights, marking Troy's first game-winning field goal in the final minute of play or in overtime since 2020.
Troy's defense forced five turnovers in the victory, three of which came on interceptions by Justin Powe, tying a Troy school record. The biggest came on the second play of the second half, when he picked off JC Evans and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown.
Powe became the first Trojan since Montres Kitchens at Idaho in 2014 to intercept three passes in a game. He's the first player nationally since App State's Tae Hayes (Oct. 7, 2017) to record three interceptions, two pass breakups and a touchdown in a game.
The Trojan defense held the Dukes off the scoreboard over the final 38:41 of the game after the home team jumped out to a 21-7 lead, including touchdowns on its first two drives.
Jones finished with a game-high 13 tackles and a fumble recovery, while Donnie Smith recorded his seventh sack of the season. It was Smith's 16th game with a sack over the past two seasons, the most in the country.
Jaheim Merriweather tied the game with a 28-yard touchdown run with 7:36 left in the third quarter. It capped a three-play drive after Jordan Perry jarred the ball loose from Jeremiah Harrison and Miquon Merriweather recovered the fumble.
Griffin put the Trojans on the board with a 1-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter. It was a critical drive for the Trojans after JMU scored on two Camden Coleman touchdown passes, building a 14-0 lead.
Quotable – Troy head coach Gerad Parker
"What a moment for our football team, for Troy, and for all the people back home. We're still Troy; it just took us a half to get there. I'm just so happy for our staff, players, and for all of Trojan Nation."
Up next
Troy returns to The Vet on Saturday, Nov. 7, for Homecoming against Sun Belt newcomer Louisiana Tech (5-2, 3-0). Kickoff between the Trojans and Bulldogs is set for 3 p.m.
Notable
- Troy improved to 4-6 all-time in overtime; the Trojans have won three straight overtime games and four of their last five after losing their first five overtime games.
- Troy improved to 109-64 all-time in Sun Belt games; the Trojans have 13 more wins than any other SBC team since 2004.
- Troy ended James Madison's 11-game home winning streak, which was the sixth longest in the country.
- Quarterback Tucker Kilcrease made his first start of the season and the 10th of his career.
- Gavin Griffin rushed for his third touchdown of the season to put Troy on the board on the first play of the second quarter. Griffin has a touchdown in three of the last four games.
- Jaheim Merriweather tied the game at 21-all with a 28-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter. It was Merriweather's fifth rushing touchdown of the season.
- Troy rushed for 170 yards in the game; the Trojans have won 12 of their last 16 games when rushing for 100 or more yards.
- Tucker Kilcrease completed 15-of-30 passes for 179 yards and rushed 17 times for 40 yards in place of the injured Goose Crowder.
- Troy forced five turnovers in the game; the most by a Troy team since forcing five UTSA turnovers in the 2022 Cure Bowl.
- Troy's five turnovers forced are tied for the sixth most nationally this season.
- The game marked Troy's 18th game since 2016 with four or more turnovers forced; the most in the country.
- Justin Powe tied the Troy school record with three interceptions, including one he returned 37 yards for a touchdown. He is the first Trojan since Montres Kitchens (Nov. 15, 2014, at Idaho) to intercept three passes in a game.
- Justin Powe is the first player since Louisiana Tech's Amik Robertson (Oct. 19, 2019) to have three interceptions and two pass breakups in a game. He is the first player since App State's Tae Hayes (Oct. 7, 2017) to have three interceptions, two pass breakups and a touchdown.
- Justin Powe intercepted his first pass of the season and fourth of his career in the second quarter; it's his first interception since Oct. 26, 2023, vs. Louisiana.
- Justin Powe intercepted the second play of the second half and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown. It marks Powe's first game with multiple interceptions.
- Justin Powe's interception return for a touchdown was Troy's first of the season and 20th since 2020; Troy's 20 defensive TDs since 2020 are the fourth most in the country.
- Troy held JMU to 21 points and 408 yards; the Dukes were averaging 50.3 points and 491.8 yards per game at home this season.
- Doug Nelson forced his first career fumble, which was recovered by Keno Jones in the second quarter.
- Donnie Smith recorded his seventh sack of the season. He now has a sack in 7-of-8 games this season and in 16 games over the last two seasons. His 16 games with a sack since 2022 are the most in the country. He also has a tackle for loss in 19 games the last two seasons, the most in the country.
- Keno Jones finished with a game-high 13 tackles, a Troy high and his second straight game with double-digit tackles.
- Delvin Whitaker recorded his second career sack.
- Troy finished with two sacks, its 40th game since 2022 with multiple sacks in a game.
- Hayden Wolfe hit a 27-yard field goal in overtime to win the game for the Trojans; it was his first career field goal made at Troy after missing his first two attempts.
- Hayden Wolfe's game-winning field goal was Troy's first in the final minute of the game or overtime since Evan Legassey's 47-yard field goal with two seconds remaining to beat Eastern Kentucky on Oct. 17, 2020.
