The Troy Trojans capped off an impressive 11-win season on Saturday with a 50-30 win over the North Texas Mean Green in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. It didn’t come without a strong fight from the Mean Green. North Texas never gave in to Troy, and continued playing until the final whistle of the game. For Troy, quarterback Brandon Silvers had a phenomenal day, going 24-of-31 for 305 yards and four touchdowns. The Troy seniors leave on an impressive note. They have won 21 out of their last 26 games over two seasons. Troy set a New Orleans Bowl record with 50 points.
Troy Wins New Orleans Bowl; Defeats North Texas 50-30
Coming into the game, Coach Neal Brown knew this would be a physical and competitive fight from North Texas. Following the game, Brown stated, “Their quarterback (Mason Fine) is as impressive as they come. We knew this would be a competitive game from North Texas.” Brown has Troy in the conversation of the top Group of Five teams in college football. The Trojans successful 2017 season included a historic win at then 22nd-ranked LSU on September 30. That win in Death Valley gave the Trojans a ton of momentum for the rest of the season. Once they accomplished that, the team knew they could compete with anyone.
What a way to cap a historic season.@NewOrleansBowl Champions!#RTW pic.twitter.com/316S9a4RoK
— Troy Trojans FB 11 x ⚔️ (@TroyTrojansFB) December 16, 2017
Silvers Shines in Final Game
Silvers leaves Troy as the leader in touchdowns responsible for with 86. An impressive mark that has been set by other Trojan greats. The stellar career was capped off with an impressive five touchdown day, as he threw for four and rushed for one. Silvers will have NFL Scouts looking at him as the draft approaches this spring. But he shouldn’t take it for granted. The Troy offensive line played a pivotal role in Silvers staying in the pocket. He was named MVP of the game following his performance.
Mean Green Attack
For North Texas, Fine played a phenomenal game at quarterback. He finished 30-of-54 with 303 yards and three touchdowns, but also threw an interception. That interception was deflected and intercepted by Hunter Reese of Troy. That change of possession sparked the Troy offense, and they never looked back after that. But give the Mean Green a ton of credit. They played the best game they could have played against Troy. Fine is a talented quarterback with a lot of potential. This North Texas team won 9 games this season, and has a lot to be confident about. They’re heading in the right direction overall as a program.
Troy’s Dominant Success
Back to the Troy side. The Trojans have won 11 games for the first time ever. Their impression on the college football world has been set, and they will keep rolling in the future. Silvers and the other seniors played stellar careers. It should be noted that star running back Jordan Chunn did not play in this game. Brown said that “it was a mutual decision” to not play him. He wasn’t at 100% and really didn’t need to play. Even though it was his final game in a Troy uniform, his career was nothing but sensational.
Backup Josh Anderson stole the show, as he rushed for 113 yards on 22 carries and tallied two touchdowns. A big performance for the senior as he leaves his mark on Troy’s rising football program. Not only did the seniors have a stellar day, but freshman and backups did as well. The Trojans were down seven players due to injury. And wide receiver Deondre Douglas went down in the first quarter. As did John Johnson, who eventually came back into the game and played well. Damion Willis led the way at receiver, with 11 receptions for 135 yards and two touchdowns.
2017 New Orleans Bowl Was A Success
The New Orleans Bowl win by Troy caps off their impressive season. But this is not the end. The Trojans have 2018 to look forward to, and a lot of potential all across the board. Neal Brown has rebuilt this program and will continue to do so.
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