Troy ‘D’ too much for Ohio Bobcats

Associated Press

Mobile, ala.

Jordan Chunn had three short touchdown runs and Troy intercepted four passes in a 28-23 victory over Ohio in the Dollar General Bowl on Friday night.

The Trojans (10-3) finished off their first 10-win season since moving up to the FBS in 2001, thanks largely to a defense that came up with three big fourth-quarter stops. The first Sun Belt Conference team to crack the Top 25, Troy forced 18 turnovers in its last five games.

The Bobcats (8-6) settled for field goal attempts twice in the fourth quarter, making one, and got one more chance from their own 15 with 2:20 left and no timeouts. They managed one first down but Greg Windham couldn’t throw for another one under heavy pressure.

Louie Zervos had made a 37-yard field goal with 4:01 left to cut Troy’s lead to 28-23. They had first down from the 12 before a personal foul penalty against lineman Jake Pruehs.

Chunn found little room to run except near the goal line against the nation’s sixth-ranked run defense. He had 56 yards on 20 carries.

Deondre Douglas gained 113 yards on six catches. Ohio’s Jordan Reid had 12 catches for 162 yards.

Troy’s fourth interception came courtesy of 315-pound defensive tackle Trevon Sanders. One play later, Chunn powered in for a touchdown and a 28-17 third-quarter lead.