‘Fun Belt’ meets the SEC: What Troy said about chaotic game against South Carolina
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At times, Troy football coach Chip Lindsey felt Saturday’s game against South Carolina had the feel of a Sun Belt Conference game for its wild momentum swings.
The Trojans are members of the Sun Belt Conference, which has earned the nickname of “Fun Belt” for the league’s often unpredictability, high-scoring offenses and such teams as the fun-loving Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. Troy and USC had plenty of twists and turns but the Trojans came up short, 23-14, in trying to knock off the Southeastern Conference opponent.
“The league we are in the Sun Belt, it seems like we have a lot of those kind of games, shootouts and those kind of things. It felt a little like that but never probably the emotional turn as sudden as they were, with turnovers and so forth.,” Lindsey said. “Both teams played hard. Shane (Beamer) has got his guys playing hard in his first year. I was impressed but proud of my guys, too.”
As part of the game contract, Troy earned $1.4 million from South Carolina, but it was looking to add to Sun Belt’s success over Power 5 teams. Last year, Louisiana beat Iowa State and Arkansas state beat Kansas State. Coastal has defeated Kansas two straight years. In 2019, Appalachian State defeated the Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium.
The Trojans were coming off a 29-16 loss to Louisiana Monroe last week in which ULM returned an interception 96 yards to change the momentum of the game. On Saturday, USC’s David Spaulding returned an interception for a touchdown. Then there was the wild fourth quarter.
The Gamecocks’ Jaylan Foster sacked Troy quarterback Taylor Powell and forced a fumble. USC’s Damani Staley picked it up but fumbled it, then Jahmar Brown returned it for what seemed to be a 62-yard touchdown but flipped the ball to the referee just before crossing the goal line. Troy was awarded the ball at its own 20 but couldn’t take advantage.
“Talk about an emotional roller coaster. Went from mad to relief and what is it going to be? We were fortunate there,” Lindsay said. “That would have been another turnover for the touchdown. Worked out in our favor. We didn’t take advantage of it. Crazy turn of events. That is the way the game of football is, I guess.”
Troy forced a turnover later in the fourth when Richard Jibunor sacked USC quarterback Luke Doty, forced a fumble and recovered it at Gamecocks’ 40. But Troy turned it back over three plays later. Television replays appeared to show two Trojan players with their hands around the ball as a pile formed on the ball, but USC’s Zacch Pickens was credited with the recovery.
“We thought we recovered it but they said they didn’t have enough to overturn it. That is how it goes,” Lindsay said. “At the end of day, we should have not put the ball on the ground.
“Turnovers seemed to be the difference. Defensively, proud of our guys. We matched their intensity and matched their physicality, which is something we challenged our guys to do. We got after the quarterback some. Offensively, the turnovers are disappointing and came at critical times.”
This story was originally published October 2, 2021 at 9:00 PM with the headline "‘Fun Belt’ meets the SEC: What Troy said about chaotic game against South Carolina."
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