North Texas let Troy know they were going to do everything they could to win the game when on the kickoff they tried some trickery with a reverse to Lance Dunbar but he was stopped at the 14 yard line. After allowing one first down North Texas was forced to punt. Will Atterberry’s hang time forced Troy to call a fair catch at the 27 yard line.

Troy was moving the ball when Linebacker Ryan Downing ripped the ball out from the running back near the 43 yard sideline which was recovered by Brandon Akpunku . North Texas started to move toward the endzone. They move down the field and were aided in the march when Tight End Andrew Power got a rare catch for a first down. North Texas moved to the 15 yard line when Thompson on a great play fake to Dunbar carried the ball in for the score. After the Zack Olen extra point, North Texas had their first rare first quarter lead at 7-0.

On the kickoff, it looked like Troy might run the ball back but Jamaal Wilson got the tackle at the 37 yard line.  Troy, using a fast pace offense, took the ball down the field to tie the score with 4:15 left in the first quarter.

Brandon Byrd took the kickoff out to the 28 yard line. From there, North Texas started to move downfield for their second score. It started out with Christopher Bynes’ catch on the first play of the series at the 45 yard line. North Texas moved the Troy 43 yard line. From there a 39 yard pitch and catch to Bynes put the ball at the four yard line. On three plays Troy held but a shovel pass to Dunbar on third down resulted in Dunbar hurting his knee.  He was able to walk off to the sidelines and later returned but was injured again. North Texas was forced to kick a 21 yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead.  

The first quarter ended with North Texas on top and Troy at the fifty yard line. North Texas stopped the Trojans at the UNT 49 yard line to force a punt which went out at the 15 yard line.

James Hamilton took over for Dunbar and moved the ball out to the 24 yard line on the first play. He followed up with a first down to the 28 yard line.  North Texas was stopped and forced to punt. Atterberry punted the ball 50 yards to the Troy 23 yard line but Troy returned the ball to the North Texas seven yard line. However, a block in the back call on Troy wiped out the 70 yard return to give them the ball at the 15 yard line.

On the second play of the series, Aaron Bellazin pushed into the backfield to force the quarterback to alter his throw which allowed Royce Hill to knock the ball away from the receiver. The defense held on third down forcing a punt giving North Texas the ball at the 32 yard line.

After Troy forced North Texas into a third and long, Ivan Delgado got the first down on a tough catch at the 48 yard line. On the next play Hamilton caught the corner and raced for a 52 yard touchdown. After the extra point, North Texas jumped out to their largest lead on the road this season at 17-7.

Troy carried the kickoff out to the 24 yard line and moved out to the 46 yard line where North Texas forced a fourth down. Troy went for it and made it. After a couple of plays, Stephen Ford went for the interception, the ball hit him on the numbers which was deflected into the receiver hands for a touchdown. Troy closed the game to 17-14.

Brian Chancellor took the kickoff to the 23 yard line. Dunbar re-entered the game but was re-injured. On third down, Derek Thompson was pressured causing him to throw an bad pass which resulted in an interception at the 36 yard line. Troy then moved the ball from there for a touchdown taking a 21-17 lead.

Chancellor took the kickoff out to the 30 yard line. Thompson was able to move the ball to the Troy 46 yard line via the passing game. Delgado got the ball to the six yard line but it was negated by a holding call. Hamilton’s catch and run moved North Texas to the 28 yard line. From there, Thompson threw to Delgado in the back of the endzone. Delgado tiptoed his toes inside the field of play to give North Texas a 24-21 lead with 42 second left in the half.

Troy carried the kickoff to the 23 yard line where they were stopped by Helbert Jackson. On the next play Troy ran to the North Texas 44 yard line with 27 seconds left.  Jeremy Phillips and Akpunku teamed up to sack Troy at the 48 yard line and the half ended on the next play with North Texas up 24-21.

The second half kickoff was returned by Troy to the 43 yard line when the receiver was stopped by Olen. After a personal foul, Troy was stopped and forced to punt. The ball went out at the North Texas 15 yard line.

On third down play, Chancellor caught the ball and moved it out to the 42 yard line. North Texas moved to the 37 yard line of Troy where they went for it on fourth and one but were short by inches. Head Coach Dan McCarney challenged the spot of the ball but the replayed showed the officials were correct.

On the next series of plays, Troy went for the homerun ball but Ford got the interception at the four yard line. 

Troy held on the next series forcing the punt. They were able to bring the ball back to the North Texas 44 yard line. From there they passed their way to a touchdown, the extra point was no good giving Troy a 27-24 lead.

Chancellor got the kickoff at the five yard line and moved the ball out to the 19 yard line. North Texas was unable to move the ball and was forced to punt. Atterberry punted the ball to the 18 yard line.

The fourth quarter started with North Texas holding Troy forcing a punt and getting the ball back at the 34 yard line. After several short passing plays, Thompson loaded the arm up and hit a big 46 yard touchdown strike to Bynes giving North Texas the lead again at 31-27.

Troy carried the kickoff to the twenty yard line where North Texas put the pressure on first and second downs. On the second down, the pressure got to the Troy quarterback who was stripped of the ball. Ryan Boutwell had the chance to get the ball but it was eventually Alexander Lincoln recovering the pigskin at the six yard line.

Hamilton got his second score of the day on the first play of the series. After the extra point North Texas took a 38-27 lead.

Olen kicked the ball out of the endzone giving Troy the ball on the twenty yard line. They moved the ball down the field for the score. Troy went for two but Bellazin ran down the quarterback forcing an errant throw making it a 38-33 game with 7:43 left.  

Chancellor caught the kickoff at 16 moving the ball out to the 35 but a holding call moved the ball back to the 22 yard line.  North Texas moved the ball into Troy territory but were forced to turn the ball over to Troy with 15 seconds left after a fourth and ten try failed.

Troy was able to run one play to end the game. The result was North Texas gets their first road win of the season and the first road win at Troy.

It was the first time under Troy’s Head Coach Larry Blakeney tenure they have lost five in a row and they are now out of contention for any bowl. North Texas keeps their slim bowl hopes alive.

North Texas returns to Apogee Stadium to take on Western Kentucky this Saturday at 6 PM