Troy wins on the road against North Texas

[Harry]

DENTON, Texas – Troy took a page out of its old-school playbook and won a game with its defense.

The Trojans, known for defensive prowess in its early years of FBS football, gave up some yards to North Texas, but kept the Mean Green off the scoreboard for the final three quarters in a critical 14-7 Sun Belt Conference win at Apogee Stadium.

North Texas certainly helped Troy, missing three field goals and turning the ball over on downs in Troy territory twice in the fourth quarter, but it was Troy’s defense that stood tall in the win.

“We knew they were going to try to pound it down our throat,” said defensive tackle Derrek Upshaw, who had five tackles (1.5 for loss) “We took it as a personal challenge because we take pride in our interior defensive line and ‘backers.

“We practiced extra hard trying to stop the run and all those extra formations they were going to try to throw at is. We came out, heads down, trying to stuff them in the mouth.”

North Texas barely missed on two trick plays. The Trojans trailed 7-0 until the final minute of the second quarter, when Corey Robinson hit Jaquon Robinson on a 15-yard touchdown pass.

On Troy’s second drive of the third quarter, the big play came. On a third and six, senior Chip Reeves was matched up with North Texas freshman Zac Whitfield. Reeves did a juke move on Whitfield, broke free and caught a deep pass for a 76-yard touchdown.

“We had 1-on-1 coverage with a freshman out there. I took Chip,” Corey Robinson said.

Read more: http://www2.dothaneagle.com/sports/2012/sep/22/troy-wins-road-against-north-texas-ar-4605566/