Box Score

Final Stats  |  Postgame Notes

TROY, Ala. – Black Friday turned into bleak Friday for Texas State in a 42-28 loss to Troy Friday afternoon. The Trojans made too many explosive plays on offense to overcome the Bobcats and drop Texas State to 6-6 on the season and 2-5 in the Sun Belt Conference.
 
Duke DeLancellotti made his first career start and made some highlights. He rushed for the most yards by a Texas State quarterback all season, finishing with 72 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns and added two mored touchdowns through the air.

In addition, he completed Texas State's longest pass of the season, a 70-yard play to Brandon Smith early in the fourth quarter. DeLancellotti faked a run left then surprised the Troy defense with a pass to Smith, standing completely behind the Troy defense, who ran all the way to the one-yard line before Troy could bring him down. DeLancellotti punched it in on the next play.
 
The big play gave Texas State life to help pull the Bobcats within 14 points, 35-21, but another Troy score in the fourth quarter would keep the game out of reach.
 
After turning the ball over on an interception on Texas State's opening drive, the Bobcats rebounded to score the first points of the game.
 
Texas State's defense held Troy to just five plays for minus two yards to force a punt. The Bobcat offense promptly responded with a 12-play, 80-yard drive that culminated in a DeLancellotti touchdown toss to Ryan Carden for seven yards. The touchdown pass was the first of DeLancellotti's career and the third touchdown catch of the season for Carden.
 
Troy didn't take long to respond, scoring just 1:04 later on a 58-yard pass down the right side, the longest scoring play against the Texas State defense all season. It was the longest scoring play against Texas State since ULM returned two interceptions for 71 and 75 yards on Oct. 12.
 
The Trojans kept the pressure on with a 10-play drive that stretched over 4:12 to end the first quarter and start the second. On the two-yard line, Troy committed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that backed the Trojans up to the 17-yard line. However, on the next play Deon Anthony ran a quarterback draw for 16 yards to put the Trojans just one yard away from their second touchdown of the day. Running back Jordan Chunn finished the drive with a run up the middle to claim a 14-7 lead for the home team.
 
In the back-and-forth first half battle, it was Texas State's turn to score and the Bobcats obliged. DeLancellotti led a seven-play drive for 56 yards that saw him do what he does best: run. The biggest play of the drive was a run up the middle for DeLancellotti for 17 yards from the Troy 29-yard line. The quarterback showed great field vision on a play that saw him wind his way to the right then up the middle. He capped the drive with a run off the right side for a six-yard touchdown to tie it up, 14-14. Texas State racked up 129 yards rushing in the first half.
 
The very next drive, Troy was able to score again with another quick strike. This time, Troy used a 43-yard pass from Anthony to Eric Thomas on 2^nd-and-1 from midfield for the last score of the opening half.
 
Each team had two more drives before the half, but neither could convert. Texas State drove to Troy's three-yard line and went for it on 4^th-and-2 only to see an incomplete pass bobbled out of bounds for a turnover on downs.
 
In the second half Troy continued to score, going up 35-14 on the Bobcats, but Texas State struck quickly at the start of the fourth quarter. DeLancellotti hit his big pass to Smith and followed with a touchdown run to pull the Bobcats within two scores, 35-21, with most of the final quarter to play.
 
Unfortunately, Troy answered to keep the cushion in the lead. Texas State added a late touchdown with a DeLancellotti three-yard pass to Isaiah Battle for the receiver's second touchdown catch of the season, but it would not be enough.
 
Friday's game concludes the regular season for Texas State. The Bobcats, a bowl eligible team, will find out Sunday, Dec. 8, if they will be awarded a bowl game appearance. Continue to check www.txstatebobcats.com for updates.