Troy junior quarterback Tucker Kilcrease had the best game of his career through the air as the Troy Trojans (3-2, 2-0 SBC) spoiled Texas State’s (3-3, 0-2 SBC) homecoming Saturday night at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos by a score of 48-41.
“[Kilcrease] played a great game and he’s a good player”, Texas State head coach G.J. Kinne said. “We were hitting [Kilcrease], we were right there in his face and his guys made plays, it’s a credit to him.”
Kilcrease, who had never topped 300 passing yards previously, threw for 415 yards and five touchdowns. Kilcrease’s favorite target was junior wide receiver DJ Epps, who eclipsed 100 yards for the first time all season, finishing the game with 10 catches, 142 yards and two touchdowns.
Offensively, the Bobcats found success on the ground. When the first quarter came to a close, the Bobcats had already recorded four rushing scores.
The first of the four rushing touchdowns came when Redshirt freshman QB Brad Jackson made a trip to the end zone to cap off the first drive of the game.
Senior running back Lincoln Pare scored three rushing touchdowns overall, with two of them occurring in the first quarter from seven and 62 yards out. Sophomore RB Greg Burrell exploded through the middle of the Trojans’ defense with a 59-yard house call as well in the action-packed quarter.
The Bobcats struggled mightily defensively as they have all season. The Trojans netted points on every one of their offensive possessions in the second half.
“In the second half, we couldn’t get off the field”, Kinne said. It’s frustrating because you’re so close, so many third and longs, so many fourth downs, and you gotta be able to get off the field in those situations.
The game slipped out of the Bobcats’ hands in the first and only overtime period of the night.
After Troy found the endzone on its possession, Texas State was forced to try and do the same, but the Trojan defense stood tall, stuffing back-to-back rush attempts on third and fourth-and-one, ending the Bobcats’ hopes of a homecoming victory.
After two gut-wrenching losses in a row, the Bobcats look to get back in the win column on the road against Marshall, who just blew out Old Dominion by a score of 48-24.
Kickoff versus Marshall is set for 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct.18, at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+
