JONESBORO, Ark.?Dominique Williams' interception on the goal line helped Arkansas State to a perfect home record and remain in the Sun Belt Conference title race as the Indians knocked Troy out of the New Orleans Bowl hunt, 9-3, in another defensive game between the two schools.
Williams' interception may have salted the win, but couldn't overshadow the overall defensive effort.
“Defensively, what else can I say that hasn't already been said about our defensive effort,” asked ASU head coach Steve Roberts in his post-game press conference. “I'm very excited about the way they played. They flew around the field and played physical football. I thought we had great pressure up front out of our defensive line.”
Eric Neihouse booted a 27-yard field goal to push the ASU lead to 9-3 with just 3:01 left to play. His kickoff dropped into the arms of Leodis McKelvin, who took the ball at the Troy 4 and returned it to the 41.
From there, the Trojans began moving the ball down the field with the help of some untimely penalties by the Indians. But the worst penalty of all for the Tribe seemed to be when a false start by the Trojans was called, but an ASU player played through and knocked down the quarterback for a personal foul. The penalty moved the ball to the ASU 18 with under a minute remaining.
The next play, quarterback Julian Foster looked left and threw right, into the teeth of ASU's zone coverage and where ASU's Williams was lurking. Williams' interception, the first of his career, came in his first start.
“I haven't said anything about this, but (starting cornerback) Montis Harrison goes down Tuesday with a season-ending dislocated shoulder,” said Roberts. “Dominique Williams steps in and they picked on him and Dominique stood up and took it and made some plays. I couldn't be more pleased with that young man that he came up and made the big play for us with the ball game.”
For the Indians (5-4, 4-2) it is another week of remaining in the race for a bowl berth and a winning record. For Troy (4-6, 3-3), the only bowl team last season that the Indians defeated, any hopes of a conference title or bowl game bid are gone.
It didn't seem to be that way early on as the Trojans scored early in the first quarter. After a three-play, four-yard drive by the Indians, Eric Neihouse booted a 43-yard punt from the ASU 21.
Leodis McKelvin fielded the ball on the Troy 36 and scampered 56-yards to the ASU 8. The return put ASU's defense in a hole on the first defensive series of the game for the Tribe.
But the ASU defense stiffened and did not allow the Troy offense beyond the three. A Greg Whibbs 20-yard field goal put Troy up, 3-0, with 10:58 left in the first quarter.
And that was all the points that Troy would muster the remainder of the night.
The Indians scored the first of three field goals when Eric Neihouse, kicking with the wind, nailed a 49-yard field goal as the clock rolled over to halftime, tying the game at three.
ASU's defense again found inspiration at Indian Stadium, limiting the Trojans to just 167-yards of total offense, including 98-yards passing and 69 rushing.
Antonio Warren's streak of six straight games with 100-yards rushing came to a halt. His totals for the night were 22 carries for 70-yards.
The Indians next face Army for an out-of-conference tilt in West Point, N.Y. Kickoff for the game has been moved to 11:00 a.m. Central to accommodate an ESPNU broadcast of the game.
