Troy handcuffs Marshall
DeWhitt Betterson rushed for the go-ahead touchdown and Troy’s defense held Marshall to 177 total yards in a 17-15 non-conference victory Saturday in Huntington, W.Va.
The anemic offensive production by Marshall was its lowest since it opened its stadium in 1991. It was only the sixth loss Marshall has had at home since that time, and its first season-opening home loss since 1977.
Betterson’s one-yard touchdown run with 7:33 left in the third quarter gave Troy a 17-9 lead, one it wouldn’t relinquish.
Marshall (0-1) responded with 2:05 left in the third on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Stan Hill to Josh Davis, but Hill’s two-point conversion attempt was deflected at the line.
Alabama 48, Utah St. 17
Brodie Croyle threw two touchdown passes and the Crimson Tide took their first step toward rebounding from a losing season, beating the Aggies in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Croyle, who underwent surgery on his non-throwing shoulder in December, had scoring passes of 57 yards, to Keith Brown, and 19 yards, to Clint Johnson. He completed 16 of 22 passes for 205 yards with no interceptions.
The Aggies, coming off a 3-9 season, have lost 14 of 15 road games, including eight straight dating to 2002.
Arkansas 63, New Mexico St. 13
Matt Jones completed 13 of 16 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown to lead the Razorbacks to a victory over the overmatched Aggies in Fayetteville, Ark.
The Razorbacks’ only returning offensive starter, Jones also ran for 38 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game after the first drive of the third quarter.
Arkansas’ defense, an overall more-experienced squad, held the Aggies to 216 yards of total offense.
La-Lafayette 14, NW St. 7
Jerry Babb threw a 10-yard touchdown pass and ran for a touchdown to lead the Ragin’ Cajuns to a victory over the Demons in Lafayette, La.
In the first quarter, Babb scored on a 2-yard run with 5:24 left in the quarter. In the second quarter, he threw a 10-yard TD pass to Travis Smothers with 13:08 left.
The Ragin’ Cajuns held off a fourth-quarter effort by Northwestern State to rally. But Antwain Spann picked off a pass with 2:26 left to kill the drive.