Troy clamps down on Texas State for 17-14 win

TROY, Ala. (AP) — Gunnar Watson and Jarret Doege threw touchdown passes and the Troy defense stifled Texas State in the second half to give the Trojans a 17-14 victory on Saturday, their fourth straight.

The Bobcats took a 14-10 lead as Layne Hatcher connected with Lincoln Pare for a 64-yard touchdown on the third play of the second half. Texas State only had 41 yards on its final five drives.

Carlton Martial led the defense with 11 tackles.

The Trojans put together a nine-play, 79-yard drive capped by Doege finding RaJae Johnson for a 23-yard touchdown with 11:45 remaining.

Watson found Tez Johnson down the middle for a 74-yard scoring catch-and-run in the second quarter and added a late field goal for a 10-0 lead for Troy (5-2, 3-1 Sun Belt Conference). Texas State (3-4, 1-2) went 75 yards in just over two minutes, scoring on a 3-yard Lincoln Pare run with 22 seconds left in the first half.

Watson (240) and Doege combined for 299 yards as Troy had 406 yards of offense. Hatcher threw for 207.

There was just one turnover and five penalties in the game.

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