<div><p><p>TROY — With black or green hats on their head and green beads around their necks, Troy players had some big-time celebrating to do before they hit the Big Easy.</p> <p>Despite huge personnel losses from a year ago, the Trojans are outright Sun Belt champions.</p> <p>They proved it on the field, dismantling the two teams who had a chance to catch them in the final two games, capping it off with a 35-9 win over Arkansas State Saturday night at Movie Gallery Veterans Stadium.</p> <p>With the win, the Trojans (8-4, 6-1 SBC) are going to the New Orleans Bowl for the second time in three years and are set to face Southern Miss on Dec. 21.</p> <p>But with the win, the Trojans don’t have to share the Sun Belt title like they did the past two seasons.</p> <p>“All of our hard work this summer, spring, camp, this is what we worked for,” wide receiver Mykeal Terry said. “It’s worth it. Last year (after a season-finale loss to Florida Atlantic), I didn’t want to walk off the field. It’s a good way to leave it.”</p> <p>Levi Brown threw for 181 yards and three touchdowns and DuJuan Harris ran for 72 yards and two scores. Troy jumped out to a 21-0 lead at the half and didn’t allow a point until the fourth quarter when Brown was tackled in the end zone for a safety. ASU got a late touchdown against Troy’s second-string defense.</p> <p>In the last two games against Arkansas State and UL-Lafayette, both bowl-eligible teams, Troy outscored the opposition 83-5 with the first-stringers in the <br /> game.</p> <p>“We’re on a roll,” wide receiver Jerrel Jernigan said. “The defense played their tails off. The offense has passed and ran well. I like our chances against anybody in the nation on our home field.”</p> <p>Brown threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Cornelius Williams in the first quarter and hit Xavier Moreland for a 6-yarder in the second. Harris’ 6-yard run with a minute left in the first half gave Troy a 21-0 lead.</p> <p>Austin Silvoy caught a 24-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter and Harris capped the scoring for Troy with a 12-yard run.</p> <p>It’s remarkable for the Trojans, who lost several faces of the program from last year’s squad, including three NFL players in Leodis McKelvin, Elbert Mack and Gary Banks.</p> <p>Two-time Sun Belt Player of the Year Omar Haugabook left, as well as linebacker Marcus Richardson, running backs Kenny Cattouse and Sean Dawkins, wideout Josh Allen, kicker Greg Whibbs and defensive linemen Shawn Todd, Chris Bradwell and Marcus Pittman.</p> <p>“It’s the first time we’ve got a title alone,” safety Tavares Williams said. “There’s no one to share a title or rings with. It says a lot about the program. It shows how the coaches go out and get great players. We had some great players behind the guys last year, and they stepped up this year.”</p> <p>Troy got interceptions from Williams and defensive back Terence Moore. ASU got 332 yards but held the ball for nearly 37 minutes to Troy’s 23. Troy also had a goal-line stand in the second half, and Williams recovered a fumble at its 4-yard line.</p> <p>The run game picked up as the Trojans ran for 156 yards, most of it late.</p> <p>“When they got in a three-man front, we gashed them pretty good,” Blakeney said. “We got them tired and ran for a couple of scores late.”</p> <p>Troy honored its seniors before the game, and had two recruits on official visits — running back Demond Dennis of Atlanta and wideout Maurice Langston of East Central (Miss.) Community College.</p> <p>“We’ll lose 21 of these and they’ve been mighty dog-gone good through the years,” Blakeney said. “They’re good men and good people and we’ve got plenty of holes to fill, but tonight will sure help with recruiting.”</p> <p>Troy overcame season-ending injuries to quarterbacks Jamie Hampton and Tanner Jones and defensive end Kenny Mainor, and had two of its stars — Jernigan and Bear Woods — dealing with injuries during the last part of the year.</p> <p>“We’ve dealt with some adversity, and we’ve been able to come out of it,” Blakeney said. “This bowl preparation ought to be fun for us. We want our kids to be fresh, have good morale and play our ass off when we get there.</p> <p>“Excuse me for the a-double-s.”</p></p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=38321995&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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