In a thrilling season‑opening matchup on Saturday night in Troy, Alabama, the Troy Trojans edged Sam Houston State 24-21. Quarterback Goose Crowder was the catalyst, delivering three touchdown passes and guiding the offense to a decisive win.

Key Plays and Scoring Summary

The game remained deadlocked at 14‑all heading into the second half. Early in the third quarter, Troy’s Ethan Head opened the scoring with a 32‑yard field goal, giving the Trojans a 17‑14 lead. Shortly thereafter, Crowder connected with tight end TJ Lott on an 18‑yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 24‑14 with just under 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Sam Houston State rallied late, as quarterback Landyn Locke found wide receiver Chris Reed for a 31‑yard touchdown with just over a minute remaining, narrowing the gap to 24‑21. However, Troy recovered the ensuing onside kick, sealing the victory.

Individual Performances

Crowder completed 12 of 24 pass attempts for 165 yards. He was aided by receivers TJ Keyes and Fabian Rogosch, each catching a touchdown pass, while running back Gavin Griffin contributed 81 rushing yards on 16 carries.

Locke posted a prolific passing day, completing 30 of 46 attempts for 335 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Wide receiver Grady O’Neill added a touchdown reception and finished with 86 receiving yards on seven catches.

Looking Ahead

The Trojans will host Alabama State at home this Saturday, aiming to build on the momentum from their opening win.

Original reporting: Alabama News Network — read the source article.