Ohio is not known for its passing game, so the Bobcats try to confound Troy’s expectations by going deep on the second play of the game. And Phil Bates connects with Jimmie Anderson on a beautiful catch at the Trojans 22. The only problem is that Anderson is not a member of Bates’ team, and Troy takes over.
Watching Troy’s offense is somewhat exhausting in its own right; the Trojans are known for the hurry-up rhythm that has become more famous at schools like Oregon. And they zoom down the field on 10 plays, with a 12-yard touchdown run by Jerrel Jernigan capping off the drive. Jernigan runs for 25 yards total on the drive, and Corey Robinson is 4-for-4 for 22 yards.
But Ohio rebounds, this time leaving the deep pass to Boo Jackson. Jackson hits Steven Goulet for a 34-yard scoring strike, the only pass of the drive, and the Bobcats have gotten things even again.