Best games of 2011: FIU versus Troy

Florida International 23, Troy 20 (OT)

In a game featuring the last two conference champions, Florida Internatonal was able to scrape by Troy in overtime, 23-20.

Florida International came out first with the ball, struggling to gain any yardage and punting after only 4 plays. After pinning Troy at their own 8-yard line, the Golden Panthers were about to force Troy into a 3-and-out punting from their own 15-yard line.

FIU started drive #2 at their own 34-yard line and drove down to the Troy 36-yard line before punting on a 4th-and-16. Carroll's punt went 12 net yards giving the ball back to Troy at the 24-yard line. The Trojan offense kicked into gear and went 76 yard in 6 plays capped by DJ Taylor's 14-yard touchdown to take a 7-0 lead with 5:24 left in the first quarter.

Do everything player TY Hilton took the kickoff and gave FIU great field position at their own 46-yard line. The Golden Panthers moved the ball to the Trojan 26-yard line before fumbling with Troy recovering at the 28-yard line. The Trojans could not capitalize on the turnover and pinned FIU inside their own 25-yard line.

Florida International was able to move the ball 61 yards in a 9-play drive that stalled out at the Troy 14-yard line. Jack Griffin booted a 32-yard field goal to cut the Trojan lead to 7-3 with 11:10 left in the first half. The teams traded punts until Florida International got the ball back at their own 10-yard line with 7:03 left in the half.

Again, FIU moved the ball downfield versus the Trojan defense but again self destructed with an interception at the Troy 20-yard line that Dimitri Miles returned to the 38-yard line with 1:50 left in the half. Troy moved to the FIU 35-yard line but were unsuccessful on a 4th-down pass giving the ball back to FIU with :01 left in the first half. FIU downed the ball to end the first half with Troy in the lead 7-3 in Miami.

Troy took the second half kickoff and went on an 8-play, 43-yard drive that ended with a punt from the FIU 34-yard line. The punt was downed at the Golden Panther 6-yard line giving FIU horrible field position to start the 2nd half offensively.

The field position issues were no problem for the Golden Panthers with Carroll hitting Wayne Times for a 76-yard touchdown pass on the 4th play of the drive. The extra point gave FIU its first lead at 10-7 with 10:42 left in the third quarter. After a 3-and-out that netted only 5 yard for the Trojans, FIU got the ball back again at their own 29-yard line.

FIU took control and went 71 yards in 6 plays capped by a 43-yard touchdown pass from Carroll to Jacob Younger to extend the Golden Panther lead to 17-7 with 6:31 left in the third quarter. Both teams traded the ball back and forth with Troy ending up back with the ball on their own 38-yard line with 4:34 left in the third.

Troy took the ball and went on a 6-play, 62-yard drive that ended with Shawn Southward rushing the ball in from 3 yards for a touchdown. The extra point attempt was missed cutting the Troy lead to 17-13 with 2:21 left in the third quarter. The Trojan defense then forced an FIU fumble that Tony Davis took 30 yards for a touchdown. After an extra point kick, the Trojans had the lead again at 20-17 with 1:29 left in the third quarter.

The teams traded punts with FIU getting the ball back at their own 14-yard line with 13:03 left in the game. The Golden Panthers went on a 13-play, 68-yard drive that put them in a 2nd-and-2 at the Troy 18-yard line. Yet again, FIU made a mistake fumbling the ball with Troy recovering at the 18 with 7:51 left in the game.

Troy went 3-and-out again punting the ball to Hilton. Hilton returned the punt 33 yards to the Troy 21-yard line. The Golden Panthers moved the ball down to the Troy 3-yard line before stalling the drive. Griffin made a 20-yard field goal to tie the game up at 20 with 3:31 left in the game.

Both teams traded punts with the 4th quarter ending tied at 20.

Troy was unable to move the ball in their opening overtime possession and were forced to attempt a 43-yard field goal. Taylor missed the long field goal giving FIU the opportunity win the game.

A steady dose of running back Kedrick Rhodes got the ball to the Troy 4-yard line with a 4th-and-1 opportunity. Jack Griffin nailed the 22-yard field goal to win the game for the Golden Panthers and unofficially end the 5 year rule of Troy in the Sun Belt.