James Madison fends off Troy 16-14 in Sun Belt Conference opener
James Madison gets crucial 4th-down stop to beat Troy
Troy's pass falls incomplete on 4th-and-15 as James Madison hangs on for a 16-14 victory.
TROY, Ala. -- — Jordan McCloud threw for 200 yards and a touchdown and James Madison held on to beat Troy 16-14 in a Sun Belt Conference opener for both teams on Saturday.
Troy, which trailed 16-7 entering the fourth quarter, put together a 10-play, 47-yard drive that eventually ended when Gunnar Watson threw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-15 at James Madison's 43-yard line with 34 seconds left.
Watson threw a 14-yard touchdown to Devonte Ross to give Troy its only lead at 7-6 with 11:10 before halftime. James Madison (3-0, 1-0) regained the lead when McCloud tossed a 9-yard score to Elijah Sarratt for a 13-7 lead with 2:24 before halftime.
Camden Wise — who went 3 for 3 -- made a 32-yard field goal with 9:32 remaining in the third quarter for the Dukes' final points. Early in the fourth, Watson led an eight-play, 63-yard drive that concluded with his 24-yard scoring pass to Jabre Barber with 13:49 remaining.
Watson finished with 332 yards passing, two touchdowns and an interception.
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Game Information
2023 Sun Belt Conference Standings
| Team | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| James Madison | 7-1 | 11-1 |
| Appalachian State | 6-2 | 8-5 |
| Coastal Carolina | 5-3 | 7-5 |
| Old Dominion | 5-3 | 6-6 |
| Georgia State | 3-5 | 6-6 |
| Marshall | 3-5 | 6-6 |
| Georgia Southern | 3-5 | 6-6 |
| Team | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| Troy | 7-1 | 11-2 |
| Texas State | 4-4 | 7-5 |
| South Alabama | 4-4 | 6-6 |
| Arkansas State | 4-4 | 6-6 |
| Louisiana | 3-5 | 6-6 |
| Southern Miss | 2-6 | 3-9 |
| UL Monroe | 0-8 | 2-10 |
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