( dpa ) – Quarterback Collin Sexton threw a pair of touchdown passes and cornerback Justin Allgood had an interception on defense as No. 24 Coastal Carolina beat Troy 35-28 in overtime on Saturday to remain undefeated.
The win moved the Chanticleers into sole possession of first place in the Big South Conference. Coastal Carolina won its 10th straight and tied South Carolina State for the most wins in a season since 2009.
Sexton threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Raheem Blackshear, who hurdled a Troy defender in the end zone and was tackled by Central Florida transfer CeCe Jefferson. The Buccaneers responded with an 18-yard field goal by Brennan Archer to take a 28-27 lead with just over two minutes remaining in regulation.
Coastal Carolina went 75 yards in 1:43 for the winning score.
On the first play of overtime, Archer missed from 28 yards, then the Chanticleers marched 80 yards in 3:09 to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Blackshear, capping the scoring.
Anthony Johnson led the Chanticleers with 163 yards rushing and Joseph Daniels and Darren Guidry had touchdown catches for Coastal Carolina.
Kyle Ford, who had two interceptions in the second half, ran for a pair of touchdowns for Troy.
The game featured touchdowns of 90 and 61 yards for the Troy offense, as well as a 61-yard pass from Jake Ervin to Xavier Barnes in the third quarter.
Ford ran 71 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. He carried the ball seven times for 107 yards. Ervin ran for 88 yards and also threw a scoring pass.
The Buccaneers squandered a couple of chances in overtime to win the game. Ervin ran for 22 yards in four plays, but was tackled just shy of the goal line. The next possession, Ervin had a first down before he was stopped at the goal line. Ervin was also stripped of the ball on the ensuing play, with Allgood picking it up.
The first half was more even. Both teams scored on the opening drive.
The Chanticleers took the lead with a 74-yard touchdown pass from Sexton to Jalen Holmes, while Ford matched it on a 5-yard touchdown run.
The Chanticleers took a 13-7 lead with their second long drive of the first half. Sexton completed a swing pass to Dre’Mont Jones to the Troy 3, with Ellison Jordan scoring on the next play.
The Eagles responded with a 15-play, 95-yard drive that was capped by a 39-yard touchdown pass from Ford to Diante Faulkner with four seconds left.
Jones and Cameron Craddock each caught touchdown passes for Coastal Carolina. Craddock also rushed for an 8-yard score.
The Chanticleers have a 3-0 record for the first time since 2011. Troy dropped to 1-2.
Daniels caught seven passes for 99 yards for Coastal Carolina.
Ford ran 26 times for 201 yards. Faulkner caught six passes for 72 yards and Barnes caught two passes for 67 yards.
Troy finished with 355 yards of total offence, with 325 of those yards rushing.
