Merriweather Runs for Three Scores as Troy Beats Alabama State
Jaheim Merriweather had 13 carries and three touchdowns, and Troy had Alabama State beaten by halftime. The final was 34-17, but the first half had it at 31-7.
It started with a 73-yard touchdown pass to TK Keyes early in the first quarter. Alabama State tied it on a 50-yard run by Jamarie Hostzclaw, and that was the only time it was level. Merriweather broke a 69-yarder to make it 14-7, and Ethan Head kicked a 24-yard field goal early in the second quarter. Then Merriweather scored from 6 yards with 3:41 left in the half and from 1 yard with 15 seconds left. Troy led 31-7 at the break. Troy never trailed, and Alabama State never got closer than 14 points after the break.
Alabama State did make the second half a game of sorts. John Austin caught a 19-yard touchdown from Andrew Body early in the third, and Andrew Abu-Akel kicked a 37-yard field goal to make it 31-17. Head answered with a 47-yarder with five minutes left in the third, and that was the end of the scoring. Troy never needed another touchdown.
The Trojans, for the record, piled up 428 yards, 227 on the ground on 38 carries (about six a pop) and 201 through the air, without a turnover. They are 2-0. Alabama State is 0-1.
If you had Merriweather, you had a week. His 32 points came after a 2.2 in the opener. Keyes added a big-play 22.9 on five catches and quarterback Will Crowder got 13.9 on 201 yards and one touchdown.