Saturday, November 22, 2008

Greetings from empty Troy stadium

We're here at Troy's Movie Gallery Veterans Stadium to see the Trojans take on Louisiana-Lafayette with the winner clinching at least a share of the Sun Belt championship.

Not that Troy fans would care. It's about 80 minutes until kickoff and traffic is, shall we say, sparse. The stands are, well, pretty dang empty. Check back for updates -- even if you're not one of the 15 devoted Troy fans out there, somewhere.

Troy may want to consider an idea to "bolster" the fans in the stands. See picture.

4:58: The Trojans have found one solution to the dearth of fans. Some U.S. soldiers will be joining us. The troops are forming up outside of the stadium for a march inside.

6:05: The last fans arrived via helicopter. It landed on Troy's practice field past the north end zone. Still, a weak, weak showing by the supposed Trojan Nation.

6:20: Troy scores on its first drive and leads 7-0. The offensive line was a star. Center Danny Franks started a 21-yard DuJuan Harris with an effective cut block. The rest of the line opened a sizable gap for Harris.

6:32: As laughable as Troy's fan support is tonight, Troy's defense has been the opposite. La.-Lafayette has three straight three-and-outs to start the game.

6:34: Nice punt by DuJuan Harris. He runs 67 and fumbles, giving La.-La. the ball at the 4.

6:45: The Cajuns tried a 43-yard field goal and Troy turned it into points. Cameron Sheffield blocked it and Jorrick Calvin returned it 65 yards for a touchdown. Troy's last block was Nov. 5, 2005 against Florida Atlantic by Leodis McKelvin.

6:48: That was the first blocked field goal return for a TD for the Trojans in coach Larry Blakeney's reign.

7:04: Cajuns kick field goal. Yada, yada, yada.

7:19: Trojans benefit from an overturned call, kick field goal. The fans are giving such a lackluster effort that we weren't sure if the kick was good until the referee signaled it. The "fans" behind the end zone simply caught the ball.

7:28: Jorrick Calvin is your first-half MVP. Calvin made an interception at the 5 to end a Cajun threat. It's halftime and 17-3.

8: The Cajuns have Troy right where they want 'em. Troy just scored to make it 24-3 ... about the same situation Troy faced last week at LSU. I think we know how that turned out.

8:16: The Trojans have muscled up in this game. The offensive line is blowing the Cajuns off the ball and it's now 31-3. Troy has 278 yards rushing and DuJuan Harris has a career-high 161. Now, it's the exact same situation Troy faced in the third quarter last week at LSU.

8:19: Announced attendancs is 19,443, which includes at least 5,000 dressed as empty seats.

8:43: It's now 34-3. I don't think even Troy could blow this. The scoring drive lasted a season-high 17 plays and a season-high 8:10.

8:50: 41-3 and DuJuan Harris is sitting at 234 yards rushing after a 30-yard TD.

8:53: That 234 is 10 yards shy of the school record set by Eddie Brundidge in 1984.

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