Trojans remember sting of loss

TROY — Neal Brown is looking forward to tonight’s nationally-televised game between Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee.

The last time Troy’s offensive coordinator had a chance to watch FAU on national TV, he stayed as far away from it as possible.

That was when FAU was playing in the New Orleans Bowl last December, playing in a bowl that Troy coaches and players felt they should have been playing in, but the Owls disrupted those dreams with a season-ending 38-32 win in Troy last year. Instead, they spent the two weeks before the bowl doing things other than practicing.

Tonight, FAU and MTSU play on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. Troy (2-2) won’t play again until next Tuesday, when the Trojans play at FAU next Tuesday on ESPN2 at 7 p.m.

“I did not watch the New Orleans Bowl,” Brown said. “I know (FAU) got after them pretty good. I went home a few days early. I spent the two weeks before out recruiting more than I wanted to be and went back (home) to Kentucky a couple of days before I wanted to, but I did not watch that game.”

The loss still stings for Troy players.

As it should, since Troy dominated the Sun Belt last year for six games, never winning by fewer than 17 points. Both Troy and FAU were 6-1 and while the Sun Belt declared both champions, there was no celebration in Troy.

“We played well enough to win the conference,” Brown said. “Except for that game. It’s the same song and dance. Turnovers killed us that game. It’s frustrating because I really felt like we were the best in the conference leading up to that game.”

Head coach Larry Blakeney rewarded the players with championship rings, and the trophy sent in from the Sun Belt recognizes Troy as 2007 Sun Belt champions.

“That was more for the kids,” Blakeney said of the rings. “FAU was the champions last year and we were the champions in 2006 (when Troy beat MTSU and went to the New Orleans Bowl, but both teams were tied at 6-1).”

Last year, Troy was doomed by two third-quarter fumbles that FAU recovered and eventually scored touchdowns. FAU built a 35-12 lead early in the fourth quarter, but Troy scored three touchdowns, sandwiching in an Owl field goal. Troy had the ball 1st and 10 at the FAU 32, but turned it over on downs as FAU celebrated a title on Troy’s home turf.

“I felt like I wanted to cry,” left tackle Chris Jamison said. “It was tough coming all the way back and losing just like that. It’s just tough.”
Linebacker Bear Woods did watch last year’s New Orleans Bowl, where FAU beat Memphis 44-27.”

I had my clock set for it,” Woods said. “I wasn’t going to miss it. It hurt to watch it. Being at home, that’s a bad feeling.”

He did say he pulled for the Owls, as did Jamison and other players who said they watched the game.

“I did pull for FAU,” Woods said. “I wanted them to represent the Sun Belt good. I’m pretty good about my sportsmanship, I think. I tried to stay level-headed, and I’m glad they did well for the conference.

“But it should have been us. There was no doubt in my mind that we were going to be there. As bad as we played for three and a half quarters, I felt very confident that Omar (Haugabook) was going to drive us down the field. It’s like a storybook, but without the happy ending.”

Production notes: ESPN2’s broadcasting crew will have Rece Davis doing play-by-play with Lou Holtz and Mark May as the color analysts and Rob Stone as the sideline reporter. The last time this crew called a Troy game, the Trojans beat MTSU 45-7 in Troy last year.