Troy notes: Brown’s streak comes to an end

Troy quarterback Levi Brown was six passes away from setting an NCAA record.

But on Troy’s second drive, Arkansas safety Matt Harris intercepted Brown’s first throw, leaving him at 265 passes without an interception. The single-season NCAA record of 271 was set by Fresno State’s Trent Dilfer in 1993.

The pass was intended for Chip Reeves. The play set up Arkansas’ second scoring drive, where the Razorbacks went 55 yards in 11 plays to take a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.

“It was really just not a very smart pass,” Brown said. “That’s why I had 200 and whatever straight attempts without a picks because I don’t normally do those kind of things. This time I did.”

Troy had two receivers running go routes, Brown said, and the safety didn’t bite when Brown thought he would.

“He didn’t move, so I should have just thrown it to the right, but I tried to throw it in. Not a very smart play, but it happens,” Brown said.

Brown hit 16-of-26 passes for 129 yards with three interceptions in the first half. The second interception went off the hands of wideout TeBiarus Gill, and the third interception was on a hail mary into the end zone at the end of the first half. He had thrown four all season coming into the game, and hadn’t thrown once since the first series of the third game, against UAB.

Another streak ends
Brown wasn’t the only quarterback who threw a ball to the other team, as Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett threw an interception late in the first half to Troy’s Bryan Willis. It snapped a streak of 141 passes without an interception, which briefly was the longest such streak in the country after Brown’s first interception.
Mallett’s 12th pass of the game broke the Arkansas record for most consecutive throws without an interception. He missed on just six passes in the first half, hitting 13-of-19 for 190 yards and two scores.

Arkansas coach misses game
Arkansas defensive coordinator and secondary coach Willy Robinson did not coach in Saturday’s game. According to an Arkansas release, Robinson was transported to Washington Regional Medical Center Friday morning and was hospitalized Friday night. He is being treated for an infection and, as of late Saturday afternoon, remained in the hospital but was resting comfortably.

Robinson’s duties were handled by various members of the Arkansas coaching staff.

Trick play works
Troy scored its touchdown of the third quarter on a trick play.

Jonathan Chandler, a little-used wideout who once played quarterback, snuck into the game and took a pitch from running back DuJuan Harris and threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Davis.

The score cut Arkansas’ lead to 35-20 with 8:21 left in the third quarter.

Chandler battled with Jamie Hampton, Levi Brown and Tanner Jones in the spring of 2008 for the starting quarterback job, which Hampton won. Chandler was moved to wide receiver that spring.

It’s not the first time Chandler has done that, as he went 1-of-2 last year with a 48-yard pass to Tanner Jones against North Texas.

Injury report
Defensive end R.J. Roberts missed the game with a knee injury suffered last week against Western Kentucky, but the sophomore from Enterprise did get good news — it’s not as bad as feared.

Roberts could return next week against Florida Atlantic. Offensive lineman Micah Grimes returned from an ankle injury suffered last week.

By the numbers
7 – Number of true freshmen Arkansas has started this year, second nationally and first in the SEC.
3 – Number of yards Jason Bruce got on his first career touchdown pass, a second-quarter reception.
1 – Number of wins Troy needs in the final two games to wrap up a fourth straight outright or share of a Sun Belt championship.
4 – Number of 300-yard games Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett has this season.
1998 — The last time an opposing QB threw for five touchdowns against Troy (Marshall’s Chad Pennington).