JONESBORO, Ark. -- Levi Brown hit Cornelius Williams on an 8-yard touchdown pass with 7:53 left to propel Troy to a 30-27 victory over Arkansas State in a Sun Belt Conference opener Saturday.
The go-ahead score came after Troy had recovered Taylor Clements? fumbled punt at the Arkansas State 25 with 9:58 left.
Until that point, the Red Wolves (1-2, 0-1) and Trojans (2-2, 1-0) had gone back and forth.
Arkansas State took a 10-0 lead on its first two possessions on a field goal by Josh Arauco and a 1-yard run by Reggie Arnold.
The Trojans answered with 20 straight points for a 20-10 halftime lead. Sam Glusman hit the first of his three field goals, and Tebiarus Gill caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Brown to make it 10-10 early in the second quarter.
Glusman gave the Trojans the lead on another field goal, and De Juan Harris scored on a 9-yard run with 45 seconds left in the half for a 20-10 edge.
Glusman?s third field goal made it 23-10 early in the third quarter.
But the Red Wolves answered with a 1-yard run by Arnold and a 58-yard pass from Corey Leonard to Brandon Thompkins for a 24-23 lead with 5:24 left in the quarter.
Arauco?s second field goal made it 27-23 with 12:17 left in the game.
Brown completed 33 of 46 passes for 355 yards. Gill caught 10 for 85 yards. Leonard was 12 of 24 for 190 yards.
