TROY, Ala. (AP) — Goose Crowder was 27-of-43 passing for 361 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions on Saturday night to help Troy beat Georgia State 31-19.
Troy (7-4, 5-2 Sun Belt Conference) plays at Southern Miss next Saturday and the winner will advance to the conference championship game on Dec. 5.
DJ Epps had eight receptions for 103 yards and two touchdowns and Ethan Conner added 85 yards receiving and two TDs on three catches for the Trojans.
Conner caught a 26-yard scoring strike from Crowder that made it 10-3 late in the first quarter and added a 39-yard touchdown in the third quarter that gave Troy a 17-6 lead.
Georgia State responded with a 12-play, 75-yard drive that took nearly six minutes off the clock and culminated when Branson Robinson ran it in from the 4 to trim its deficit to 17-12 after a failed 2-point try.
Epps had touchdown receptions of 10 and 35 yards in the fourth quarter.
Christian Veilleux was 19-of-38 passing for 307 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Panthers. Javon Robinson had seven receptions for 146 yards, which included a 17-yard touchdown.
Georgia State (1-10, 0-7) has lost eight in a row.
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