Kimani Vidal scores twice and Troy holds off Western Kentucky 27-24

Updated Sep. 23, 2023 3:43 p.m. ET

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TROY, Ala. (AP) — Kimani Vidal scored a pair of touchdowns and Troy defeated Western Kentucky 27-24 on Saturday.

Vidal, coming in ranked third nationally at 131.7 yards rushing per game, finished with 156 on 26 carries. His 8-yard touchdown run after initially being stopped behind the line, gave the Trojans (2-2) a 27-17 lead with 5:37 to go.

Chris Lewis caught a Hail Mary from Gunnar Watson for a 40-yard score to end the first half and take the lead for good at 10-7. The Hilltoppers' second muffed punt of the game led to Vidal's 19-yard score and a 17-7 lead.

Watson was 22 of 35 for 349 yards passing and one touchdown. Lewis, who had a pair of highlight reel receptions on his Hail Mary catch and a one-hander that led to a Scott Taylor Renfroe field goal for a 20-14 edge, finished with 101 yards on three catches. Deshon Stoudemire had 99 yards on six catches.

After Vidal fumbled the ball out of the WKU end zone for a touchback, the Hilltoppers (2-2) went 80 yards in a minute-and-a-half to close the deficit to 27-24 on Austin Reed's 12-yard pass to Easton Messer with 2:29 remaining.

Troy was able to run out the clock with the help of a Vidal catch in the flat that he turned into a 28-yard gain.

Reed was 23 of 39 for 268 yards passing and two touchdowns. Malachi Corley had 112 yards on nine receptions and Messer 96 on six.

Troy outgained WKU 521-288 and held the Hilltoppers to 20 rushing yards. There were five lost fumbles, three by the Trojans.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll

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