Coming off two disappointing losses to Florida Atlantic and Tennessee, Troy was left needing two wins in its last three games to become bowl eligible.

On Saturday, Troy (5-5, 3-3 Sun Belt) drew one step closer to reaching the postseason requirements with a 41-21 defeat of Navy (6-4).

The Trojans offense once again racked up massive amounts of yards accumulating 597 for the game.

“It’s great to be able to come in here after a win. It’s a game I thought we could win,” Troy head coach Larry Blakeney said. “Out offense, I thought could score a lot of points and we wound up scoring enough.”

The Troy quarterback combination of Corey Robinson and Deon Anthony completed 34 of 40 passes for 415 yards.

Anthony and the Trojans struck first early in the contest when the junior found Chandler Worthy for a 34-yard strike to go ahead 7-0.

Troy would double the lead later in the opening quarter on a 6-yard run by Shawn Southward capping a 16-play, 87-yard drive. With 13:57 left in the second quarter, Robinson hooked up with B.J. Chitty for a 63-yard touchdown pass giving Troy a 21-0 advantage.

The Midshipmen would come roaring back with a trio of touchdown runs by quarterback Keenan Reynolds. Troy would answer after the second Navy score when Anthony found running room and scampered for 44 yards and the score.

With Troy clinging to a 31-28 lead at the start of the fourth quarter, Reynolds dropped to pass on a second-and-11. Troy defensive tackle Kyle Lucas swatted the ball from the cocked arm of Reynolds and linebacker Derrek Upshaw recovered. Four plays later, Anthony scored from 4-yards out, his second rushing score of the game.

“Luckily, the QB eyed Tyler Roberts on the other side and stepped up,” Lucas said of the play. “The ball came up and I swiped it down. That was big.”

The Trojan defense played better after surrendering 718 yards to Tennessee a week ago. Navy, two weeks removed from a 512-yard rushing performance against East Carolina, finished with 487 yards on Saturday, 328 on the ground.

Troy’s defensive game planning leading into the game revolved around reserve wide receiver K.D. Edenfield’s ability to run the offense as the scout team quarterback. Edenfield, a graduate of Charles Henderson High School, didn’t practice with the offense all week in an effort to dedicate more time to helping the defense prepare.

“I thought it was very unselfish thing to do to come out there and play as a wishbone quarterback and try to demonstrate the offense,” Blakeney said. “It wasn’t perfect, but it gave us some good looks.”

Edenfield also caught a pass for six yards in the first quarter.

Troy’s offense, averaging 499.5 yards per game, is on pace to break the school’s previous record set in 2009 with 485.7 yards per contest.

The loss snapped Navy’s five-game win streak.

The Trojans will host Arkansas State in the team’s homecoming and home finale next week.

“If we get six, I guarantee we can go somewhere. If we get seven, it will be a little bit better,” Blakeney said.