Trojans Looking for Road Win

GAME INFORMATION | MEDIA INFORMATION

The Troy Trojans are looking for a string finish to the 2011 season as they take to the road for their final two games of the year, starting at WKU on Saturday. The Trojans are looking to build on the momentum from their win last week over Florida Atlantic while the Hilltoppers are looking to strengthen their chances at a bowl bid.

Kickoff is set for 11:30 a.m. (CT) at Houchens Industries - L.T. Smith Field with the game set to air on CSS/CST as the Sun Belt Network Game of the Week.

The Trojans (3-7, 2-4) grabbed a much-needed win at home last week as they knocked off Florida Atlantic, 34-7, to snap a five-game losing streak. Meanwhile, WKU (6-5, 6-1), who started the season 0-4, knocked off North Texas to become bowl eligible for the first time since joining the FBS.

With the Sun Belt's two primary bowl tie-ins already accounted for, the Hilltoppers will be looking for a win to impress other bowl games looking for participants in what is their final game of the regular season. Troy head coach Larry Blakeney and his Trojans know that.

“If WKU goes 7-5 they have a chance at going to Detroit or another bowl that our conference doesn't furnish. That's pretty good motivation for them. I think coach Taggert has them motivated enough. It should be a real challenge for us. I think they'll be very motivated to play against Troy,” Blakeney said.

“WKU is a pretty good team and will definitely be a challenge for us,” said sophomore wide receiver Eric Thomas. “We need a win so we can go out on a good note.”

Trojans only have two games left in the season and a lot is riding on these last two games to be wins, providing motivation for the Trojans as well as the Hilltoppers.

“We have plenty of motivation,” Blakeney said. “We're the right people to close out with a couple of wins. I want to put our best foot forward. I think we're set up for the week right in preparation; this is a week that we need to put total effort into getting ready to play. I expect that WKU will do the same. They've never beaten us.”

The uniqueness of playing on a holiday week has given all of the players time to rest, as well as time to focus on the game plan and technique for the upcoming game against the Hilltoppers.

There are plenty of individual storylines for the Trojans as well, especially from the wide receiver-quarterback tandem of Thomas and Corey Robinson.

Thomas sits tied for the Troy FBS single-season record with nine touchdown catches. One more TD catch would put Thomas in the record books as the first Trojan to catch at least 10 touchdown passes since 1993.

Throwing Thomas all of those passes has been Robinson, who returns to his home state of Kentucky on Saturday, but he's focused on the task at hand.

“I've got to do my job and that's all I can do,” Robinson said. “The receivers have stepped up and made plays the past two games for me. Hopefully we will continue to get better and better. I feel like every week our relationships are getting better and better.”

Robinson is also seeking to move up in the Trojan record books. With seven touchdowns in the last two weeks, Robinson has now tossed 45 in his young career. That puts the sophomore just four TDs away from tying Brock Nutter for second place on Troy's career leaderboard.

Both the Trojans and Hilltoppers need the win, so Saturday's game will certainly be fought until the end with Trojans looking to be one win closer to successful close to the year.

Troy University Athletics

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