Football Heads West to Idaho

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TROY, Alabama – Off to the best start in its FBS history, the Troy football team begins the second month of the season Saturday as the Trojans travel west to take on Idaho in the Kibbie Dome.

Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. (CDT) and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN3. The Troy Sports Radio Network will have full coverage beginning at 2 p.m.

Troy knocked off New Mexico State, 52-6, this past weekend to move to 3-1 on the year for the first time since the Trojans opened the 2000 season 10-1 and advanced to the FCS (I-AA) Playoffs. New Mexico State came into the game after scoring 42 points at Kentucky the week before and knocking off New Mexico, 32-31, the week prior.

Special teams were paramount to the Trojans' third straight victory over the Aggies as Troy returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, returned a kickoff for a touchdown, averaged 21.7 yards on three punt returns and held New Mexico State to just 13 yards on its lone kickoff return.

Freshman running back Jabir Frye was involved in two of those plays as he blocked the punt which Demetrius Cain returned for a touchdown and then returned the opening kickoff of the second half 100 yards for a touchdown – he was named Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts.

The Trojans head to Idaho with a sour taste in their mouths after watching the Vandals come to Veterans Memorial Stadium last season and leave with a 19-16 victory on Troy's Homecoming. The Trojans, who were without the services of starting quarterback Brandon Silvers in the game, saw the Vandals jump out to a 16-3 lead and hold on for the victory as Troy's game-tying field goal hit the upright with 32 seconds remaining.

Flash forward to the 2016 season where Troy ranks 20^th nationally averaging 42.5 points per game behind an offensive line that ranks second nationally with just one sack allowed – Troy has allowed just four sacks over the past 10 games dating back to last season.

It's been a balanced attack for the Trojan offense with 229.2 yards coming from the ground game and 244.0 yards coming through the air. Jordan Chunn enters the weekend ranked 22^nd nationally averaging 111.3 rushing yards per game and Silvers is tied for 22^nd with nine touchdown passes on the year.

Defensively, the Trojans lead the country with 10 interceptions and rank second with 32 passes defended (pass break ups and interceptions). Troy intercepted New Mexico State quarterback Tyler Rogers five times last week and have multiple interceptions in three straight games for the first time since 2010 -- Blace Brown, Jalen Rountree and Cedarius Rookard have two interceptions each.

Idaho (2-2) enters the weekend coming off a thrilling 33-30 overtime victory at UNLV last Saturday. The Vandals also have a victory over Montana State (20-17) with their two losses to Washington (59-14) and Washington State (56-6).

The Vandals average 193.5 yards per game through the air and 134.0 yards on the ground, while they have allowed 251.8 passing yards and 205.8 rushing yards per game this season.

Quotable
"We coached them harder last week than we have all year," head coach Neal Brown said. "We have to continue to do that. We will stay with the same process that we have all year. We are going to practice really hard on Tuesday and Wednesday. The season is not such a grind just yet. We have some time to rest, but we are going to continue to coach them hard at practice."

Notable
• Troy ranks 12th nationally in red zone defense; opponents have scored in just 62.5 percent of their red zone chances ... Troy ranks 13th allowing opponents touchdowns on just 37.5 percent of their red zone chances.

• Troy has forced 6.3 three-and-outs per game; the number is tied for sixth nationally. The Trojans have forced a three-and-out on 41.7 percent of their opponents' drives.

• Troy's 56 Sun Belt Conference victories are the most by any school in the league since 2004.

• Linebacker Demetrius Cain has scored three career touchdowns -- two fumble returns & punt return -- only Brandon Silvers, Jordan Chunn, Emanuel Thompson, Deondre Douglas and Andre Flakes have more on Troy's active roster.

• Troy has scored on 13-of-14 red zone possessions, with the only unsuccessful trip coming when the Trojans ran out the clock at the end of the New Mexico State game; Trojans are 21st nationally with a 78.6 percent touchdown rate in the red zone (11-of-14).

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Players Mentioned

Blace Brown

Demetrius Cain

Jordan Chunn

Jabir Daughtry-Frye

Deondre Douglas

Andre Flakes

Cedarius Rookard

Jalen Rountree

Brandon Silvers

Emanuel Thompson

Troy University Athletics