Troy University Athletics
Troy Gears Up for R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
12/14/2017 1:56:00 PM | Football
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NEW ORLEANS – With back-to-back 10-win seasons and a Sun Belt Conference title in tow, Troy gears up for its fourth appearance in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl looking to set the school's FBS record for wins in a season.
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Troy (10-2, 7-1 Sun Belt) and North Texas (9-4, 7-1 C-USA) meet Saturday at 12 p.m. in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in a rekindling of a Sun Belt rivalry. The Trojans and Mean Green played eight times as conference foes with Troy winning seven of those contests and 8-of-10 overall in the series. Â
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The game will be televised live on ESPN and the Troy Sports Radio Network will have full coverage beginning at 10 a.m.
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Troy's 10 victories last season were the most in the school's FBS history and now with a 10-win regular season already in the books, head coach Neal Brown is looking to place in 2017 squad in the record books.
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The Trojans roll into the Big Easy with 18 All-Sun Belt selections, including Freshman of the Year Marcus Jones – Brown was also named the league's Coach of the Year. Left tackle Steven Rowzee, bandit Hunter Reese and cornerback Blace Brown all earned first team honors; however, the Trojans will be without Brown who was injured at Arkansas State.
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Under the direction of defensive coordinator Vic Koenning, Troy ranks 11th in scoring defense 14th in rush defense and 26th in total defense heading into the bowl game. Additionally, the Trojans are 12th in sacks and fifth in tackles for loss.
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Offensively the Trojans have been a different team during their six-game win streak, which ranks as the fifth-longest active winning streak in the country. Troy is averaging 38.7 points, 425 yards and 6.8 yards per play during the streak after posting 21.3 points, 409.5 yards and 5.8 yards per play in the first six games of the season.
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Notable
• Troy enters the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl with 101 tackles for loss this season, the Trojans need just six against the Mean Green to set a new single-season school record.
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• Troy is 21-5 over its last 26 games since opening the Neal Brown era 3-8; the Trojans are one of just 14 teams in the country with at least 20 wins over the past two seasons and one of just 11 teams with 10 wins in each of the last two years.
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• Troy's six Sun Belt Conference titles are tied with Arkansas State for the most in Sun Belt history; however, Arkansas State joined the league three years before Troy.
Know Your Foe
North Texas won the C-USA West Division before losing to Florida Atlantic in the C-USA Championship Game. Fine was named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Year after throwing for 3,749 yards and 28 touchdowns with 13 interceptions. Jeffery Wilson rushed for 16 touchdowns and 1,215 yards before going down with an injury and has been listed as doubtful for the contest.
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The Mean Green enter the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl averaging 35.9 points and 467.0 yards per game, but have given up 33.8 points and 431.2 yards per contest.
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NEW ORLEANS – With back-to-back 10-win seasons and a Sun Belt Conference title in tow, Troy gears up for its fourth appearance in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl looking to set the school's FBS record for wins in a season.
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Troy (10-2, 7-1 Sun Belt) and North Texas (9-4, 7-1 C-USA) meet Saturday at 12 p.m. in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in a rekindling of a Sun Belt rivalry. The Trojans and Mean Green played eight times as conference foes with Troy winning seven of those contests and 8-of-10 overall in the series. Â
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The game will be televised live on ESPN and the Troy Sports Radio Network will have full coverage beginning at 10 a.m.
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Troy's 10 victories last season were the most in the school's FBS history and now with a 10-win regular season already in the books, head coach Neal Brown is looking to place in 2017 squad in the record books.
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The Trojans roll into the Big Easy with 18 All-Sun Belt selections, including Freshman of the Year Marcus Jones – Brown was also named the league's Coach of the Year. Left tackle Steven Rowzee, bandit Hunter Reese and cornerback Blace Brown all earned first team honors; however, the Trojans will be without Brown who was injured at Arkansas State.
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Troy's top-rated defense will once again be put to the test as North Texas comes to New Orleans will the C-USA Offensive Player of the Year in sophomore quarterback Mason Fine.Media day at the Dome! Brandon Silvers, Hunter Reese, Jamal Stadom and Josh Anderson getting some ?? time. #RTW pic.twitter.com/y9Ed1uFVfM
— Troy Trojans FB 10 x ?? (@TroyTrojansFB) December 14, 2017
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Under the direction of defensive coordinator Vic Koenning, Troy ranks 11th in scoring defense 14th in rush defense and 26th in total defense heading into the bowl game. Additionally, the Trojans are 12th in sacks and fifth in tackles for loss.
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Troy enters bowl season as the only team in the country to have not allowed more than 25 points in a game this season and is one of just two teams to have not allowed a play of 50 or more yards this year – only five teams in the past eight seasons have gone an entire season without allowing a play of more than 50 yards.Another practice in the ??
— Troy Trojans FB 10 x ?? (@TroyTrojansFB) December 14, 2017
Can't wait to see this place packed on Saturday! pic.twitter.com/V7OKlBu86j
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Offensively the Trojans have been a different team during their six-game win streak, which ranks as the fifth-longest active winning streak in the country. Troy is averaging 38.7 points, 425 yards and 6.8 yards per play during the streak after posting 21.3 points, 409.5 yards and 5.8 yards per play in the first six games of the season.
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Notable
• Troy enters the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl with 101 tackles for loss this season, the Trojans need just six against the Mean Green to set a new single-season school record.
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• Troy is 21-5 over its last 26 games since opening the Neal Brown era 3-8; the Trojans are one of just 14 teams in the country with at least 20 wins over the past two seasons and one of just 11 teams with 10 wins in each of the last two years.
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• Troy's six Sun Belt Conference titles are tied with Arkansas State for the most in Sun Belt history; however, Arkansas State joined the league three years before Troy.
ÂRelive the fourth quarter and the @SunBelt Championship celebration in Part Two of Behind The Wall!#RTW pic.twitter.com/pdAPm8LV7c
— Troy Trojans FB 10 x ?? (@TroyTrojansFB) December 14, 2017
Know Your Foe
North Texas won the C-USA West Division before losing to Florida Atlantic in the C-USA Championship Game. Fine was named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Year after throwing for 3,749 yards and 28 touchdowns with 13 interceptions. Jeffery Wilson rushed for 16 touchdowns and 1,215 yards before going down with an injury and has been listed as doubtful for the contest.
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The Mean Green enter the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl averaging 35.9 points and 467.0 yards per game, but have given up 33.8 points and 431.2 yards per contest.
Players Mentioned
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