Troy Returns to The Vet to Host Akron on Military Appreciation Day

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TROY, Alabama – Riding a two-game winning streak and with a Sun Belt opening victory in tow, Troy steps back out of conference to host Akron at The Vet on Saturday in a game jam-packed with excitement both on and off the field.

Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. but fans will want to be in the stadium by 4:40 p.m. to enjoy all of the pregame festivities surrounding Military Appreciation Day at The Vet. Included among the numerous promotions taking place will be a field-length American flag and a flyover from a pair of F-16 fighter jets.

The Troy Sports Radio Network will have full coverage on its 16-station network and online at TroyTrojans.com beginning with the pregame show at 3 p.m. The game will also be broadcast live on ESPN3. Limited tickets remain and can be purchased by calling 877-878-WINS, by visiting TroyTrojans.com/tickets or at the Troy Ticket Office in Trojan Arena.

"We're excited about staying home and getting back in front of our home crowd," Troy head coach Neal Brown said. "We're expecting another huge crowd here. We've got really two groups of people that we're celebrating this week with Military Appreciation and Extra Yard for Teachers."

Troy (2-1) opened Sun Belt play with a 27-24 victory at New Mexico State last Saturday behind a strong defensive performance and a balanced offensive attack led by Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week Brandon Silvers.

The Trojans held the Aggies to 382 yards of total offense – 142.5 yards below their average – and 51 yards on the ground. Tron Folsom and Kris Weatherspoon led the Troy defensive effort with eight tackles each, while Folsom had a pair of tackles for loss and Weatherspoon a pair of pass break ups.

Vic Koenning's defense is allowing just 10.3 points per game through the first three contests of the season, and Troy is tied for seventh nationally with just one rushing touchdown allowed.

After a rocky start to the season, the Troy offense continues to find its rhythm as the Trojans racked up 476 yards, including 190 on the ground, at New Mexico State. Jordan Chunn and Jamarius Henderson combined for 133 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Silvers sealed the game for Troy with a 32-yard touchdown run, in addition to passing for 286 yards and a score.

Troy has found the end zone eight times on the ground in the last two games and ranks 16^th nationally in the category for the season. Chunn enters with 41 rushing touchdowns in his career, just eight shy of setting the Sun Belt career mark.

The game also features the return of Akron head coach Terry Bowden to the state of Alabama. Bowden coached 138 games between stops at Samford, Auburn and North Alabama before taking over at Akron in 2012.

The Zips (1-2) have faced a difficult go during the early part of their season with losses to Penn State (56-0) and Iowa State (41-14) around a lopsided victory over an FCS opponent.

"Akron is a quality football team," Brown said. "They've played a really difficult schedule; after playing Penn State, a top 5 team, and then last week played a much-improved Iowa State team. They really played them close, but turned the ball over in the second half and let the game get away from them."

Warren Ball, an Ohio State transfer, leads the Zips with three rushing touchdowns and 71 yards per game, while Thomas Woodson is averaging 159 yards per game through the air. Defensively, Akron has forced three turnovers and is holding opponents to 31.4 percent on third down.

Notable
• Troy has held consecutive opponents under 100 yards rushing; the Trojans held six opponents under the century mark last season, which was the third most in their FBS history.

• Troy is 11-0 under head coach Neal Brown when rushing for over 150 yards and 15-0 when leading after three quarters.

• Troy has not forced a turnover in its last two games, but managed to win both contests. It marked the first time in Troy's FBS history that it won consecutive games without forcing a turnover.

Troy Returns to The Vet to Host Akron on Military Appreciation Day

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Players Mentioned

Jordan Chunn

Tron Folsom

Jamarius Henderson

Brandon Silvers

Kris Weatherspoon

Troy University Athletics