Troy Hosts ULM on Senior Day at The Vet

TROY, Ala. – Troy steps back into Sun Belt Conference action Saturday at The Vet hosting ULM on Senior Day. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. in a game with significant Sun Belt postseason implications; ESPN+ will broadcast the contest.

Troy (8-2, 5-1 SBC) enters the weekend winners of seven straight games, the fifth-longest active winning streak in the country, while ULM (4-6, 3-3) is on a mini roll of its own winning its last two games to stay in contention for a bowl berth.

A Trojan victory Saturday and a Southern Miss win over South Alabama will send Troy to the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game for the first time in program history. Coastal Carolina would be the opponent on Dec. 3, with the location, either Troy or Conway, S.C., still to be determined.

Coming into the season, it was no secret that Troy's defense was going to be a strength for the team. What might not have been known is how much of a strength that unit would be.

Troy is one of just two teams since at least 2000 to win two games in a season when scoring 10 or fewer points and one of just six to win four games when scoring 17 or fewer points. The Trojans are getting it done when it matters as well, holding opponents to just 3.2 points per game in the fourth quarter and just 2.0 points against FBS opponents (Alabama A&M scored 14 points against Troy's defensive reserves).

The last two weeks, Troy has held its opponents (Louisiana and Army) to a combined 216 yards, 97 rushing yards and just seven points in the second half. In addition, the Trojans have allowed just 20 touchdowns and 167 points, the second fewest in Sun Belt history through 10 games by one touchdown and six points.

Troy's offense has come up big when needed, scoring 10 second half points against Army, including a game-winning touchdown pass from Gunnar Watson to Tez Johnson late in the fourth quarter. The week before, it was 23 unanswered points in the second half as Watson connected on a pair of touchdown passes and Kimani Vidal rushed for the game-winner from 22 yards out with five seconds to play.

ULM has shown the flair for the dramatic as well, scoring two non-offensive touchdowns in last week's 31-28 victory at Georgia State after rallying from a 21-0 deficit the week before at Texas State. The win over the Bobcats snapped a four-game skid for the Warhawks dating back to a victory over rival Louisiana.

The unquestioned leader of the ULM squad is Kansas State transfer Tyrone Howell at receiver. He's averaging 17.22 yards per catch this season and has found the end zone six times, three of which came at South Alabama; all six have come in ULM's last five games.

Notable
• Carlton Martial became the NCAA's all-time leading tackler at the FBS level after he recorded a career-high 22 against Army. He entered the game needing 20 to break the record previously held by Northwestern's Tim McGarigle. Martial now has 548 tackles in his career; McGarigle's record was 545.

• Troy has held six of its last eight opponents to less than 100 yards rushing. The Trojans have faced the nation's No. 2 (Army) and No. 3 (Ole Miss) rushing attacks this season, take out those two games and the Trojans are allowing 93.4 yards per game, which would rank 10th nationally.

• Troy is allowing just 283.0 yards per game and 4.31 yards per play in league games, which both rank ninth and fourth nationally, respectively, for teams against conference opponents.

• Troy has allowed the second-fewest plays of 20-plus yards this season (24), the fourth-fewest 20-plus yards runs (4) and the fifth-fewest 20-plus yard passes (20). Troy did not allow a single rush over 20 yards in October and just eight passes over 20 yards (sixth nationally).

• Troy has allowed plays of 20-plus yards on just 3.40 percent of its defensive snaps, the second fewest in the country (Iowa). Troy's 9.13 overall big-play percentage (12-plus runs, 15-plus pass) ranks fifth nationally. Troy has allowed a 15-plus yard pass on just 11.64 percent of its snaps, the ninth-lowest nationally

• Troy ranks third nationally, holding opponents to just 3.20 points per game in the fourth quarter this season; the Trojans are 11th allowing 7.60 second half points ... Troy allowed 14.42 points in the second half last season per game

• Troy is 5-0 in close games at the half (score differential is four points or less) ... The five wins are the most in the country; Michigan, Coastal Carolina, UConn, North Carolina, and USC are all 4-0

• Carlton Martial is once again a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is presented annually to the nation's top player who began their career as a walk-on. He was a finalist last year as well

• Troy ranks 24th nationally with a +5.60 scoring advantage in the second half; Troy's +5.50 margin in the fourth quarter ranks fifth

• Opponents have scored on just four drives following a Troy score this season (4-of-35) ... the 11.4 percent is well below the national average of 31.4 percent

• From 2005-21, Troy was 11-73 when trailing at the half and 5-52 when scoring less than 21 points ... this season, Troy is 3-1 when trailing at the half and 4-1 when scoring less than 21 points

• Troy ranks 17th nationally with 62.5 percent of its touchdowns (15-of-24) covering 10 or more yards

• Troy's 89 Sun Belt victories are the most in Sun Belt Conference history; the Trojans joined the league three years after Louisiana, Arkansas State and ULM

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Players Mentioned

Tez Johnson

Carlton Martial

Kimani Vidal

Gunnar Watson

Troy University Athletics