Troy Travels to Arkansas State with SBC West Title on the Line

TROY, Ala. – A berth in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game is on the line for Troy on Saturday when the Trojans travel to Arkansas State in the regular season finale. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m., and the game will be televised on ESPNU.

The formula is simple for the Trojans (9-2, 6-1 SBC); win the game and play Coastal Carolina next week in the Sun Belt Championship Game. However, Troy's bid to its first title game could be locked up before it takes the field if Old Dominion beats South Alabama in a game that kicks off at 11 a.m.

"We have a chance to do something that we haven't done at Troy; we haven't clinched a division title yet," head coach Jon Sumrall said. "Very great grateful that we're in the situation that we're in where we control our own destiny. We don't need anybody's help. We are personally responsible for whatever outcome we get; it's our responsibility, and our guys understand that."

Troy enters the weekend winners of eight straight games, its longest winning streak since 1999 and the fifth-longest in the country, only behind the four undefeated teams. The Trojans haven't lost since Sept. 17, when App State pulled off a Hail Mary to steal a victory on a day when College GameDay was in attendance.

It is no fluke that the Trojans are where they are in the standings. They play championship-level defense complimented by an offense prone for the big play and is strong in the second half.

The Troy defense has allowed just 183 points and 22 touchdowns this season. It is the fifth-fewest touchdowns allowed and fifth-fewest points allowed through 11 games in Sun Belt history. Additionally, the Trojan defense is allowing 20-yard plays on just 3.39 percent of its opponents' snaps, the second-lowest tally in the country behind Iowa.

Offensively, Troy is 15^th nationally with 21 passes of 30-plus yards, and the Trojans are averaging nearly 16 points in the second half in their last three games. Kimani Vidal is coming off a near record-breaking performance after rushing for 242 yards (two shy of the Troy single-game record) and two touchdowns in Troy's win over ULM last weekend.

The Red Wolves (3-8, 1-6) have struggled in their second season under head coach Butch Jones. Arkansas State has lost five straight league games since knocking off ULM on Oct. 1, with the most recent defeat coming at the hands of Texas State, 16-12, as the teams traded field goals in the final 31 seconds of the game.

Notable
• 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, along with USC and Michigan.

• 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 25th nationally with a +5.18 scoring advantage in the second half; Troy's +5.09 margin in the fourth quarter ranks sixth.

• Troy has held seven of its last nine opponents to fewer 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 92.2 yards per game, which would rank seventh nationally.

• Opponents have scored on just four drives following a Troy score this season (6-of-42) ... the 14.3 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.

• Carlton Martial is the ONLY player at the FBS level since at least 2000 to have at least 405 tackles, six interceptions and 41 tackles for loss in their career.

• Troy has allowed plays of 20-plus yards on just 3.39 percent of its defensive snaps, the second-fewest in the country (Iowa). Troy's 8.72 overall big-play percentage (12-plus runs, 15-plus passes) ranks fifth nationally. Troy has allowed a 15-plus yard pass on just 10.99 percent of its snaps, the fourth-lowest nationally.

• Troy ranks third nationally, holding opponents to just 3.45 points per game in the fourth quarter this season; the Trojans are 14th, allowing 8.09 second half points ... Troy allowed 14.42 points in the second half last season per game.

• Troy's 90 Sun Belt victories are the most in Sun Belt Conference history; the Trojans joined the league three years after Louisiana, Arkansas State and ULM.

Troy Travels to Arkansas State with SBC West Title on the Line

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Players Mentioned

Carlton Martial

Kimani Vidal

Troy University Athletics