SBC West Leaders Clash in Lone Star State Showdown

TROY, Ala. – Fresh off bye weeks, Sun Belt West Division leaders Troy and Texas State meet Saturday at Bobcat Stadium to begin a stretch of five straight divisional games for the Trojans. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

Troy (5-2, 2-1 SBC) heads to San Marcos winners of four straight games and 16 of its last 18 since the devastating Hail Mary at App State last September. The Trojans are winning with a crushing defense, balanced offense and strong kicking game.

The game will be the classic strength against strength matchup, with the Trojans ranking 10 nationally in total defense, 15^th in rush defense and 17^th in points allowed, while Texas State (5-2, 2-1) is eighth nationally in total offense, 11^th in scoring and 15^th in rushing yards.

The Trojans have allowed just 10 points in their last three games, three of which came on a 45-yard field goal by Arkansas State with less than four minutes remaining in a 37-0 game. The 10 points are the fewest allowed by a Troy team in a three-game stretch of a season since 1985.

Additionally, Troy is second only to Michigan, holding 6-of-7 opponents to fewer than 300 yards of total offense, while the Trojans' have 11 sacks in their last two games and have forced nine turnovers during their four-game winning streak. Since week three, the Trojans rank fourth nationally, allowing just 1,332 yards of total offense and third, allowing 10.0 points per game.

Offensively, Troy has transformed its prospects the last three games behind an offensive line that hasn't allowed a sack after allowing 14 its previous three games. Kimani Vidal is a threat every time he touches the football as he enters the weekend just 49 yards shy of the 1,000-yard mark for the season and just 142 yards away from becoming Troy's all-time leading rusher.

Gunnar Watson has thrown a touchdown pass in 10 straight games and the Trojans are taking care of the football much better recently, with just three turnovers the last three games following a stretch of 10 turnovers in the season's first four contests.

In addition to Vidal's dominance in the ground game, the Trojans have done their damage on chunk plays, ranking seventh nationally with 24 plays of 30-plus yards and 17^th with 43 plays of 20-plus yards. Troy enters the weekend averaging 86.3 more yards per game than it did a year ago.

Scott Taylor Renfore has missed just three field goals this season and his 15 makes ranked as the most in Sun Belt history through seven games.

The Bobcats are off to their best start since 2011, their last year at the FCS level. Behind Auburn transfer TJ Finley at quarterback, Texas State has topped the 500-yard mark of total offense in four of its last five games as the Bobcats average 491.3 yards per game; Troy allows 281.3 yards per game defensively.

Notable
• Over the last three games, Troy has a 12-0 sack advantage over its opponents ... in the first four games, opponents outsacked Troy 14-5.

• Troy is 10-1 when Kimani Vidal rushes for 100-plus yards and 21-3 when he rushes for 50-plus yards. The Trojans are 6-11 when Vidal rushes for fewer than 50 yards.

• Since week three, Troy ranks fourth nationally, allowing just 1332 yards of total offense and third, allowing 10.0 points per game (Penn State, 9.20; Michigan, 9.25).

• Troy has topped the 500-yard mark of total offense three times this season; it is tied for
the most since at least 2000 in program history through the first six games of the season.

• Troy has two of the nation's top six active leaders in career sacks -- Richard Jibunor (2nd, 26) and Javon Solomon (6th, 23.0).

• Troy has outpassed its opponent in 6-of-7 games, outrushed its opponent in 5-of-7 games and outgained its opponent in 6-of-7 games.

• Through the first three Sun Belt games, Troy has allowed just 263.7 yards per game (10th), 8.7 points per game (2nd) and 4.3 yards per play (9th) ... (national ranking vs. conference opponents).

• Troy has won 14 straight games and 16 of the last 18 games when it rushes for 100-plus yards. Troy is 59-15 since 2015 when rushing for 100 yards or more in a game.

• Troy has gone three-and-out just 20 times this season, or 24.7 percent of its drives. Remove the Kansas State game and that percentage drops to 20.3 percent.

• Since the start of the 2022 season, Troy has held 14 of its 21 opponents to 19 points or fewer, the fifth most in the country (tied with Georgia).

• Troy is tied for ninth nationally, holding five of its seven opponents to 200 yards passing or fewer this season.

• Troy has held a team to less than 100 yards rushing or 100 yards passing in five straight games.

• Troy has held opponents to 228.0 yards in the month of October, the seventh fewest in the country, while the Trojans' 1.5 points per game allowed in the month lead the country.

SBC West Leaders Clash in Lone Star State Showdown

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Players Mentioned

Richard Jibunor

Javon Solomon

Kimani Vidal

Gunnar Watson

Troy University Athletics