Troy University Athletics
Saturday, September 23
Troy, Ala.
11 a.m.
Troy University
vs
Western Kentucky
Photo by: Brandon Sumrall Photography
Troy Hosts Former Sun Belt Rival WKU on Saturday
9/21/2023 1:56:00 PM | Football
TROY, Ala. – Three weeks into the season, Troy sits in the exact same spot it did a year ago. A win over an FCS opponent, a loss to a Power 5 team and a heartbreaking defeat in its Sun Belt opener. Last year, Troy won its final 11 games of the season, a Sun Belt championship and a Cure Bowl title. This year's club takes its next step Saturday at 11 a.m. against Western Kentucky in Veterans Memorial Stadium.
ESPNU will televise the game, Troy's third straight nationally televised game and one of at least three home games that will reach a national broadcast audience. Gates open at 9:30 a.m., Trojan Walk starts at 8:45 a.m. and parking lots on campus open at 7 a.m. The 11 a.m. affair is Troy's first home game since a 2002 tilt with Utah State to kick at that hour.
"It was a tough loss and a disappointing way to start conference play," head coach Jon Sumrall said. "I like the challenge that our schedule presents. Week one, it was an FCS team that was a conference champion. Week two, it was a Power Five team that was a conference champion. Last week, a team that was tied for the lead in their side of the division and this week, a team that is perennially in the conversation for being conference champions that last several years."
Troy (1-2, 0-1 SBC) is coming off back-to-back losses for the first time under Sumrall after a heartbreaking 16-14 loss to James Madison last weekend. The Trojans outgained the Dukes overall but could not overcome six sacks, which led to -12 yards rushing.
Junior running back Kimani Vidal will look to have a bigger impact in Saturday's game after rushing 11 times for 27 yards against JMU. Troy is 7-1 when Vidal tops the century mark and 17-3 when he rushes for 50-plus yards in a game; the Trojans had just 13 true rushes against the Dukes (taking sacks out), tied for the second-fewest by a Troy team since at least 1996.
The Trojans forced JMU to punt on its final five possessions of the game, limiting the Dukes to just 61 yards on 18 plays. Jabre Barber's touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter pulled Troy within two, but the Trojans couldn't overcome the early deficit.
Saturday's matchup is the final in a home-and-home series between the two former Sun Belt rivals. Troy leads the all-time series 10-2-1 following last year's 34-27 victory in Bowling Green when the Trojans snapped WKU's 30-point scoring streak at a nation's best 18 games thanks to five sacks, two from Richard Jibunor and Javon Solomon.
Vidal enters the weekend third nationally, averaging 131.7 yards per game on the ground, while Jibunor is the nation's active leader in career sacks with 23. For the Tops, Austin Reed is among the nation's leaders in passing yards (265.3) and total offense (283.7).
WKU opened the season with victories over South Florida (41-24) and Houston Christian (52-22) before running into a buzzsaw in the Horseshoe last weekend in a 63-10 loss at No. 6 Ohio State.
Notable
• This is Troy's first 11 a.m. home game since 2002 (Utah State); Troy's most recent 11 a.m. games came at Kansas State (2023), at Nebraska (2018).
• Troy officially rushed the ball 19 times in the loss to James Madison; however, six of those attempts were sacks, leaving the Trojans with 13 actual rushing attempts ... it is tied for the second-fewest rush attempts in a game (removing sacks) since at least 1996 - Southern Miss, 2019 (12).
• Troy has held 11 opponents since the start of the 2022 season (11-of-17) to 19 points or fewer, the sixth most in the country and second most by a G5 team.
• Troy has passed the ball 66.7 percent of the time this season, tied for the second most nationally against FBS opponents. Last season, Troy ranked 84th nationally at 46.1 percent.
• Kimani Vidal enters the weekend 735 yards shy of becoming Troy's all-time rushing leader.
• Troy is 7-1 when Kimani Vidal rushes for 100-plus yards and 17-3 when he rushes for 50-plus yards. The Trojans are 6-11 when Vidal rushes for fewer than 50 yards.
• Troy finished 6-0 in close games at the half last season (score differential is five points or less) ... the Trojans are 0-1 this season.
• Troy forced James Madison to punt on its final five possessions of the game in week three; the Dukes ran just 18 plays on those five drives and totaled 61 yards.
• From 2005-21, Troy was 11-73 when trailing at the half and 5-52 when scoring less than 21 points ... last season, Troy was 5-1 when trailing at the half and 5-1 when scoring less than 21 points.
• Senior safety Dell Pettus has started 50 straight games, the longest active streak in the country.
ESPNU will televise the game, Troy's third straight nationally televised game and one of at least three home games that will reach a national broadcast audience. Gates open at 9:30 a.m., Trojan Walk starts at 8:45 a.m. and parking lots on campus open at 7 a.m. The 11 a.m. affair is Troy's first home game since a 2002 tilt with Utah State to kick at that hour.
"It was a tough loss and a disappointing way to start conference play," head coach Jon Sumrall said. "I like the challenge that our schedule presents. Week one, it was an FCS team that was a conference champion. Week two, it was a Power Five team that was a conference champion. Last week, a team that was tied for the lead in their side of the division and this week, a team that is perennially in the conversation for being conference champions that last several years."
Troy (1-2, 0-1 SBC) is coming off back-to-back losses for the first time under Sumrall after a heartbreaking 16-14 loss to James Madison last weekend. The Trojans outgained the Dukes overall but could not overcome six sacks, which led to -12 yards rushing.
Junior running back Kimani Vidal will look to have a bigger impact in Saturday's game after rushing 11 times for 27 yards against JMU. Troy is 7-1 when Vidal tops the century mark and 17-3 when he rushes for 50-plus yards in a game; the Trojans had just 13 true rushes against the Dukes (taking sacks out), tied for the second-fewest by a Troy team since at least 1996.
The Trojans forced JMU to punt on its final five possessions of the game, limiting the Dukes to just 61 yards on 18 plays. Jabre Barber's touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter pulled Troy within two, but the Trojans couldn't overcome the early deficit.
Saturday's matchup is the final in a home-and-home series between the two former Sun Belt rivals. Troy leads the all-time series 10-2-1 following last year's 34-27 victory in Bowling Green when the Trojans snapped WKU's 30-point scoring streak at a nation's best 18 games thanks to five sacks, two from Richard Jibunor and Javon Solomon.
Vidal enters the weekend third nationally, averaging 131.7 yards per game on the ground, while Jibunor is the nation's active leader in career sacks with 23. For the Tops, Austin Reed is among the nation's leaders in passing yards (265.3) and total offense (283.7).
WKU opened the season with victories over South Florida (41-24) and Houston Christian (52-22) before running into a buzzsaw in the Horseshoe last weekend in a 63-10 loss at No. 6 Ohio State.
Notable
• This is Troy's first 11 a.m. home game since 2002 (Utah State); Troy's most recent 11 a.m. games came at Kansas State (2023), at Nebraska (2018).
• Troy officially rushed the ball 19 times in the loss to James Madison; however, six of those attempts were sacks, leaving the Trojans with 13 actual rushing attempts ... it is tied for the second-fewest rush attempts in a game (removing sacks) since at least 1996 - Southern Miss, 2019 (12).
• Troy has held 11 opponents since the start of the 2022 season (11-of-17) to 19 points or fewer, the sixth most in the country and second most by a G5 team.
• Troy has passed the ball 66.7 percent of the time this season, tied for the second most nationally against FBS opponents. Last season, Troy ranked 84th nationally at 46.1 percent.
• Kimani Vidal enters the weekend 735 yards shy of becoming Troy's all-time rushing leader.
• Troy is 7-1 when Kimani Vidal rushes for 100-plus yards and 17-3 when he rushes for 50-plus yards. The Trojans are 6-11 when Vidal rushes for fewer than 50 yards.
• Troy finished 6-0 in close games at the half last season (score differential is five points or less) ... the Trojans are 0-1 this season.
• Troy forced James Madison to punt on its final five possessions of the game in week three; the Dukes ran just 18 plays on those five drives and totaled 61 yards.
• From 2005-21, Troy was 11-73 when trailing at the half and 5-52 when scoring less than 21 points ... last season, Troy was 5-1 when trailing at the half and 5-1 when scoring less than 21 points.
• Senior safety Dell Pettus has started 50 straight games, the longest active streak in the country.
Players Mentioned
WR
/ Football
BAN
/ Football
S
/ Football
DE
/ Football
RB
/ FootballGerad Parker Press Conference - Memphis Game
Monday, September 08
Troy Football Press Conference (Players) - Memphis Game
Monday, September 08
Josh Lauer Postgame Press Conference - Jackson State
Saturday, September 06
Player Postgame Press Conference (Luke Hodge, Tray Taylor) - No. 8 Clemson
Saturday, September 06