Troy Falls at South Alabama

Tuesday, October 15

Mobile, Ala.

6:30 p.m.

Troy University

1-6 , 0-3

South Alabama

3-4 , 2-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Troy

South Alabama

10/15/2024 11:35:00 PM | Football

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Game Notes Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2 Photo Gallery 3

By: Troy Athletics Communications

MOBILE, Ala. – South Alabama defeated Troy, 25-9, on Tuesday night at Hancock Whitney Stadium in the annual "Battle for the Belt," snapping the Trojans' six-game winning streak in the series.

Troy's defense stood up to the test throughout the game, limiting South Alabama (3-4, 2-1) to its lowest offensive output of the season in terms of yards and first downs. However, the Jags were able to take advantage of multiple shortened field opportunities thanks to three Troy (1-6, 0-3) turnovers and a turnover on downs near midfield.

South Alabama mustered just 12 first downs and 318 yards in the victory, but three of its five scoring drives started on its own 49-yard line or better, with two starting on the Troy 22-yard line. Troy was in South Alabama's backfield all night, as the Trojans recorded 14 tackles for loss, the sixth most in a game in the program's FBS history.

Brendan Jackson led the defensive charge for the Trojans, with 4.5 tackles for loss (half a TFL off the Troy game record) and 10 tackles, while Jordan Stringer added 11 tackles and two tackles for loss.

South Alabama jumped out to a 19-0 lead thanks to a pair of big plays on offense – a 24-yard touchdown pass from Gio Lopez to Jeremiah Webb and a 49-yard touchdown run on fourth down by Lopez. The Jags got a free two points as a snap went through the hands of Tucker Kilcrease and out the back of the end zone for a safety.

Matthew Caldwell took over for Kilcrease on Troy's final drive of the first half and marched the Trojans 57 yards on 15 plays before Scott Taylor Renfroe booted a 36-yard field goal to put Troy on the board right before the half.

South Alabama added a field goal on its first drive of the second half and then another following a 72-yard interception return set up the Jags on the Troy 22-yard line. The Trojan defense yielded negative two yards on that drive to keep South Alabama out of the end zone in the second half; South Alabama has scored a touchdown in just 1-of-12 quarters played against Troy in Hancock Whitney Stadium.

Lopez finished 16-of-21 for 158 yards and the one score, while Caldwell was 17-of-30 for 142 yards and a late touchdown pass to Devonte Ross; it was Ross' eighth touchdown catch of the season after he entered the week ranked fourth in the country in touchdown receptions.

Troy finished with just 172 yards of total offense in the game after not picking up a first down and recording three yards in the first quarter.

Up Next
Troy travels to Arkansas State on Oct. 26 for a Sun Belt match up in Jonesboro, Ark. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.

Quotable – Head Coach Gerad Parker
"I was so proud of our players and our staff with just how they carried themselves to finish out the game. When it got to a point where we were not going to be able to win the football game, I thought they continued to play and play like a Troy Trojan. It was an excellent game plan. I just loved how they flew around. We still made mistakes against a high-powered offense, but with as many possessions as they faced, to do what they did was impressive. I'm very proud of them."

On the offense...
"It just did not show up. I would argue that the preparation was very good, but it did not translate on the field. It was a complete failure for the most part on offense, and that's my responsibility to get fixed and figure out. We did not play good at the quarterback position to start that game, and it put us in a tough situation. We've got to help them play better earlier and help them out. There was essentially failure for the most part for the football game on that side of the ball, and it put us in a position where we could not even function.

On going forward...
"We've got to go back to work. Find a way to play winning football, complimentary football. Find a way to make us better, and that's what we're going to do. We did it last week for 12 days. In so many ways, we took steps, especially defensively. In other ways, we did not. I've got to go back to the drawing board and get this organization going the right way."

Notable
• South Alabama's victory snapped a six-game winning streak by the Trojans in the series and an overall six-game winning streak in the city of Mobile for the Trojans; Troy now leads the all-time series by a 9-4 margin.

• OL Matt Henry and Bandit Jah-Mal Williams made their first career starts in a Troy uniform and at the FBS level; Troy entered the week ranked second nationally (Air Force 26) with 24 players starting their first game at the FBS level this year.

• Troy rolled out its fifth different starting offensive line unit in seven games due to injury.

• Devonte Ross caught his eighth touchdown pass of the season; he entered the week tied for fourth in the country in touchdown receptions. Ross was targeted 14 times in the game and finished with seven catches for 70 yards.

• Troy held South Alabama to just 12 first downs, the fewest by a Troy opponent this season.

• Troy held South Alabama to just 318 yards of total offense, the Jags' lowest output this season. USA's previous low was 333 yards at LSU.

• Troy held South Alabama to just 158 passing yards, the Jags' second-lowest output this season (App State, 154 yards).

• Brendan Jackson set a career-high with 4.5 tackles for loss; his total ranks as the second-most in a game in program history (Javon Solomon, 5.0 vs. Southern Miss in 2021).

• Troy recorded 14 tackles for loss in the game, tied for the sixth most in Troy's FBS history. It was the most since Troy had 16 tackles for loss against Southern Miss in 2021. The Trojans entered the week with the ninth-most tackles for loss in the country since 2017.

• Of South Alabama's five scoring drives (2 TDs, 3 FG), three of them started at the South Alabama 49-yard line or better, with two of those three drives resulting in field goals.

• Troy extended its streak of not allowing a touchdown in Hancock Whitney Stadium to nine quarters after holding South Alabama to just a field goal in the first quarter of play. South Alabama has scored a touchdown in just 1-of-12 quarters played against Troy in Hancock Whitney Stadium.

• Scott Taylor Renfroe moved to 8-of-9 on field goals this season after knocking in a 36-yard field goal in the second quarter. He moved into a tie for ninth place in Troy history with 27 career makes.