Football Heads to Arkansas State for SBC West Showdown

Saturday, October 26

Jonesboro, Ark.

6 p.m.

Troy University

Arkansas State

Football Heads to Arkansas State for SBC West Showdown

10/24/2024 10:34:00 AM | Football

Watch Live Listen Live Live Stats

By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – After playing just twice in the past 23 days, Troy Football returns to the gridiron on Saturday for a Sun Belt West Division showdown against Arkansas State at Centennial Bank Stadium in Jonesboro, Ark.

The game pits the two winningest programs in Sun Belt history against each other, with Troy's 98 wins leading the way, while Arkansas State and Louisiana are second with 95 (both programs entered the league three years before Troy). Troy also leads all Sun Belt programs with eight league titles, followed by Arkansas State's six.

For the first time in almost a month, Troy (1-6, 0-3 SBC) will have some certainly at the quarterback position after it was announced earlier this week that starter Goose Crowder will miss the remainder of the season due to injury. Junior Matthew Caldwell and sophomore Tucker Kilcrease have split time in Crowder's absence, as Troy's game one starter has played in just 11 quarters this season.

Troy will look for its running game, led by Damien Taylor and Gerald Green, to help pick up some of the slack in Crowder's absence. The Trojans have rushed for 189 yards or more in three games this season, with Taylor ranking 11^th nationally in yards after contact (4.65 per carry).

Caldwell and Kilcrease have weapons on the outside, led by junior Devonte Ross, who enters the weekend tied for fifth nationally with eight touchdown receptions in addition to leading the Sun Belt in all-purpose yards, receiving yards, touchdown receptions and total touchdowns.

Outside of the Texas State game, where Troy was missing three starters and several key backups on defense, the Trojans have played solid defense football, holding the other six opponents to either fewer than 60 rushing yards or 180 passing yards and holding 5-of-7 opponents this year to fewer than 400 yards of offense, with three at 350 yards or less.

The Trojans held South Alabama to just 318 yards their last time out, the Jaguars fewest this season (including at LSU) and recorded 15 tackles for loss in the game, the fourth-most in Troy's FBS history. Linebacker Brendan Jackson finished a half TFL off the single-game record, recording 4.5 in the game.

Troy, which ranks eighth nationally since 2017 in tackles for loss, has five or more in five games this year and 38 in the last five games.

Arkansas State (4-3, 2-1) has won two of its last three, with wins over Southern Miss and South Alabama around a loss to Texas State. The Red Wolves' offense runs through sophomore quarterback Jaylen Raynor, who has already thrown for more than 4,000 yards in his young career, and receiver Corey Rucker, who ranks third in program history in touchdown receptions and fourth in receiving yards.

Notable
• Troy has forced 195 turnovers since the start of the 2016 season, which is the second most in the country.

• Troy has started five different offensive line units in seven games this season, tied for the fourth most in the country (FSU, UTSA, Middle Tennessee - 6).

• Troy's games in 2024 have averaged just 120.0 combined plays, the third-fewest in the country (Kentucky, 114.57).

• Paddy McAteer, who didn't kick an American football until April, ranks as the No. 23 KOS in the country by PFF and 12th, averaging 70.1 yards per attempt.

• Troy's defense has started drives on its side of the field 10 times this season (13 percent of possessions); of those drives, Troy's defense is allowing just an average of just 4.1 points per drive,

• Damien Taylor ranks 21st nationally among running backs per PFF with an 83.7 rush grade (min. 65 rushes) and is 11th, averaging 4.65 yards after contact.

• Big plays have been key to Troy's success offensively; the Trojans have scored on just 6.8 percent of its drives (3-of-44) without a big play (any pass of 15+ yards or a rush of 12+ yards). Troy has scored on 66.7 percent of drives with a big play (20-of-30).

• Starting QB Goose Crowder will miss the rest of the 2024 season due to injury; he played in just 11 quarters over four games.

• Troy has allowed opponents to score on just three drives this season when it has not allowed a big play (12-plus yard run, 15-plus yard pass) that has resulted in points (3-for-35); conversely, Troy has allowed points on 30-of-42 drives when allowing a big play.

• Twenty-six Trojans (offense/defense) have made their first career FBS start this season, tied for the most in the country. The number swells to 30 when counting special teams and 34 when counting first-time starters at Troy.

• Troy drives with at least three first downs this season have resulted in a touchdown 16-of-17 times; the one that didn't, Troy took a knee to run out the clock.