Troy Hosts ULM to Open Sun Belt Play on Military Appreciation Day at The Vet

TROY, Ala. – With the full non-conference slate in the rearview mirror, Troy opens the second phase of its 2024 football schedule Saturday evening when it plays host to ULM in The Vet in the Sun Belt opener for both squads.

Kickoff between the Trojans and Warhawks is slated for 6 p.m. on Military Appreciation Day; the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

Troy (1-3) enters the weekend coming off its first victory of the season, a commanding 34-12 win over Florida A&M, the defending HBCU National Champions, while ULM (2-1) had the daunting task of facing the nation's top-ranked team in a 51-3 loss at Texas.

There are a pair of streaks on the line Saturday evening when the two teams square off, as the Trojans have won eight straight games against Sun Belt West Division opponents and eight straight league games overall; the overall streak is the fifth-longest active conference winning streak in the country.

In the win over the Rattlers, junior receiver Devonte Ross dazzled for a second straight week, with three touchdown receptions and a school record 229 receiving yards. The Cartersville, Ga., has scored six times and is a tick under 500 all-purpose yards the last two weeks.

His six touchdown receptions this season have covered an average of 46.14 yards, and he leads the country (min. 35 targets), averaging 19.4 yards per catch. Ross became the first Trojan since Eric Thomas in 2011 to catch multiple touchdown passes in consecutive games and is just two 100-yard games shy of the Troy single-season record.

Defensively, the Trojans limited the Rattlers to 55 yards on the ground and without a touchdown. Troy is still looking for its first turnover of the season, joining Purdue as the only two teams to have not forced an opponent into a single turnover; Troy ranks second nationally since 2016 in turnovers forced.

Notable
• Devonte Ross became the first player in Troy's DI history to record a pair of 60-plus yard catches in the same game

• Damien Taylor ranks second nationally (min. 35 carries), averaging 5.61 yards after contact per carry

• Troy has forced 191 turnovers since the start of the 2016 season, which is the second most in the country

• Troy's eight conference titles since 2006 are tied with Clemson for the fifth most over that period

• Six of Troy's first eight scoring drives were double-digit plays in length and consumed 4:53 or more off the clock ... Six of Troy's last seven scoring drives have been six plays or fewer, with four being four plays or fewer

• Negative plays have been the key to Troy's success on defense ... the Trojans have not allowed points on any drive this season in which they record a sack (0-for-4)

• Troy became just the sixth team since 2022 to pass for 229 yards or more against Iowa

• 60-yard receptions in the same game have not been easy to come by for the Trojans; in fact, Troy's two at Iowa (both by Devonte Ross) marked the first time Troy had two 60-yard catches in the same game since 2009 vs. UAB

• Devonte Ross became the first Troy player with multiple touchdown receptions in consecutive games since Eric Thomas had two against North Texas and Florida Atlantic in 2011. Ross had two touchdown receptions at Iowa and had three against Florida A&M

• Troy has allowed opponents to score on a drive just one time out of 19 when not allowing a big play (12-plus yard run, 15-plus yard pass)

• Troy has won the coin toss just eight times in the last 32 games (0-for-4 this season); the odds of that happening? 4.4 percent

• Troy has held 20 opponents to 19 points or fewer the last three seasons, fourth most in the country

• Twenty-one Trojans (offense/defense) have made their first career FBS start this season, the second most in the country. The number swells to 25 when counting special teams and 28 when counting first-time starters at Troy

• Troy is 21-3 in its last 24 games when rushing for more than 100 yards

Troy Hosts ULM to Open Sun Belt Play on Military Appreciation Day at The Vet

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Players Mentioned

Devonte Ross

Damien Taylor

Troy University Athletics