Order Restored – Troy Downs South Alabama in OT in “The Battle for the Belt”

Saturday, October 4

Troy, Ala.

6 p.m.

Troy University

3-2 , 1-0

South Alabama

1-5 , 0-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

South Alabama

Troy

Order Restored – Troy Downs South Alabama in OT in “The Battle for the Belt”

10/4/2025 11:08:00 PM | Football

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Game Notes (PDF)Troy Quotes Gerad Parker Press Conference Players Press Conference Highlights

By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – Tucker Kilcrease turned in one of the most complete performances of his career, and Troy walked away with the Belt yet again. The junior quarterback threw for 203 yards, rushed for 102 and accounted for three touchdowns as Troy outlasted in-state rival South Alabama, 31-24, in overtime Saturday night before 28,035 fans at The Vet.

The victory marked Troy's (3-2, 1-0 SBC) seventh in the last eight meetings against the Jaguars and its first overtime win since 2013. It also came in front of one of the largest home crowds in program history – the seventh-highest attendance ever at The Vet and the second-largest for a Sun Belt game.

Kilcrease set the tone early, leading an 82-yard opening drive capped by his own 34-yard touchdown run – the longest rush of his career. After South Alabama (1-5, 0-2) pulled even later in the first quarter, Kilcrease struck again late in the first half, connecting with RaRa Thomas for a 25-yard touchdown to give Troy a 14-7 lead at the break.

The Jaguars grabbed brief momentum in the third quarter, taking a 17-14 lead on a 56-yard keeper by quarterback Bishop Davenport. Kilcrease quickly answered, engineering a seven-play, 75-yard drive that ended with an 11-yard touchdown pass to DJ Epps – the first score of Epps' career. Epps finished with career highs in receptions (five) and yards (59).

Scott Taylor Renfroe's 28-yard field goal in the fourth quarter pushed Troy ahead 24-17, but South Alabama tied it in the final two minutes to force overtime. In the extra period, Troy's offensive line paved the way for running back Tae Meadows, who powered in from 3 yards out to seal the win and send the home crowd into a frenzy.

Kilcrease became only the second Troy quarterback since 1995 to throw for more than 200 yards and rush for more than 100 in a single game, joining Deon Anthony, who did so in 2012. His performance helped Troy post its second 200-yard rushing effort of the season, improving the Trojans to 53-2 since joining the Sun Belt in 2004 when hitting that benchmark.

Meadows added 79 yards on 17 carries, while Tray Taylor's 48-yard grab – Troy's longest of the season – set up Epps' touchdown in the third. The Trojans finished with 420 total yards, including 217 on the ground, and did not allow a sack a week after giving up seven.

Defensively, Troy again relied on its physical front. Spear Devin Lafayette recorded a career-high 19 tackles, the most by a Trojan not named Carlton Martial since 2011, while Donnie Smith, Jaquez White, D.J. Jackson Jr. and Jamel Fils-Aime each registered sacks.

The Trojans limited South Alabama to just 104 passing yards and forced four three-and-outs, including three straight in the second quarter.

With the win, Troy improved to 10-4 all-time against South Alabama and 102-60 overall in Sun Belt Conference play – the most league victories in conference history.

Up Next
Troy travels to San Marcos, Texas, for a final matchup with Texas State before the Bobcats depart the Sun Belt Conference for the Pac-12. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Quotable – Troy Head Coach Gerad Parker
"Looking back at last year, I wanted us to open up those wounds and study this game. We wanted to see why things happened in the game last year and realize what it was going to take for us to win the game. I think you have to talk about those wounds in order to build them back up.

"Tonight, in overtime, when the best was required, our defense gave their best and had a huge fourth-down stop. They got a huge tackle-for-loss early in that series, which created the third-and-long. I couldn't be happier for those guys.

Notable
• Troy improved to 10-4 all-time against South Alabama and 5-2 all-time at home against South Alabama.

• Troy has won four of its last five Sun Belt Conference games dating back to last season.

• Tonight's attendance was 28,035. This marked the seventh-highest attended game in program history, and the second-highest attended Sun Belt Conference game behind South Alabama in 2023.

• Tonight marked Troy's first overtime game since Oct. 31, 2015, against Appalachian State. Troy lost that game in triple overtime.

• Troy improves to 2-6 all-time in overtime games; the Trojans' last overtime victory came on Aug. 31, 2013, against UAB (34-31).

• Tucker Kilcrease's first-quarter 34-yard rushing touchdown was the longest rush of his career. It marked the second consecutive game Kilcrease has scored a rushing touchdown, following a 6-yard score against Buffalo on Sept. 20.

• Tucker Kilcrease rushed for 102 yards on 19 carries; he is the first Troy quarterback to rush for more than 100 yards since Kaleb Barker rushed for 111 yards on five carries against Georgia State in 2018.

• Tucker Kilcrease became just the second Troy quarterback since 1995 to pass for more than 200 yards and throw for more than 100 yards in a game. He joins Deon Anthony (245 passing yards, 115 rushing yards), who did so against FIU on Oct. 20, 2012.

• Troy rushed for 217 yards as a team in the game, the Trojans' second 200-yard rushing game this season. The Trojans improved to 53-2 since 2004 (joined the Sun Belt) when rushing for 200 or more yards.

• Troy had two rushing touchdowns and two passing touchdowns in the victory; the Trojans have had a rushing and passing touchdown in each of their last six victories.

• Troy did not allow a sack in the game after allowing seven in the victory at Buffalo; it marked the first time this season that the Trojans have not allowed a sack.

• Troy has won six of its last seven games when rushing for more than 100 yards.

• Troy has now scored 30-plus points in six of its 10 all-time victories over South Alabama.

• Jaquez White's sack to end South Alabama's drive with 2:52 remaining in the first half was the first sack of his high school or collegiate career.

• Devin Lafayette finished the game with a career-high 19 tackles. It's tied for the fourth most tackles by a Trojan since 1995 and the most by a Trojan not named Carlton Martial since Brynden Trawick's 20 tackles against Western Kentucky in 2011. Martial (the NCAA's all-time leading tackler) had three 19-plus-tackle games, with one each in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

• Troy forced South Alabama into four three-and-outs, including three straight in the second quarter, one week after forcing Buffalo into six three-and-outs.

• Troy held South Alabama to 104 passing yards in the game, the fewest by a team other than Army since Marshall had 78 yards on Sept. 9, 2022.

• Troy finished with four sacks in the game, its 29th game since the start of the 2022 season with multiple sacks and the 15th time with four or more sacks.

• Troy held South Alabama to 369 yards of total offense; the Trojans have held 33 of their last 40 opponents to less than 400 yards of offense.

• Peyton Higgins returned four punts for a total of 65 yards, including a career-long 32-yard return.

• Evan Crenshaw continued his impressive season as all three of his punts were downed inside the 20-yard line -- the 3-yard line, the 14-yard line and the 18-yard line. He booted a 58-yarder, his 12th punt of 50-plus yards this season.