Troy Battles Jacksonville State in the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl

Tuesday, December 16

Montgomery, Ala.

8 p.m.

Troy University

Jacksonville State

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Troy Battles Jacksonville State in the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl

12/15/2025 11:51:00 AM | Football

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Troy and Jacksonville State renew their dormant rivalry Tuesday night when the Trojans and Gamecocks square off in the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowls in Montgomery's Cramton Bowl at 8 p.m. on ESPN. It's the 64^th meeting between the two schools, but first since 2001.

Both Troy (8-5, 6-2) and Jacksonville State (8-5, 7-1) played in their respective conference championship games just over a week ago, with the Trojans playing at No. 19 James Madison, while the Gamecocks fell at home to Kennesaw State.

Troy's appearance in the Montgomery-based bowl game marks the completion of the Alabama bowl circuit for the Trojans – Mobile in 2010, 2016 and 2018, and Birmingham in 2023. Troy is the only program to have played in all three Alabama bowl games.

The Trojan defense will be tested on the ground, as Jax State brings the nation's fourth-rated rushing attack in the game, behind the nation's leading rusher in Cam Cook (1,659 yards). The Gamecocks are averaging 258.0 yards per game, one spot ahead of James Madison. After Tuesday's game, Troy will have faced four of the top 12 rushing teams this season (Jax State, 4^th; James Madison 5^th; Old Dominion, 7^th; Texas State, 12^th) … if you go a little deeper, it's six of the top 23 rushing teams.

The equalizer for the Troy defense will be its ability to rush the passer and put pressure behind the line of scrimmage. Donnie Smith leads the Sun Belt with 10 sacks and ranks second in the country with a sack in eight different games this year. As a team, Troy has three or more sacks in eight games this year, the second most in the country, and six or more tackles for loss in nine games.

Offensively, Goose Crowder is expected to start at quarterback after leaving the Sun Belt Championship Game early. He's completed 66-of-111 passes for 842 yards and seven touchdowns, plus rushing for a touchdown in three starts since returning from his injury against Memphis in September.

The surrounding cast will be a little different as Troy's offensive line will feature just one opening day starter, while the running back room will be led by Jordan Lovett and Dennis Palmer. On the outside, RaRa Thomas has transformed his game the last three weeks, catching 11 passes for 250 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Notable
• Since returning as the starting quarterback (last three games), Goose Crowder has completed 66-of-111 passes for 842 yards and seven touchdowns

• Troy has held opponents to a 45.45 percent touchdown rate in the red zone, the 10th best in the country. Troy has held opponents to a 77.27 success rate in the red zone, the 23rd-best mark in the country

• Goose Crowder (361 yards vs. Georgia State) and Tucker Kilcrease (415 at Texas State) became the first Troy quarterbacks to throw for more than 350 yards in a game in the same season in program history

• Jaquez White is averaging 1.08 passes defended per game, the third most in the Sun Belt and 19th most in the country. His 11 PBUs are tied for the 14th most in the country

• Troy's starting offensive line for the bowl game will feature just one original starter from the season opener ... it will be Troy's fifth different OL unit to start a game

• Troy ranks second in the Sun Belt, averaging just 5.76 penalties per game

• Troy is bowl eligible for the third time in the last four years and for the 13th time in the program's 25-year FBS history; it's the sixth time over the 10 seasons that Troy has become bowl eligible (2016, 17, 18, 22, 23, 25)

• Jordan Stringer is one of just eight players in the country with at least 100 tackles and 11 tackles for loss this season

• Donnie Smith leads the Sun Belt with 10 sacks ... it would be the second time in the last three seasons a Trojan has led the league in sacks (Javon Solomon, 2023, 16)

• Peyton Higgins is tied for sixth in the Sun Belt with 10 first down catches on third down ... 10 of his 12 catches on third down have resulted in a first down. Overall, 20 of his 33 receptions have resulted in a first down

• Troy is 6-0 this season when reaching 20 first downs and 4-0 when running 70 or more plays

• Troy has recorded multiple sacks in 34 games since the start of the 2022 season (26-8), the 21st most in the country. Troy has four or more sacks 17 times (16-1), the eighth most nationally, and five or more sacks 10 times (10-0), the seventh most in the country

• Troy has forced 13 turnovers in its last 26 quarters of play after recording four in the first 26 quarters of the season

• Troy held Sun Belt Player of the Year Alonza Barnett III to just 10-of-25 passes for 93 yards and an interception ... James Madison's 93 passing yards were its third-fewest in the program's FBS history