Troy University Athletics
10/24/2026 8:11:00 PM | Football
Troy's offense started with a bang Saturday, but then struggled much of the game as ULM rallied late for a 21-14 win over the Trojans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The rushing attack got in gear on the first drive of the game as the Trojans drove 77 yards on 17 plays to put the first points on the scoreboard.
The touchdown came when quarterback Tucker Kilcrease connected on a swing pass to Gavin Griffin, who strolled easily into the end zone from 5 yards out on a third-and-4 play.
Troy rushed the ball 15 times in the drive and used 9:31 of clock for the score with 4:16 left in the first quarter.
Running back Jordan Lovett was the workhorse, carrying the ball nine times for 35 yards. It would be the only drive of the first quarter for the Trojans.
Yards were hard to come by the rest of the first half for Troy, which managed only 89 net yards rushing and 16 passing over the first two quarters.
Things didn't improve much the rest of the game.
The only other Troy touchdown came with less than seven minutes remaining in the game.
Facing a fourth-and-1 at the ULM 2, Griffin took a direct snap and bulled his way for a yard gain and a first down. A play later, Griffin took it into the end zone with 6:16 left and a 14-3 advantage following the extra point kick.
Troy compiled 200 net yards of offense for the game - 153 rushing and 47 passing.
The Trojans came into the contest averaging 204.7 yards rushing and 198 yards passing per game.
"It's frustrating," Kilcrease said. "I will never stop believing that we are an extremely talented offense. I think it's just that we have to do our jobs better at a consistent level.
"It comes down to doing our jobs, and I did not do my job well enough while I was out there tonight. All I can do from here is wake up tomorrow and try and get better."
Kilcrease was asked what ULM's defense did to slow the Trojans' rhythm.
"I think they mixed up their fronts some, but then again I think we just didn't execute to the best of our ability," Kilcrease said. "We all know what we can do.
"I don't think the belief is ever going to stop no matter what happens because of how much love this football team has for each other. I don't have a perfect straight forward answer, but I do know we'll wake up tomorrow and try to get better."
Goose Crowder, who injured a shoulder during last week's loss at Louisiana, started the game at quarterback but struggled in completing 6-of-14 passes for 50 yards with an interception.
The longest completion of the game for Troy came when Crowder connected with T.J. Lott as he was streaking down the right side for a 32-yard completion down to the ULM 12 with just more than nine minutes left in the game, eventually leading to a TD.
Kilcrease completed 3-of-4 passes for minus 3 yards.
Troy head coach Gerad Parker didn't sugar coat the woes.
"We've lost our passing game," Parker said. "If you can't complete but nine passes, you can't win a football game at this level.
"The team is a reflection of me first. We're not doing a good enough job, and it starts with me."
Until the late ULM rally, the defense had played fairly well.
The Warhawks finished with 243 yards of total offense (149 passing, 94 rushing) with much of those yards coming in the final quarter.
"Great effort by our defense early … really for much of the game," Parker said. "But a breakdown in discipline and passing defense caught up to us at the end of the game.
"You either play winning football or you don't. It doesn't matter if a team is 0-6; it doesn't matter if a team is 6-0. We didn't play winning football - we're not playing winning football."
Give and take
The Trojans came up with a fumble recovery of an Evan Crenshaw punt in the second quarter when Keyshawn Campbell made a hard hit on the returner to jar the ball loose and Jordan Lovett pounced on the football to give the Trojans back the ball at the ULM 21.
However, Crowder was intercepted in the end zone on the ensuing play to give the ball back to the Warhawks.
New starting placekicker
Hayden Wolfe got his first start of the season at placekicker and made both extra-point kicks, but was well short on a 55-yard field goal try on the final play of the first half.
Wolfe, a transfer from Northwest Mississippi Community College, and Ethan Head, a transfer from West Virginia, battled throughout the preseason for the starting job. Head started the first six games, going 7-of-12 on field goals attempts and 17-of-18 on extra point tries. He missed a PAT in last week's loss at Louisiana.
"We haven't been very good at kicker … haven't been very consistent at all," Parker said of the switch. "We had an open tryout for the job and he (Wolfe) won the job in the live reps this week."
Busy punter
Troy All-American punter Evan Crenshaw had a busy day, punting nine times for an average of 41.1 yards per kick. His longest of the day went for 55 yards.
The rushing attack got in gear on the first drive of the game as the Trojans drove 77 yards on 17 plays to put the first points on the scoreboard.
The touchdown came when quarterback Tucker Kilcrease connected on a swing pass to Gavin Griffin, who strolled easily into the end zone from 5 yards out on a third-and-4 play.
Troy rushed the ball 15 times in the drive and used 9:31 of clock for the score with 4:16 left in the first quarter.
Running back Jordan Lovett was the workhorse, carrying the ball nine times for 35 yards. It would be the only drive of the first quarter for the Trojans.
Yards were hard to come by the rest of the first half for Troy, which managed only 89 net yards rushing and 16 passing over the first two quarters.
Things didn't improve much the rest of the game.
The only other Troy touchdown came with less than seven minutes remaining in the game.
Facing a fourth-and-1 at the ULM 2, Griffin took a direct snap and bulled his way for a yard gain and a first down. A play later, Griffin took it into the end zone with 6:16 left and a 14-3 advantage following the extra point kick.
Troy compiled 200 net yards of offense for the game - 153 rushing and 47 passing.
The Trojans came into the contest averaging 204.7 yards rushing and 198 yards passing per game.
"It's frustrating," Kilcrease said. "I will never stop believing that we are an extremely talented offense. I think it's just that we have to do our jobs better at a consistent level.
"It comes down to doing our jobs, and I did not do my job well enough while I was out there tonight. All I can do from here is wake up tomorrow and try and get better."
Kilcrease was asked what ULM's defense did to slow the Trojans' rhythm.
"I think they mixed up their fronts some, but then again I think we just didn't execute to the best of our ability," Kilcrease said. "We all know what we can do.
"I don't think the belief is ever going to stop no matter what happens because of how much love this football team has for each other. I don't have a perfect straight forward answer, but I do know we'll wake up tomorrow and try to get better."
Goose Crowder, who injured a shoulder during last week's loss at Louisiana, started the game at quarterback but struggled in completing 6-of-14 passes for 50 yards with an interception.
The longest completion of the game for Troy came when Crowder connected with T.J. Lott as he was streaking down the right side for a 32-yard completion down to the ULM 12 with just more than nine minutes left in the game, eventually leading to a TD.
Kilcrease completed 3-of-4 passes for minus 3 yards.
Troy head coach Gerad Parker didn't sugar coat the woes.
"We've lost our passing game," Parker said. "If you can't complete but nine passes, you can't win a football game at this level.
"The team is a reflection of me first. We're not doing a good enough job, and it starts with me."
Until the late ULM rally, the defense had played fairly well.
The Warhawks finished with 243 yards of total offense (149 passing, 94 rushing) with much of those yards coming in the final quarter.
"Great effort by our defense early … really for much of the game," Parker said. "But a breakdown in discipline and passing defense caught up to us at the end of the game.
"You either play winning football or you don't. It doesn't matter if a team is 0-6; it doesn't matter if a team is 6-0. We didn't play winning football - we're not playing winning football."
Give and take
The Trojans came up with a fumble recovery of an Evan Crenshaw punt in the second quarter when Keyshawn Campbell made a hard hit on the returner to jar the ball loose and Jordan Lovett pounced on the football to give the Trojans back the ball at the ULM 21.
However, Crowder was intercepted in the end zone on the ensuing play to give the ball back to the Warhawks.
New starting placekicker
Hayden Wolfe got his first start of the season at placekicker and made both extra-point kicks, but was well short on a 55-yard field goal try on the final play of the first half.
Wolfe, a transfer from Northwest Mississippi Community College, and Ethan Head, a transfer from West Virginia, battled throughout the preseason for the starting job. Head started the first six games, going 7-of-12 on field goals attempts and 17-of-18 on extra point tries. He missed a PAT in last week's loss at Louisiana.
"We haven't been very good at kicker … haven't been very consistent at all," Parker said of the switch. "We had an open tryout for the job and he (Wolfe) won the job in the live reps this week."
Busy punter
Troy All-American punter Evan Crenshaw had a busy day, punting nine times for an average of 41.1 yards per kick. His longest of the day went for 55 yards.
Players Mentioned
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