Troy University Athletics
11/12/2026 8:04:00 AM | Football
TROY, Ala. – Troy travels to Hancock Whitney Stadium on Saturday for the annual "Battle for the Belt" against South Alabama; kickoff is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Troy (4-5, 2-3 SBC) has won seven of the last eight meetings against its in-state rival, and the Trojans have won five of the seven games in Mobile, including 2-of-3 at Hancock Whitney Stadium.
The Trojan defense has been disruptive the past two weeks, forcing seven turnovers and scoring a pair of touchdowns – both on the opponents' opening drive of the second half. Donnie Smith continues to be a sack machine for The Trojans, with a sack in 8-of-9 games this season and a nation-leading 17 in the last two years.
Keno Jones forced a sack-fumble that led to the touchdown last week against Louisiana Tech last week and leads the Trojans with 71 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles.
Troy and South Alabama (4-5, 2-3) have played three games at Hancock Whitney Stadium; Troy has held South Alabama without a touchdown in 11-of-12 quarters played in the stadium.
Offensively, the Trojans have run the ball well most of the season, boasting the nation's 28th-ranked rushing attack, per Pro Football Focus (seventh prior to the La Tech game). Troy ranks ninth nationally for forced missed tackles, with 95 this season, and Jaheim Merriweather ranks 14th nationally (min. 70 attempts) with an 87.6 PFF rushing grade.
South Alabama put up big offensive numbers early in the season, scoring 41-plus points in three of four games (Ohio, ULM, Arkansas State). However, the Jaguars are averaging 19.7 points in their last three games.
The Jags welcomed back Bishop Davenport at quarterback in their loss at Louisiana last week, after their week one starter had missed the previous six games due to injury.
Notable
• Justin Powe is the first player since Louisiana Tech's Amik Robertson (Oct. 19, 2019) to have three interceptions and two pass break ups in a game. He is the first player since App State's Tae Hayes (Oct. 7, 2017) to have three interceptions, two pass break ups and a touchdown
• Safety Marcus Goree is the nation's top safety (min. 100 snaps), having not allowed a first down in coverage this season
• Troy has attempted 26 fourth down conversions, the seventh most in the country (South Alabama is first with 32)
• Troy is tied for ninth this season, holding four opponents to 150 yards or fewer through the air
• Troy has converted 20 of its last 27 third downs of three yards or less (74.1 percent)
• Troy's quarterbacks are averaging 3.9 yards after contact per carry, the 12th best in the country
• Troy has held opponents to just 43 percent on third and two or three yards; opponents are 3-for-8 the last three games
• Troy has forced 16 three-and-outs in the last three games, 39 percent of opponents' possessions. In the first six games, the rate was 22.9 percent
• Troy is 31-1 since 2015 when it has a +2 turnover margin
• Troy ranks 10th nationally, holding opponents to a 72.73 percent success rate in the red zone (24-of-33)
• Jabari Strait has allowed receptions on just 39.4 percent of targets against him (13-of-33); that ranks 12th among FBS players with at least 30 targets. He also ranks 14th nationally with just five first downs allowed in coverage (min. 30 targets)
• Donnie Smith is one of just two players in the country with a sack in eight different games, Indiana's Tobi Osunsanmi
• Troy has allowed the third-fewest plays of 20-plus yards in the SBC with 33 (Louisiana - 30; App State - 32)
• Troy ranks third, allowing just 34 rushing plays of 10-plus yards (JMU, 30). Troy is second, allowing just 10 passing plays of 30-plus yards
• Troy's defense has not allowed a third-down conversion of more than 15 yards this season; opponents are 0-for-9
• Opponents are just 11-for-60 (.183) on third-downs of seven or more yards
Troy (4-5, 2-3 SBC) has won seven of the last eight meetings against its in-state rival, and the Trojans have won five of the seven games in Mobile, including 2-of-3 at Hancock Whitney Stadium.
The Trojan defense has been disruptive the past two weeks, forcing seven turnovers and scoring a pair of touchdowns – both on the opponents' opening drive of the second half. Donnie Smith continues to be a sack machine for The Trojans, with a sack in 8-of-9 games this season and a nation-leading 17 in the last two years.
Keno Jones forced a sack-fumble that led to the touchdown last week against Louisiana Tech last week and leads the Trojans with 71 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles.
Troy and South Alabama (4-5, 2-3) have played three games at Hancock Whitney Stadium; Troy has held South Alabama without a touchdown in 11-of-12 quarters played in the stadium.
Offensively, the Trojans have run the ball well most of the season, boasting the nation's 28th-ranked rushing attack, per Pro Football Focus (seventh prior to the La Tech game). Troy ranks ninth nationally for forced missed tackles, with 95 this season, and Jaheim Merriweather ranks 14th nationally (min. 70 attempts) with an 87.6 PFF rushing grade.
South Alabama put up big offensive numbers early in the season, scoring 41-plus points in three of four games (Ohio, ULM, Arkansas State). However, the Jaguars are averaging 19.7 points in their last three games.
The Jags welcomed back Bishop Davenport at quarterback in their loss at Louisiana last week, after their week one starter had missed the previous six games due to injury.
Notable
• Justin Powe is the first player since Louisiana Tech's Amik Robertson (Oct. 19, 2019) to have three interceptions and two pass break ups in a game. He is the first player since App State's Tae Hayes (Oct. 7, 2017) to have three interceptions, two pass break ups and a touchdown
• Safety Marcus Goree is the nation's top safety (min. 100 snaps), having not allowed a first down in coverage this season
• Troy has attempted 26 fourth down conversions, the seventh most in the country (South Alabama is first with 32)
• Troy is tied for ninth this season, holding four opponents to 150 yards or fewer through the air
• Troy has converted 20 of its last 27 third downs of three yards or less (74.1 percent)
• Troy's quarterbacks are averaging 3.9 yards after contact per carry, the 12th best in the country
• Troy has held opponents to just 43 percent on third and two or three yards; opponents are 3-for-8 the last three games
• Troy has forced 16 three-and-outs in the last three games, 39 percent of opponents' possessions. In the first six games, the rate was 22.9 percent
• Troy is 31-1 since 2015 when it has a +2 turnover margin
• Troy ranks 10th nationally, holding opponents to a 72.73 percent success rate in the red zone (24-of-33)
• Jabari Strait has allowed receptions on just 39.4 percent of targets against him (13-of-33); that ranks 12th among FBS players with at least 30 targets. He also ranks 14th nationally with just five first downs allowed in coverage (min. 30 targets)
• Donnie Smith is one of just two players in the country with a sack in eight different games, Indiana's Tobi Osunsanmi
• Troy has allowed the third-fewest plays of 20-plus yards in the SBC with 33 (Louisiana - 30; App State - 32)
• Troy ranks third, allowing just 34 rushing plays of 10-plus yards (JMU, 30). Troy is second, allowing just 10 passing plays of 30-plus yards
• Troy's defense has not allowed a third-down conversion of more than 15 yards this season; opponents are 0-for-9
• Opponents are just 11-for-60 (.183) on third-downs of seven or more yards
Players Mentioned
LB
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RB
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S
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BAN
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CB
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