Troy University Athletics
11/7/2026 8:06:00 PM | Football
A big fumble recovery for a touchdown early in the second half gave Troy a needed boost, but Louisiana Tech answered with two touchdowns in the third quarter to take a commanding lead en route to a 41-17 victory Saturday at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Linebacker Keno Jones started the positive Troy defensive sequence when he rushed through on a 3rd-and-3 play from the Bulldogs' 17 and put a hit on quarterback Blake Baker, who fumbled the ball and it rolled into the end zone.Â
It was recovered for a touchdown by defensive end Delvin Whitaker to pull the Trojans within 20-17 following the extra point kick with 12:48 to play in the third quarter.
It was Whitaker's first fumble recovery as a Trojan. Ironically, he signed with Louisiana Tech out of West Feliciana (La.) High School and redshirted as a freshman before transferring and playing two seasons at East Central (Miss.) Community College. He's in his first season at Troy.
Baker was injured on the play and didn't play the rest of the way. Before going out, he completed 16-of-19 passes for 177 yards with a touchdown. Second string quarterback Trey Kukuk did good work once entering the game, completing 8-of-10 Passes for 68 yards and one touchdown.
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Give and take
The quarterbacks of both teams lost the handle on the football in consecutive possessions in the second quarter, although neither turnover resulted in points for the recovering team.
At the 11:53 mark, Troy QB Tucker Kilcrease fumbled while being sacked and the Bulldogs recovered at the Trojans' 12.Â
However, three plays later, Baker was stripped of the football by Donnie Smith and Bryce Steele recovered for Troy. It was the first time Baker has turned the ball over in conference play. His only turnover this season is an interception during a loss to LSU.
The Trojans had five turnovers in the game - four fumbles and one interception. The Bulldogs lost two fumbles.
The last one of the day came in the final minutes when Kilcrease fumbled while being sacked and Alonzo Jackson, Jr., picked it up and returned it 66 yards for the final touchdown.
It's the first time Troy has lost four fumbles in a game since 2010 in a loss to Oklahoma State and the first time since 2016 against Arkansas State the Trojans have had five turnovers in  a game.
"You can cut it up many different ways, but the fact of the matter is, you can't lose turnover margin," Troy head coach Gerad Parker said. "We turned the ball over five times. You're not going to win against anybody, but especially against our Western Division leader."
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Tough day for offense
The Trojans were held to 262 yards of offense - 47 rushing and 215 passing.
Kilcrease was 18-of-33 passing for 215 yards with one interception.
Gavin Griffin and Jordan Lovett each carried the ball 10 times - Lovett for 31 yards and Griffin for 29 - while Jaheim Merriweather carried it once for 3 yards.
The Trojans were just 3-of-15 on third down conversions.
"We lost our run game," Parker said. "If you don't have a run game ... an RPO game that's having any value statistically to gain yards and be positive ... you're not going to be good on third down. That's the reason we weren't, and that's the reason we have not been this season, pretty much."
Troy center Luke Petit believes good things will come if the team keeps plugging away.
"We certainly did not execute to our standard," Petit said. "I feel confident any team (opponent) you put out there that we can execute our stuff if we are playing at our highest level. We have to continue to search to do that. It's not as much our opponent as it is us."
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Bad break, good break
Evan Crenshaw's first punt of the game went for 56 yards and was downed on the 1 after Shemar Welch kept it from going into the end zone by swatting it back and Jaden Mosley fell on it. However, Troy was penalized 5 yards for an illegal formation, forcing a re-kick.
On the ensuing play, La. Tech was flagged for roughing the kicker and the Trojans maintained the possession at the Bulldogs' 47 following the penalty step off at the eight minute mark of the first quarter.
Troy would capitalize with a touchdown drive, capped off by a 2-yard run by Griffin to complete a 15-play, 83-yard drive and give the Trojans a 7-3 lead with 4:14 left in the opening quarter.
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Defensive standouts
Senior safety Justin Powe, who earned three national Player of the Week awards this past week after recording three interceptions in Troy's win at James Madison, had another strong game Saturday for the Trojans.
Powe led the defense with 13 tackles - four solo and nine assists. Donnie Smith followed with nine tackles, while Jamarion Keyes and Delvin Whitaker each had six.
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Kicking it through
Hayden Wolfe knocked through a 41-yard field goal for the Trojans with 3:42 remaining in the first half, which pulled Troy within 20-10 of the Bulldogs.
Since being inserted as the starting placekicker three games ago, Wolfe is 2-of-4 on field goal attempts.
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Catch and run
Receiver Howard Kinchen came up with a nice catch and run late in the second quarter for a 39-yard gain. Kinchen made the catch of a Kilcrease pass at the Troy 35, broke a tackle and took the ball down to the La. Tech 38 before being pushed out of bounds.Â
Kinchen also had a 24-yard reception on the first play of the fourth quarter, but fumbled on the play and the Bulldogs' recovered.
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Bring it back
In the fourth quarter with Troy trailing 34-17, Noreel White returned a punt 88 yards to the La. Tech 6, but a holding penalty on the kick moved the ball all the way back to the Trojans 3.
For the game, Troy was penalized nine times for 68 yards.
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Up next
Troy plays at in-state rival South Alabama next Saturday with a 6 p.m. kickoff.
Parker assures the team and staff will quickly get back to work.
"We're in a position to where we should be playing better," Troy coach Gerad Parker said. "We've got to look at systems, we've got to look at every other option, we've got to move guys around - we've got to make sure we play passionate football on the field, mix things up and still believe in our people."
Linebacker Keno Jones started the positive Troy defensive sequence when he rushed through on a 3rd-and-3 play from the Bulldogs' 17 and put a hit on quarterback Blake Baker, who fumbled the ball and it rolled into the end zone.Â
It was recovered for a touchdown by defensive end Delvin Whitaker to pull the Trojans within 20-17 following the extra point kick with 12:48 to play in the third quarter.
It was Whitaker's first fumble recovery as a Trojan. Ironically, he signed with Louisiana Tech out of West Feliciana (La.) High School and redshirted as a freshman before transferring and playing two seasons at East Central (Miss.) Community College. He's in his first season at Troy.
Baker was injured on the play and didn't play the rest of the way. Before going out, he completed 16-of-19 passes for 177 yards with a touchdown. Second string quarterback Trey Kukuk did good work once entering the game, completing 8-of-10 Passes for 68 yards and one touchdown.
Â
Give and take
The quarterbacks of both teams lost the handle on the football in consecutive possessions in the second quarter, although neither turnover resulted in points for the recovering team.
At the 11:53 mark, Troy QB Tucker Kilcrease fumbled while being sacked and the Bulldogs recovered at the Trojans' 12.Â
However, three plays later, Baker was stripped of the football by Donnie Smith and Bryce Steele recovered for Troy. It was the first time Baker has turned the ball over in conference play. His only turnover this season is an interception during a loss to LSU.
The Trojans had five turnovers in the game - four fumbles and one interception. The Bulldogs lost two fumbles.
The last one of the day came in the final minutes when Kilcrease fumbled while being sacked and Alonzo Jackson, Jr., picked it up and returned it 66 yards for the final touchdown.
It's the first time Troy has lost four fumbles in a game since 2010 in a loss to Oklahoma State and the first time since 2016 against Arkansas State the Trojans have had five turnovers in  a game.
"You can cut it up many different ways, but the fact of the matter is, you can't lose turnover margin," Troy head coach Gerad Parker said. "We turned the ball over five times. You're not going to win against anybody, but especially against our Western Division leader."
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Tough day for offense
The Trojans were held to 262 yards of offense - 47 rushing and 215 passing.
Kilcrease was 18-of-33 passing for 215 yards with one interception.
Gavin Griffin and Jordan Lovett each carried the ball 10 times - Lovett for 31 yards and Griffin for 29 - while Jaheim Merriweather carried it once for 3 yards.
The Trojans were just 3-of-15 on third down conversions.
"We lost our run game," Parker said. "If you don't have a run game ... an RPO game that's having any value statistically to gain yards and be positive ... you're not going to be good on third down. That's the reason we weren't, and that's the reason we have not been this season, pretty much."
Troy center Luke Petit believes good things will come if the team keeps plugging away.
"We certainly did not execute to our standard," Petit said. "I feel confident any team (opponent) you put out there that we can execute our stuff if we are playing at our highest level. We have to continue to search to do that. It's not as much our opponent as it is us."
Â
Bad break, good break
Evan Crenshaw's first punt of the game went for 56 yards and was downed on the 1 after Shemar Welch kept it from going into the end zone by swatting it back and Jaden Mosley fell on it. However, Troy was penalized 5 yards for an illegal formation, forcing a re-kick.
On the ensuing play, La. Tech was flagged for roughing the kicker and the Trojans maintained the possession at the Bulldogs' 47 following the penalty step off at the eight minute mark of the first quarter.
Troy would capitalize with a touchdown drive, capped off by a 2-yard run by Griffin to complete a 15-play, 83-yard drive and give the Trojans a 7-3 lead with 4:14 left in the opening quarter.
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Defensive standouts
Senior safety Justin Powe, who earned three national Player of the Week awards this past week after recording three interceptions in Troy's win at James Madison, had another strong game Saturday for the Trojans.
Powe led the defense with 13 tackles - four solo and nine assists. Donnie Smith followed with nine tackles, while Jamarion Keyes and Delvin Whitaker each had six.
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Kicking it through
Hayden Wolfe knocked through a 41-yard field goal for the Trojans with 3:42 remaining in the first half, which pulled Troy within 20-10 of the Bulldogs.
Since being inserted as the starting placekicker three games ago, Wolfe is 2-of-4 on field goal attempts.
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Catch and run
Receiver Howard Kinchen came up with a nice catch and run late in the second quarter for a 39-yard gain. Kinchen made the catch of a Kilcrease pass at the Troy 35, broke a tackle and took the ball down to the La. Tech 38 before being pushed out of bounds.Â
Kinchen also had a 24-yard reception on the first play of the fourth quarter, but fumbled on the play and the Bulldogs' recovered.
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Bring it back
In the fourth quarter with Troy trailing 34-17, Noreel White returned a punt 88 yards to the La. Tech 6, but a holding penalty on the kick moved the ball all the way back to the Trojans 3.
For the game, Troy was penalized nine times for 68 yards.
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Up next
Troy plays at in-state rival South Alabama next Saturday with a 6 p.m. kickoff.
Parker assures the team and staff will quickly get back to work.
"We're in a position to where we should be playing better," Troy coach Gerad Parker said. "We've got to look at systems, we've got to look at every other option, we've got to move guys around - we've got to make sure we play passionate football on the field, mix things up and still believe in our people."
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