Troy University Athletics
Troy Wraps Non-Conference Slate at Utah State
9/24/2026 8:49:00 AM | Football
TROY, Ala. – Troy puts a bow on its non-conference slate Saturday as the Trojans travel to Logan, Utah, to rekindle the flame with an old Sun Belt foe, Utah State. Kickoff between the Trojans and Aggies is set for 6:30 p.m. (CT) and the game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.
The game will be Troy's first against an active Pac-12 school since the conference underwent a drastic overhaul over the past few seasons. The Trojans (2-1) lead the all-time series with the Aggies (0-3) 2-1, with the last meeting coming in 2004.
Troy is looking to start the season 3-1 for the first time since 2020, while Utah State is trying to avoid its first 0-4 start since 2020 (Mountain West played a six-game league schedule that season due to COVID-19).
Despite falling short on the scoreboard at Missouri last week, 27-17, Troy found its identity in the game. The Trojans jumped out to a 10-0 lead and were within a touchdown until the final minutes of the fourth quarter.
Troy held the Tigers to just 230 yards of total offense, the fourth-fewest by an SEC team against a Sun Belt opponent and the fewest by a Missouri squad against a P4 opponent since 1996 (Memphis).
The Troy defense has allowed 225.5 yards in its last two games, and the last six scoring drives it has surrendered have come from 51 yards or fewer. The Trojans have allowed just 28 points on drives of 70 yards or longer through three games.
Offensively, new offensive coordinator Adam Austin has turned the Trojans into a quick-strike threat. Troy has scored on the third and second play of the game the last two weeks, respectively, and the Trojans rank sixth nationally with four plays of 50-plus yards and fourth with three plays of 60-plus yards.
TK Keyes has caught two 70-plus-yard touchdown passes each of the last two weeks, and Howard Kinchen has emerged, catching five passes, including a 55-yard touchdown, at Missouri in his first game back from a minor injury.
On the defensive side of the football, Donnie Smith has recorded a sack in all three games and leads the country with a sack in 12 games over the past two seasons. Safety Justin Powe is coming off a 14-tackle performance against Missouri, while Keno Jones leads the way with 4.5 tackles for loss.
Utah State opened the season with a surprising loss to Idaho State from the FCS ranks, then took No. 19 Washington to the brink in a 16-14 game. The Aggies lost their in-state battle to No. 17 Utah 33-0 last week.
The Aggies have struggled to find consistency on offense as two quarterbacks have combined for four touchdowns and eight interceptions; the latter ranks as the second-worst in the country. Defensively, Utah State has lived in the backfield with 16 tackles for loss and five sacks as a unit, and held Washington to just 356 yards after yielding just 241 yards in the opener.
Notable
• Troy has its own version of PAT which you'll see at the end of the first and third quarters. Praise A Teammate takes place between the quarter break, no matter the score
• Troy sixth-year linebacker Bryce Steele was diagnosed with thymoma, a rare type of tumor that forms in the epithelial cells of the thymus gland, which sits in the upper chest behind the breastbone ... visit TroyTrojans.com/Steele for full story
• TK Keyes is one of just 23 players nationally to have a touchdown reception in three games this season
• All-American punter Evan Crenshaw's brother Taylor is blind, visit TroyTrojans.com/Crenshaw for more on their relationship
• The last six scoring drives against Troy have all been 51 yards or less ... of the 78 points allowed by the Trojans, only 28 have come on drives of 70 yards or more
• Donnie Smith has a sack in 12 games over the past two seasons, the most in the country; he also has at least a half tackle for loss in 15 games, which also ranks as the most nationally
• Missouri's only two offensive TDs came on drives that started on the +18 and +13 yard lines
• Missouri's 230 yards of offense were the fewest by an SEC opponent against a Sun Belt team since Texas A&M had 180 yards against App State in 2022; it's the fourth-fewest yards ever by an SEC team against a Sun Belt team
• Troy's 17 points in the loss to No. 20 Missouri were its most against a ranked P4 opponent since defeating No. 22 LSU 24-21 in 2017
• Troy is 13-8 in its last 20 games under Gerad Parker
• With a pair of 70-plus-yard touchdowns, it marks the first time since 2010 that Troy has had multiple 70-yard touchdown passes. The Trojans, led by QB Corey Robinson, had three in 2010
• 28 players made their Troy debut in the season-opening victory over Sam Houston, while 14 players made their NCAA debut ... All told, 37 players have made their Troy debut and 20 their collegiate debut in the opening two games
• Donnie Smith led the Sun Belt with 11 sacks last season ... it was the second time in the last three seasons a Trojan has led the league in sacks (Javon Solomon, 2023, 16)
• Troy ranks sixth nationally with four plays of 50-plus yards and fourth with three plays of 60-plus yards this season
• Troy is the only school to appear in multiple SBC Championship Games and have a winning record (2-1)
• Justin Powe's 14 tackles at Missouri were the most by a Trojan against a P4 opponent since William Lloyd had 15 in Neal Brown's debut at NC State in 2015
Players Mentioned
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