Behind its defense and rushing attack, ULM defeated Arkansas State in last week’s Sun Belt Game of the Week.
The Warhawks limited the Red Wolves to three points on two redzone trips and had over 100 yards rushing in the fourth quarter for the 28-16 victory. ULM improved to 3-1 and 1-0 in league play.
This week’s game will feature a pair of teams just a few hours apart which are both looking for their first Sun Belt victory this season in the “Battle for the Belt”.
How To Watch South Alabama-Troy
The game kicks off at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday and will air on ESPN+.
South Alabama-Troy Betting Odds
Troy is a 2.5-point college football betting odds favorite over South Alabama as of this writing. The Over/Under is at 47.5.
South Alabama-Troy Coaches & Records
USA: Major Applewhite (23-21 overall, 8-10 at USA)
TROY: Gerad Parker (6-16 overall, 6-10 at Troy)
Last meeting: South Alabama won 25-9 at home. The Jaguars ended a six-game losing skid in the series with last year’s win.
South Alabama Preview
It’s been a murky season for the Jaguars to say the least. After quality showings against Tulane and Auburn, the Jaguars lost by 18 to Coastal Carolina. They were favored by 14.5 points in that contest.
Last week, South Alabama lost to North Texas in another up-and-down game. There were some positives for the Jaguars in the loss, but they struggled to keep UNT’s offense at bay, falling to 1-4.
A win this week could springboard the Jaguars as they enter the thick of conference play, especially because the following four games against Arkansas State, Georgia State, Louisiana, and ULM are winnable.
South Alabama’s defense is allowing 34.5 points per game during its four-game losing streak so it’ll be interesting to see if it struggles against a Troy offense that is only scoring 20.5 PPG. Through four games, Coastal Carolina has only scored 58 points, and 38 of those came in the win over South Alabama.
On the offensive side of the ball, quarterback Bishop Davenport has done a decent job navigating this offense despite the change in the QB room that came in the spring when former starter Gio Lopez transferred to North Carolina. Davenport has 959 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and four interceptions this season.
Devin Voisin has been one of the top wideouts in the Sun Belt this season and ranks third in the league with 91.4 yards per game. He’s hauled in four touchdowns. Kentrel Bullock is pacing the Jaguars with 410 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
It could be tough sledding for South Alabama’s offense, though, against a stout Troy defense.
Troy Preview
The Trojans have a gritty, physical defense again this year and are allowing 23 points and 318 yards per game, which both rank in the top three in the league. In its 21-17 win two weeks ago, Troy held Buffalo to 278 total yards of offense.
With the win, the Trojans improved to 2-2 on the season. Their other victory came against Nicholls in Week 1 while their losses have been against Clemson and Memphis.
Troy’s starting QB Goose Crowder was injured in the first quarter against Memphis and has since had shoulder surgery. Tucker Kilcrease has taken most of the snaps with Crowder sidelined, but Ui Ale saw some action against Buffalo as well. Both QBs will continue to see the field going forward, according to Parker. Kilcrease has completed 24 of 53 passes for 213 yards and one TD.
Tae Meadows has been effective for the Trojans on the ground and is averaging 84.3 YPG with two scores. Troy has a solid trio of wideouts in Roman Mothershed, Rara Thomas, and Tray Taylor, who each have over 100 yards on the season.
The Trojans haven’t found much of a rhythm offensively, especially with Crowder out, and are only averaging 298.5 YPG. If there’s an opportunity for them to find some traction, it could be this week.
Linebacker Jordan Stringer and SPEAR Devin Lafayette lead the Trojans with 34 and 32 tackles and are two of the best defenders in the league.
South Alabama-Troy Prediction
I predict Troy will win and cover the 2.5-point spread.
It’s hard for me to trust South Alabama’s defense right now, and I think the Trojans’ receiving corps can find a lot of success against this secondary. I also don’t think Troy’s defense will have many issues stopping the Jaguars’ offense.
This will be South Alabama’s third road game in four weeks while Troy is coming off a bye. I think the rest discrepancy could make an impact as well.
