MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama and Troy renew the Battle for the Belt on Tuesday night at Hancock Whitney Stadium, with both in-state rivals carrying two-game losing streaks into the game.
Troy has won the last six meetings, including a 28-10 win last season in which Gio Lopez made his first career start as a true freshman. South Alabama has not beaten the Trojans since a 19-8 win at Troy in 2017. Former Jaguars head coaches Steve Campbell and Kane Wommack each went 0-3 in the series. South Alabama’s current seniors have never won the Belt, and Troy’s seniors have never lost it.
Both programs have new head coaches this season. South Alabama is led by first-year coach Major Applewhite, and Troy is led by first-year coach Gerad Parker. The Jaguars are favored by 13.5 points.
How They Got Here
South Alabama (2-4, 1-1 Sun Belt Conference) lost at LSU and then fell at Arkansas State on a field goal in the final minute. The Jaguars were penalized 11 times for 100 yards against the Red Wolves, and Lopez threw his team’s first interception of the season.
Troy (1-5, 0-2 SBC) lost home games to Louisiana-Monroe and Texas State.
Troy Coaching Staff
Parker replaced Jon Sumrall, who went 23-4 overall and 16-2 in conference play at Troy before leaving to become head coach at Tulane. Parker was Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator in 2023, when the Fighting Irish went 9-3 and ranked eighth nationally in scoring at 39.1 points per game. He coached Notre Dame’s tight ends in 2022 and was offensive coordinator at West Virginia in 2020 and 2021. He has also coached at Penn State, Duke, Purdue, Marshall and UT Martin and served as Purdue’s interim head coach for six games in 2016.
Offensive coordinator Sean Reagan is in his 11th season overall at Troy. He was co-offensive coordinator in 2018 before spending five years at West Virginia under former Troy head coach Neal Brown, finishing there as passing game coordinator in 2023. Defensive coordinator Dontae Wright coached safeties at West Virginia from 2020 to 2023 and at Western Michigan in 2018 and 2019.
Troy entered the season with 11 seniors and few returning starters.
Trojans Offense
Troy has started three quarterbacks because of injuries. Goose Crowder has completed 43 of 62 passes (69.4 percent) for 543 yards and five touchdowns in five games but missed the Louisiana-Monroe game. Tucker Kilcrease started against the Warhawks and is 26 of 44 for 383 yards and three touchdowns. Matthew Caldwell, who has also been injured, is 27 of 45 for 288 yards.
Devonte Ross leads the Trojans with 31 catches for 556 yards and seven touchdowns and has returned a punt for a touchdown. Peyton Higgins has 20 catches for 187 yards. Damien Taylor leads the rushing attack with 399 yards and two touchdowns on 68 carries, and Gerald Green has 201 yards.
Trojans Defense and Special Teams
Junior linebacker Jordan Stringer leads Troy with 43 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack and an interception. Senior safety Justin Powe has 37 tackles and an interception. Phillip Lee has a team-high five tackles for loss.
Kicker Scott Taylor Renfroe has made 7 of 8 field goals with a long of 49, and punter Robert Cole averages 40.4 yards.
Jaguars Offense
Lopez has completed 94 of 149 passes (63.1 percent) for 1,306 yards, 12 touchdowns and one interception in five games. Bishop Davenport is 27 of 46 for 276 yards and a touchdown.
Jamaal Pritchett leads the receivers with 36 catches for 531 yards and six touchdowns. Devin Voisin has 18 catches for 221 yards, Jeremiah Webb has 12 catches for 224 yards, and Anthony Eager has six catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns.
Fluff Bothwell leads the ground game with 408 yards and six touchdowns on 56 carries. Kentrel Bullock has 326 yards and three scores, and Lopez has 258 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Offensive lineman Reed Buys missed much of the Arkansas State game. Lopez has been playing through turf toe.
Jaguars Defense and Special Teams
South Alabama is plus-6 in turnover margin. The Jaguars have lost two of six fumbles and thrown one interception, while the defense has recovered three fumbles and made six interceptions.
Blayne Myrick leads the defense with 50 tackles, four tackles for loss, two pass breakups and a forced fumble. Jordan Scruggs has 30 tackles and an interception. Courtney McBride Jr. and Tyler Thomas each have two sacks, and Jaden Voisin leads with two interceptions.
Punter Aleksi Pulkkinen averages 41.2 yards with 11 punts downed inside the 20. Kicker Laith Marjan has made 7 of 8 field goals and 19 of 20 extra points. Pritchett averages 24.5 yards per punt return and returned one 62 yards for a touchdown against Northwestern State.
