Football prepares for showdown against Memphis

Troy football returns to Veterans Memorial Stadium hoping to avenge its loss last year against the Memphis Tigers this Saturday. 

Last year, the Trojans lost handily to Memphis on the road. The Tigers led by as much as 24 before Troy could get into the endzone, ending in a 38-17 final score. 

This year, Troy gets a chance to turn the tables on its home turf. A battle-tested Troy team has an opportunity to prove its ability on a national stage with the game being broadcast on ESPNU. 

Brady Fitch photo

Paul Bowling prepares to snap the ball against Nicholls.

Memphis has already taken on one Sun Belt opponent. Last week, the Tigers beat Georgia State 38-16 in Atlanta. Running back Sutton Smith and quarterback Brendon Lewis combined for 142 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The run game for Memphis makes up eight of the nine touchdowns scored by this team in the first two weeks. 

While Lewis is efficient on the ground, his arm is still a threat. With nearly an 80% completion rate, he can move the ball downfield with the passing game as well. He has only been sacked once and only thrown one interception. 

Jamari Hawkins is the leading receiver for the Tigers. The Mobile, Alabama, native is averaging over 60 yards per game. While this team has struggled to make it into the endzone passing, they don’t have to travel far to get in scoring range for kicker Gianni Spetic. The former Ohio Bobcat nailed a career-long 55-yard field goal in the season opener against Chattanooga. 

The defense is led by linebackers Sam Brunfield and DeMarco Ward. Brunfield has a team-leading 13 tackles, including two sacks. Ward has been locking down the passing game with two interceptions that were both returned for touchdowns. 

The Trojans are coming off a loss to No. 12 Clemson after leading at the half. The key to making the final result differ from last week will be limiting unforced errors.  

Troy was responsible for 10 penalties totaling 97 yards. Two of these included unsportsmanlike conduct penalties following a third or fourth down stop.  

The Trojans also turned the ball over three times. If Troy wants to give fans at The Vet a show and prove this team can hang with the top schools in the Group of Five, it needs to make sure not to beat itself. 

The Trojans take the field for an 11 a.m. kickoff this Saturday against Memphis. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU and the Troy Sports Media Network.