The Troy Trojans play host to the Southern Miss Golden Eagles on Saturday night in a crucial showdown from Veterans Memorial Stadium. Southern Miss has struggled over the last few seasons, though with wins in each of the last two weeks, might be turning things around at the right time. For Troy, two wins in a row and returning home gives them confidence moving forward as well. Troy was able to grab the win last season, coming away with a 12-point win on the road, with the two teams have split the last four meetings overall with each other. This expects to be a key matchup on the weekend and one that fans won't want to miss out on, even if the two teams aren't the biggest names.
Southern Miss has been one of the worst teams in college football over the last handful of years but suddenly, they seem to have turned things around of late. The Golden Eagles have strung together two wins in a row, including an impressive three-point win against a Tulane team near the top of the AAC standings. Adding to that is a two-point loss in overtime to Liberty, only serving to show that this team can compete. With things trending in the right direction, the hope is that taking to the road isn't too much for this group to overcome, especially against a Troy team that had their number last season.
Part of Southern Miss' success this season has come from their ability to stay relatively healthy. In fact, heading into this weekend, they have no injuries to report or worry about, which could give them a massive advantage as they take on a Troy team that has the advantage when it comes to everything except depth.
This is just the beginning. pic.twitter.com/4xcMBsvcRA
— Southern Miss Football (@SouthernMissFB) September 25, 2022
The offense certainly remains a work in progress for Southern Miss, as they come in ranked 99th in total offense and only 68th in scoring nationally. The main struggle has come moving the ball on the ground, where they are on the fringes of being outside the top 100 in rushing yards per game. The good news is that Troy's defense has taken a step back as well this season, giving an opening for Southern Miss to find success in this one. The quarterback position has seen three different players get some snaps back there, though Zach Wilcke gives them the best chance to win in all likelihood. On the ground, Frank Gore Jr. will get the majority of the carries and there's little doubt he can change the game in a hurry if he breaks one open.
Defensively, all eyes will be on the secondary for the Golden Eagles in this one. While sitting a respectable 76th nationally against the pass, they'll be facing an elite riel attack for Troy, and one that can make quick work of opponents if Southern Miss isn't careful. Forcing turnovers is their best field to win in this one but if they can't get after the quarterback early and often, struggles could mount quickly for the Golden Eagles on the road.