SAN MARCOS, Texas — A week after opening its Sun Belt Conference schedule with a win over South Alabama, the Texas State football program will look to stay in the winner's department when the Bobcats host Troy on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 2 p.m. CT.
Brant Freeman and Stephen Foster are set to bring the game's action to ESPN+ while Koral Riggs serves as the in-game reporter on the sidelines.
Clint Shields and
Geff Gandy will have the game's call on the airwaves on KTSW (89.9 FM in San Marcos) and The Varsity Network App.
LOOKING AT THE BOBCATS
With a 14-tackle performance in Texas State's four-overtime win against South Alabama last weekend, Bobcat junior linebacker
Sione Tupou became the first Bobcat defensive student-athlete to be named the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week since linebacker Easy Anyama on Sept. 4, 2017. Tupou was Texas State's first football student-athlete to pick up one of the conference's three weekly awards since sophomore
Brady McBride was named the league's offensive player of the week on Nov. 23, 2020.
Sophomore quarterback
Brady McBride continued his consecutive games played with at least one touchdown pass when he connected with wide receiver
Javen Banks for a 57-yard touchdown less than a minute into last weekend's game against South Alabama. McBride has now thrown at least one touchdown in all 14 games he's appeared in throughout his Bobcat career.
Banks' first-quarter touchdown from McBride was the 14th receiving touchdown of the wide receiver's career, which tied him with Da'Marcus Griggs (2008-10) for sixth on the program's career pass reception touchdown list. The 57-yard touchdown pass between the two student-athletes marked the longest reception on the season for the Texas State offense.
SCOUTING THE TROJANS
Troy enters Saturday's game ranked number on in the nation in forcing a negative play. The Trojans defense force a negative play on 19.62 percent of opponent snaps. Houston is the next closest FBS program at 16.48 percent. Last weekend against Georgia Southern, Troy forced a negative play on 23.1 percent of the Eagles' offensive snaps.
Troy's defense has held nine of its last 12 opponents to 21 points or fewer dating back to the 2020 season. During that span, the Trojan defense has allowed an average of just 12.6 points. Junior middle linebacker Carlton Martial anchors the Troy defense as he ranks second nationally among active players with 8.80 tackles per game in his career.
Martial isn't alone as a defensive standout for Troy. Redshirt freshman bandit Javon Solomon is just one of three student-athletes (Elvis Dumervil and Carl Nassib) since 2000 to have been credited with at least 7.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss and an interception in the first six games of a season. Solomon enters Saturday's contest with 7.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss.
SERIES HISTORY
This weekend, Texas State will look for its first win over Troy since joining the Sun Belt Conference. The Trojans hold a 10-1 all-time record against the Bobcats since the first meeting between the two programs on Oct. 19, 1996, in Troy, Ala.
Texas State's lone win over Troy came on Oct. 4, 1997, when the Bobcats beat the Trojans 31-17 in San Marcos.
Last season, Troy knocked off Texas State 37-17 while Tropical Storm Delta belted down on the Troy area. The storm dropped inches of heavy rains throughout the three-hour window of game time.
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