Troy Hosts Preseason Sun Belt Favorite FIU Saturday
By: Josh Rultenberg
Updated: October 18, 2012
From Troy Media Relations:
TROY, Ala. - Veterans Memorial Stadium has seen a cavalcade of quality teams on its turf this season and this Saturdaywill be no different as Troy plays host to preseason Sun Belt Conference favorite FIU at 12 p.m. in a game televised by the Sun Belt Network (CSS / Cox Sports).
TROY, Ala. - Veterans Memorial Stadium has seen a cavalcade of quality teams on its turf this season and this Saturdaywill be no different as Troy plays host to preseason Sun Belt Conference favorite FIU at 12 p.m. in a game televised by the Sun Belt Network (CSS / Cox Sports).
The Trojans previous three opponents at home this season - Louisiana-Lafayette, Mississippi State
and Western Kentucky - have a combined 15-3 record so far this season.
Troy
(3-3, 2-2 Sun Belt) has reached the midway point of its season and the
Trojans sit at a crossroads
with an evenoverall and Sun Belt record. With six games remaining on the
docket, the Trojans are three wins away from bowl eligibility and what
could be their Sun Belt leading sixth bowl appearance since 2004.
The
2012 season hasn't been as kind to FIU (1-6, 0-3). The Panthers won a
share of the Sun Belt title
with Troy in 2010 and appeared in the school's second bowl game last
season; however, five straight losses have put Mario Cristobal's club
one setback away being eliminated from bowl contention.
The
status of Troy starting quarterback Corey Robinson is still up in the
air heading into Saturday's
game after he suffered a concussion against Western Kentucky last
Thursday night. Junior Deon Anthony played the entire second half under
center for the Trojans and is ready to full in if needed. On the season,
Anthony has completed 20-of-30 pass attempts for
281 yards and a pair of touchdowns; he has also rushed 32 times for 110
yards and a touchdown.
Whoever
is at quarterback for the Trojanswill have a pair of big-play receivers
in Chip Reeves and
Eric Thomas to throw to. Reeves leads the Sun Belt with six catches of
30 or more yards and withfour catches that have topped the 40-yard mark.
Thomas and Anthony hooked up against the Hilltoppers for a 47-yard
touchdown that was featured as SportCenter's number
seven play of the night.
The
Troy offense also has the Sun Belt's third leading rusher in Shawn
Southward at its disposal.
The senior has rushed for 573 yards and five touchdowns this season and
is averaging 5.0 yards per carry. Troy is just 77 yards shy of last
year's season total on the ground, while Southward has already eclipsed
his total from 2011.
Defensively, the Trojans have increased their aggressiveness and it has turned into positive results.
Troy forced five Western Kentucky fumbles (recovered two) last week one game after forcing four South Alabama turnovers.
Tony
Davis was largest cog in the Hilltoppers offensive plans last week as
the senior defensive end
had a pair of sacks, both of which forced a fumble. Safety Brynden
Trawick leads the group with 46 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss through
the first six games, while linebacker Kanorris Davis has 41 stops,
three behind the line and a fumble recovery.
FIU
welcomed back starting quarterback Jake Medlock last week against
Middle Tennessee after he missed
two and a half games with a foot injury. Medlock has completed 93-of-157
passes for 1,207 yards and six touchdowns without an interception this
year.
Also back for the Panthers last week was running back Kedrick Rhodes after he missed two of the previous
three games. However, Rhodes appeared to reinjure himself against the Blue Raiders and his status for Saturday is up in the air.
The
strength of the FIU team coming into the season was supposed to be its
defense, but that unit
has struggled. The Panthers are allowing 432.9 yards and 37.3 points per
game this season and the offense has done a pretty good job trying to
keep up with 386.9 yards and 25.4 points per game.
