Having won the Sun Belt Championship the year before, Troy went into the 2023 season as one of the favorites to take the conference crown once again. And the Trojans delivered.
They lost just two games during the regular season – to Kansas State and Group of Five powerhouse JMU – and ended the year with an appearance in the Birmingham Bowl, where they lost to Duke.
But sustaining that success isn’t going to be easy. Troy lost star players like running back Kimani Vidal, the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year, and pass rusher Javon Solomon to the NFL. Also, head coach Jon Sumrall moved on to lead Tulane, and Gerad Parker has replaced him.
Can Troy continue to be one of the top teams in the Sun Belt despite all of those changes?
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Troy Football’s Sun Belt Title Odds
Troy’s odds to win the Sun Belt are +1200, via BetMGM.
Troy Football’s Betting Odds & Over/Under Win Total
Troy’s win total Over/Under is 6, with Under 6 at -125 and Over 6 at +105.
Troy Football’s 2024 Schedule
8/31 vs. Nevada
9/7 @ Memphis
9/14 @ Iowa
9/21 vs. Florida A&M
9/28 vs. ULM
10/3 vs. Texas State
10/15 @ South Alabama
10/26 @ Arkansas State
11/2 vs. Coastal Carolina
11/16 @ Georgia Southern
11/23 @ Louisiana
11/30 vs. Southern Miss
Bold indicates Sun Belt contests
Key Troy Football Returners
2023 All-Sun Belt 2nd Team
OL Daniel King
Troy Football Has To Replace Several Star Players
Troy was a frontrunner to win the Sun Belt for a lot of last season mostly due to its defense. The Trojans were first in the league in scoring defense (17.1 points per game allowed) and total defense (308.3 yards per game allowed).
But some of the Trojans’ best players are now gone. That includes Solomon, who led the country with 16 sacks in 2023, and Richard Jibunor, who added 10 sacks. Both have been competing for NFL roster spots this offseason.
In fact, only two of Troy’s top 11 tacklers from a season ago are back. Linebacker Jordan Stringer returns after ranking third on the team with 68 tackles to go with 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Terry Thomas, who added 41 tackles, three for loss, and 1.5 sacks, is also back.
Troy lost a good amount of talent on offense as well.
Vidal, a G5 All-American who was among the nation’s leading rushers with 1,661 yards and 14 touchdowns, was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers. Quarterback Gunnar Watson finished his career in 2023 third in the program record books with 10,275 passing yards and 846 completions as well as fourth with 65 touchdown throws.
At wide receiver, Jabre Barber transferred to Texas A&M after tallying 999 yards and five touchdowns on 75 receptions. Chris Lewis, who recorded 735 yards and 10 touchdowns on 32 catches, will miss this season after being diagnosed with cancer but will stay with the team as a student assistant.
Goose Crowder is back at QB for Troy after completing 9 of 13 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown in five appearances behind center. Damien Taylor is returning after ranking second on the team with 346 yards and a touchdown on 67 carries. Devonte Ross is Troy’s leading returning receiver after catching 40 passes for 428 yards and three scores.
Though Troy did pick up a few former three-star prospects, the team wasn’t particularly active in the transfer portal. The Trojans’ transfer class is ranked 10th in the Sun Belt by 247Sports.
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2024 Troy Football Season Prediction
I predict Troy will comfortably go Over 6 wins but won’t win the Sun Belt Championship.
There’s no doubt the Trojans will look a lot different in 2024. And the fact Troy’s transfer class isn’t very highly regarded doesn’t give me a ton of confidence, either. That leads me to think winning a third consecutive Sun Belt title won’t happen for this program.
But I still believe this team is talented enough to win seven games.
To start the year, I think Troy will beat Nevada and Florida A&M at home while falling to Memphis and Iowa on the road. In conference play, I think Southern Miss and ULM are winnable games while Texas State and Louisiana look like losses to me.
That leaves three wins needed against South Alabama, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, and Georgia Southern. I certainly think that’s attainable for Troy.
So while I don’t anticipate they will be in the running for another appearance in the Sun Belt title game, I do expect the Trojans to be playing in a bowl again in 2024.
