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Troy Trojans

Sun Belt·2-0·
Elo
1420#86
SP+
-11.4#106
FPI
-9.0
AP
NR
Next@ Missouri · Wk 3Win prob 4%Model +27.4
Talent #96 (596.2)Recruiting class #7635% production returning

Team Leaders

Latest on Troy

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Landyn Locke was responsible for 18 of Sam Houston's 21 points

Matchup · 6d ago

Week 1's blowout premium comes from better underdogs than Sam Houston

Matchup · Aug 31

Roster · 105 players

FR 15SO 16JR 29SR 44
#PlayerPosClHtWt
6Jack JamesQBSO6'0"208
9Goose CrowderQBSR6'2"214
10Tucker KilcreaseQBSR6'0"208
11Rodge WaldropQBJR6'5"216
0Gavin GriffinRBJR5'10"198
1Jordan LovettRBSR5'10"186
3Jaheim MerriweatherRBJR6'2"210
21AC WaltersRBSO5'10"199
22Bryce BurgessRBJR5'7"163
25Dennis PalmerRBJR5'10"197
26DeWhitt Betterson Jr.RBSR6'0"214
2Jywon BoydWRJR6'0"178
4Noreel WhiteWRJR6'1"195
5Mojo DortchWRSR6'0"167
7Kristian TateWRSR6'2"171
8TK KeyesWRJR6'2"207
12Hayden JacksonWRSR5'11"162
13Ky McNultyWRJR6'3"201
15TJ LottWRSR5'11"163
17Jace PettyWRSR5'11"180
18Howard KinchenWRSR6'3"190
81Jah'Marren JacksonWRSO6'5"201
82Dylan DensonWRFR5'10"183
84Andrew LeslieWRSO5'11"199
14Marquis HarrisTESR6'5"264
19Nick HamptonTEFR6'3"225
80JT TangTESR6'5"260
85Fabian RogoschTESR6'5"243
86Jayvin BennettTESO6'2"232
88Jackson WorleyTESR6'4"236
89Jacorey WhittedTEJR6'6"278
50Gavin BowlinOLSO6'6"323
51Luke PetitOLSR6'3"299
54Caleb AshOLJR6'6"301
55Jordon JonesOLSR6'3"315
56Sharvon PierreOLSO6'3"283
57Noah MercerOLSR6'3"308
58Elijah PratherOLSR6'4"291
65Tyler CappiOLSR6'3"295
66Jatorian BlackmonOLSO6'5"320
67Trinton PritchettOLFR6'6"308
71Antwone BrelandOLJR6'6"299
72Patrick Screws Jr.OLSR6'5"320
73Tyler BellOLSR6'2"319
74Tra'jon TownsendOLJR6'6"292
75Parks GlazeOLFR6'6"295
77Darion RiversOLSR6'6"323
79Corey DudleyOLFR6'5"353
25Kavion HendersonDEJR6'2"256
34Dontaye BushDEFR6'4"245
41Makel GreenDESO6'2"242
88Will NormanDESR6'4"297
98Delvin WhitakerDESR6'3"300
0Kam CurryDTSR6'2"302
11Ty ClemonsDTSR6'3"296
40RJ ShambergerDTSO6'4"301
52Kendall RoseberryDTFR6'3"287
69Jermaine ParamoreDTJR6'2"290
93RaKeem DavisDTJR6'3"313
95Miquon MerriweatherDTSR6'2"306
99Jaxon Villegez-WilliamsDTFR6'2"293
2Bryce SteeleLBSR6'1"227
3Doug NelsonLBJR6'3"213
4TJ ThompsonLBSR6'0"219
13DayDay NelsonLBSR6'3"203
15Keno JonesLBSR6'2"228
18Jordan PerryLBSR6'2"219
20Keyshawn CampbellLBSR6'0"213
23JT AlvisLBSO6'1"215
24Jeremiah RouxLBFR6'3"217
31Ronald WilderLBFR6'0"233
35KD ReynoldsLBFR6'3"181
44Luke HodgeLBSR6'2"220
46Gavyn BakerLBJR6'1"222
1Jabari StraitCBSR6'2"175
7Jordan TurnerCBSR6'2"186
12Shemar WelchCBJR6'1"162
14Jonathan PennixCBSR6'0"178
17Marlin OdomCBJR6'2"179
21Tai TerrellCBJR6'1"181
28Jaxon PennCBFR5'10"191
32Jermaine MccreeCBFR5'11"166
5Lonnie SmithDBJR6'2"240
22Donnie SmithDBSR6'4"234
45Jordan FerrellDBSR6'4"221
53Ashton DiggsDBSO6'3"220
6Justin PoweSSR6'0"210
8Marcus Goree Jr.SJR6'1"185
9Jamarion KeyesSJR6'1"205
10Knai CookSJR6'0"203
16Antonious SteeleSSO6'1"192
19Jon BocchinoSSO6'0"201
27OJ Vaughan Jr.SJR5'9"189
29Joe LottSJR6'3"192
30Keivay FosterSFR6'4"191
36Hank JamesSFR6'0"182
16Jalen BallardPKSR6'2"194
20Jaden TynesPKSO6'3"178
33Ethan HeadPKJR6'1"186
38Hayden WolfePKJR5'9"161
28Evan CrenshawPSR6'4"184
49Austin LewisPSO5'11"184
24Kinnick ManleyLSSR6'2"201
87Colton WallsLSSR6'3"237
Keno Jones

Team Statistics · per game, with national FBS rank

Points / game
29.0
scoring offense
Points allowed
19.0
scoring defense
Differential
+10.0
per game
Offense
Total yards / game
385.0#82
Yards / play
5.8#78
Passing yards / game
183.0#104
Rushing yards / game
202.0#45
First downs / game
18.5#98
3rd down %
32.1%#108
4th down %
60.0%#59
Time of possession
34:02#24
Defense
Yards allowed / game
288.0#58
Yards / play allowed
4.8#63
Pass yards allowed / game
220.0#89
Rush yards allowed / game
68.0#23
3rd down % allowed
34.6%#66
Sacks
7#6
Tackles for loss
21#2
Turnovers & Discipline
Turnover margin
+2#22
Takeaways
2#53
Giveaways
0#1
Penalties / game
8.5#107
Penalty yards / game
80.0#120

Rank is national among all FBS teams (#1 = best), oriented so higher rank = better even for defensive and discipline metrics. Bars show percentile.

Scouting Report · 2026 projection

Troy is in year 3 under Gerad Parker. The strengths are offensive, led by 32nd at hitting chunk plays. The way in is 127th at staying out of the backfield, and they are 123rd at surviving second and twelve.

Troy has played 2 games against a genuinely tough slate, adjusted for here. That football carries about 0% of what is below; the rest is still the preseason projection.

Projected strengths

  • Offensehitting chunk plays
    #32
    projected

Projected soft spots

  • Offensegetting stopped at the line
    #127
    projected
  • Offensesurviving second and twelve
    #123
    projected
  • Offensesacks and tackles for loss
    #123
    projected

Each bar is where this team sits in the country. Before the season has produced enough football these are PROJECTIONS — last season regressed to the mean, plus talent, returning production, recruiting and whether the staff is the same one — and the season replaces them as it is played. Head coaches only — there is no free feed for coordinators, so on a program where the head coach does not call the offense this describes the staff he hired. Play-calling identity is a style, not a grade: throwing more than the situations warrant is not better than throwing less than they warrant.

2026 Season Projection

model win prob · 10 to play
5.96.1
projected final record (now 20)
Exp. wins left
3.9
of 10 games
Bowl odds
60%
reach 6 wins
Best odds
75%
vs UL Monroe
Toughest
4%
vs Missouri

How the season could finish · 2026 · chance of each final win total · 10 games left

Every remaining game simulated from the model's win probability for it. Tallest bar is the single likeliest finish, not a prediction that it happens.

23456789101112
final winstallest bar = 28% chance
Likeliest finish 6-6 (28%)Bowl eligible 60% · marked on the axis at 6

Player Value

EPA contribution by position group + estimated NIL market value (derived from position rates and on-field production — not actual deal figures).

Unit Value — Total EPA
QBWill Crowder, Will Crowder +2
+45.4 EPA
WRMarquez Dortch, Marquez Dortch +10
+35.4 EPA
RBJaheim Merriweather, Jaheim Merriweather +6
+14.2 EPA
TEFabian Rogosch, Fabian Rogosch +2
+10.4 EPA

Total EPA produced by each positional group this season. OL value is captured via the rush/pass efficiency of skill players; OL-specific EPA isn't separately reported.

Estimated NIL Market Value
ESTIMATED
QBWill Crowder
~$861K
EPA +22.80.350/play65 snaps
QBWill Crowder
~$861K
EPA +22.80.350/play65 snaps
EPA +8.20.392/play21 snaps
EPA +8.20.392/play21 snaps

Estimated from position-group market rates and on-field EPA contribution. Actual NIL valuations depend on social media following, brand fit, and market negotiations — these figures are directional only.

The Five Factors

ranked vs. FBS · bar = better
Efficiency (PPA)
Off0.2349th#71
Def0.0364th#50
Explosiveness
Off1.5391st#13
Def1.2850th#70
Field position
Off69.342nd#80
Def74.036th#89
Finishing (pts/opp)
Off3.6434th#91
Def4.2220th#111
Turnovers
Won 2Lost 0
Margin +2

Opponent-adjusted efficiency

EPA/play vs. schedule
Offense
Defense
Off · pass
0.3249th#71
Off · rush
0.1654th#64

Pass vs. rush (PPA)

Rushing
Off0.1653rd#65
Def-0.1983rd#24
Passing
Off0.3247th#73
Def0.1950th#69

Trenches & disruption

Line yards (off)
2.97#76
2nd-level / open-field
1.21 / 1.86
Power / stuff (off)
45.5% / 22.4%
Havoc — total (def)
24.4%#16
Havoc — front 7 / DB
18.7% / 5.7%

Standard vs. passing downs

Pro
Std downs
Off0.20
Def-0.03
Pass downs
Off0.30
Def0.13

PPA on each down type (off vs. def).

Opponent-adjusted by down

Pro
1st2nd3rd
Offense0.10#620.38#460.12#121
Defense-0.05#68-0.13#290.53#91

Elo Trajectory

Sam HoustonFinal
Elo rating 14221416-6 over season

Team Fingerprint · 2026 · 43 opponent-adjusted metrics · percentile vs 138 FBS teams

Plot these →
worst in FBSbest

Efficiency

  • Offense EPA/play0.1638th
  • Defense EPA/play allowed0.1731st
  • Offense success rate33%13th
  • Defense success rate allowed47%19th

Downs

  • Offense success — standard downs35%9th
  • Offense success — passing downs31%39th
  • Defense success allowed — standard downs53%17th
  • Defense success allowed — passing downs35%28th

Explosiveness

  • Offense explosiveness1.798th
  • Defense explosiveness allowed1.253rd
  • Offense explosiveness — standard downs1.392nd
  • Offense explosiveness — passing downs2.272nd

Trenches

  • Offense line yards2.726th
  • Defense line yards allowed1.885th
  • Offense highlight yards1.461st
  • Defense highlight yards allowed0.9039th
  • Offense power success0.007th
  • Defense power success allowed0.5079th
  • Offense stuff rate0.289th
  • Defense stuff rate0.4095th

Third down

  • Third down conversion40%42nd
  • Third down distance faced7.918th
  • Third down conversion allowed43%34th
  • Third down distance forced10.197th

Halves

  • Net success rate — first half-0.1712th
  • Net success rate — second half-0.1315th

Drives

  • Points per drive2.258th
  • Points per drive allowed1.857th
  • Average starting field position3171st
  • Opponent starting field position2099th
  • Available yards gained36%22nd
  • Available yards allowed40%74th
  • Scoring opportunities per drive82%54th
  • Scoring opportunities allowed67%84th
  • Points per scoring opportunity2.752nd
  • Points allowed per opportunity2.652nd
  • Three-and-out rate36%27th
  • Three-and-outs forced25%53rd

Roster

  • Returning usage57%66th
  • Returning EPA75.138th
  • Team talent composite59631st
  • Recruiting class rank76.045th
  • Recruiting class points18745th

Every metric is opponent-adjusted and ranked so that higher is always better — a defensive rate that is good when low is ranked accordingly. Sack and tackle-for-loss composition are deliberately absent: their relationship to team quality is a measured null, so they carry a style rather than a rank, and they appear in the pressure signature instead.

Intelligence Report

Offensive DNA

EPA/play
+0.233#71 · average
Pass EPA/play
+0.317#73
Rush EPA/play
+0.164#65
Explosiveness
1.528#13
Pts/opportunity
3.64#91
Success rate
37.2%

Pass efficiency edge: 0.153 EPA/play

🛡

Defensive Identity

EPA/play allowed
+0.027#50 · average
Havoc rate (total)
24.4%#16
Front-7 havoc
18.7%
DB havoc
5.7%
Big play rate allowed
1.278#70
Success rate allowed
37.4%

Disruption comes primarily from the front seven.

📊

Season Signature

29.0 PPG offense, 19.0 allowed — +10.0 margin/game
Points per game
29.0
Points allowed/game
19.0
Scoring margin/game
+10.0
Turnover margin
+2won 2 · lost 0
Production returning
35%
Talent rank (247)
#96

2-0 record through 2 games.

Team Shape · percentile vs. FBS · dashed = 50th

OFFENSE49thEXPLOSIVENESS91thFINISHING34thFIELD POS42thDEFENSE64thHAVOC89th50th100th
Offense
49th
Explosiveness
91th
Finishing
34th
Field Pos
42th
Defense
64th
Havoc
89th

Each axis = national percentile rank. 100th = best in FBS, 0th = worst. Defense and Havoc are oriented so higher = better.

CORE efficiency · situation and opponent removed

Points per 100 plays above average, after the game state is regressed out of every snap and the schedule is solved out across the whole league. The version of this team’s efficiency that can be compared to a team it never played.

Overall
-10.4
#111
Offense
-8.5
#119
Defense
+1.9
#91
Full CORE ratings →

What a possession is worth · 11 drives

MeasureOffenseDefense
Points per drive2.181.75
Starting field positionown 31.1own 19.7
Available yards35.8%40.1%
Scoring opportunities81.8%66.7%
Points per opportunity2.672.63
Three-and-out rate36.4%25.0%
Every team’s drive efficiency →

Play-calling identity

Against what the league calls from the same down, distance, field position, score and clock — so this is the staff, not the game script.

Pass rate
41.5%
Expected, given the spots
47.5%
Over expected
-6.0
Fourth down vs peers
-5
Fourth down vs the model
+0
All play-calling tendencies →

National Landscape · 2026 FBS · offense vs. defense EPA/play

Each dot = one FBS team. Troy is highlighted. Tap or hover a dot for details.

ELITEDEF. FORTRESSOFF. POWERHOUSEREBUILDING-0.100.00+0.10+0.20+0.30-0.050.00+0.10+0.20Offensive EPA/play← worsebetter →Defensive EPA allowed/play← worsebetter →

Similar Programs

Teams with the closest offense + defense efficiency profile to Troy in 2026

by EPA/play distance
Old DominionSP+ -6.2
Off EPA/play +0.244Def EPA/play +0.043Elo 1336
Match
99%
CincinnatiSP+ +5.9
Off EPA/play +0.241Def EPA/play +0.070Elo 1516
Match
98%
OregonSP+ +23.9
Off EPA/play +0.217Def EPA/play +0.069Elo 1873
Match
98%
PittsburghSP+ +10.1
Off EPA/play +0.193Def EPA/play -0.009Elo 1681
Match
97%
VanderbiltSP+ +12.1
Off EPA/play +0.167Def EPA/play +0.022Elo 1753
Match
97%
DelawareSP+ -7.6
Off EPA/play +0.250Def EPA/play -0.032Elo 1404
Match
97%

Similarity = normalized Euclidean distance on season offensive and defensive EPA/play. Teams within ±0.02 EPA/play on both units score >90%.

Program Trajectory · CORE rating · 20152026 · points per game vs an average FBS team

2015: -8.1, #91 of 1282016: -1.9, #74 of 1282017: +8.2, #38 of 1302018: -0.6, #69 of 1302019: -6.7, #89 of 1302020: +2.5, #53 of 1242021: -6.9, #93 of 1302022: +2.3, #61 of 1312023: +10.8, #31 of 1332024: -7.4, #90 of 1342025: -16.6, #116 of 1362026: -10.4, #111 of 138
20152026
Now -10.4 · #111 of 138Best +10.8 in 2023Worst -16.6 in 2025

Program History

recent seasons
YearOverallConfWin %xWLuck
20262-00-0
100%
1.9+0.1
20258-66-2
57%
6.6+1.4
20244-83-5
33%
6.4-2.4
202311-38-1
79%
10.1+0.9
202212-28-1
86%
9.6+2.4
20215-73-5
42%
4.9+0.1
20205-63-4
45%
5.4-0.4
20195-73-5
42%
6.5-1.5
201810-37-1
77%
8.6+1.4
201711-27-1
85%
9.3+1.7

xW = expected wins from per-game dominance. Luck = actual − expected (positive = won close games).

0.3%of 50,000 simulated 2026 seasons end with them in the field

1-0 so far, projected to finish 6.8-5.4. Wins the Sun Belt in 5.5%.

If they finish with…

19%
1 loss
0.3%
2 losses
0%
3 losses
0%
4 losses

Their chance of making it at each final loss count.

down 0.6 points since preseasonwon 24-21 over Sam Houston against an expected margin of +20, so 17.4 against the number.

  • At 1 loss they are 19% where the average Sun Belt team is 20%.
  • The Sun Belt takes 0.14 bids in an average season.
  • One bid goes to the best champion outside the P4. They take it in 0.3% of seasons, having won their league in 94% of those.

Troy’s own turning points

Points of playoff probability between winning and losing.

  • wk9at James Madison1.2
  • wk4at Utah State0.8
  • wk7at Louisiana0.7
  • wk13at Arkansas State0.6
  • wk10vs Louisiana Tech0.6
  • wk11at South Alabama0.6

Who to root for

Games Troy is not in that move its odds most. Same units, much smaller scale.

  • wk11Northwestern over Ohio State0.3
  • wk12Charlotte over Tulsa0.3
  • wk3Utah over Utah State0.3
  • wk12Eastern Michigan over Western Michigan0.2
  • wk13North Dakota State over San José State0.2
  • wk6Kent State over Western Michigan0.2
The full playoff picture →

Sun Belt

West division · 0-0 in league play, projected 4.3-3.77 of 14 by title odds
5.5%
Wins the Sun Belt
14%
Reaches the title game

The Sun Belt keeps divisions (East and West) and sends the winner of each — so Troy can finish with the league’s second-best record and still stay home. The last berth is level on percentage in 47% of simulated seasons, so a tiebreaker decides it about that often.

  • wk9Troy at James Madison11.3
  • wk7Troy at Louisiana10.5
  • wk10Louisiana Tech at Troy9.2
  • wk13Troy at Arkansas State9.1

Points of title probability riding on each result. The whole Sun Belt race →

If not the playoff, then

73%
Bowl eligible
72%
Placed in a bowl
0.3%
In the playoff
28%
Season over in November

Troy is 1-0 and needs 5 more wins from 11 games to reach the six that make a team eligible — at most one of which may come against an FCS opponent. In 1.3% of seasons they get there and still go nowhere: there are more eligible teams than seats.

  • New Orleans Bowl11%
  • Myrtle Beach Bowl9.4%
  • Salute to Veterans Bowl9.1%
  • Boca Raton Bowl8.4%
  • Frisco Bowl8.2%
  • 68 Ventures Bowl8.0%

Every bowl, and how each one picks →

Recruiting Pipelines

since 2010

Of the 170 high-school programs with a pipeline page here, 4 have sent Troy a player since 2010 — 9 signees between them. Where they signed, not where they were offered, and not a complete list of Troy's feeder schools: only these 170 have the outcome history to measure.

High schoolSignedDrafted
AuburnAL40
ColumbiaFL20
McGill ToolenAL20
MariettaGA11
All 170 high-school pipelines →
✓/✗ = whether our pregame model picked the winner. Win % & projections from the Gridpex model. Data: CollegeFootballData.