TROY, Ala. (TROJANVISION) — Troy kept 2026 rolling as the Trojans defeated the Hornets of Alabama State Saturday in Veterans Memorial Stadium, 34-17.
Troy limited Alabama State to 116 yards rushing and 105 yards passing, while the Trojans ran for 226 and passed for 201. Despite that, the Trojans would allow a number of big plays in crucial scenarios, something head coach Gerad Parker said is not what this team should be allowing.
“When we started playing at a very high level last year on defense, we were very similar as to how this game went today,” Parker said. “Elite in some aspects, playing at a high level in some aspects, and then a ball go through a gap or we misfit and it go for a 50 yard rushing touchdown.”
“In my opinion, with where we’re at and my belief in that staff and those players, that’s inexcusable.”
The game got off strong for the Trojans with a 73-yard touchdown pass from goose crowder to TK Keyes. However, the Hornets would respond quickly, punching out a 50-yard run to tie the game. Sixth year linebacker Bryce Steele would say the defense letting the run go was more Troy beating themselves in that moment.
“I think that play did not at all demonstrate how we practice throughout the week,” Steele said. “In my opinion I thought we had a really good week of practice heading to the game today.”
“Obviously nobody is going to be perfect, but we strive to be perfect. It was more so Troy beating Troy than them beating us.”
However, Troy would be able to respond when third year running back Jaheim Merriweather would run 69 yards for a touchdown, his first as a Trojan. Merriweather explained how he saw the defense shift one way and decided to move out the other way to set up the touchdown run.
“It was supposed to be an inside run,” Merriweather said. “I ended up seeing everybody was squeezing in too fast, so I played patiently and let them come all the way in and I just took it out.”
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Merriweather would continue to score for the Trojans with two more scores in the second quarter. The Purdue transfer would lead the team in rushing yards with 127 on 13 carries. Parker said with his breakout performance, Merriweather could become a vital part of Troy’s offense moving foward.
“He can be a special player and a special human being, and I think he’s just now kinda giving himself the grace to maybe think of himself in such a way to say ‘I can be a special human being and player’,” Parker said. “What an inspiring effort, and some of the ways he ran the football today that could really impact a lot of people besides this team and I want to see him become the best version of himself and I think he took a huge step in that today.”
Despite Alabama State outscoring Troy 10-3 in the second half, the Trojans would keep the Hornets at bay in order to close out the game. The win moves Troy to 2-0, the first time since 2013 the Trojans have started the season off with two straight wins. The Trojans now turn to their biggest challenge of the season this Saturday as they head to Columbia, Missouri to face the No. 20 Tigers.
