1. Face time: Troy quarterback Brandon Silvers may have a little more on the line Saturday, like whether he can show his face at home or not. Silvers is from Gulf Shores and was embarrassed by how he played last year at South Alabama. “I didn’t play well at all last year, so I have been thinking about it a lot,” Silvers said. “I can’t wait to get started.” Silvers threw two interceptions, still a career high, and 156 yards passing, a career low at that point. “It’s not really a redemption type thing,” Silvers said, “but I really want to focus and practice well this week and have a good game.”
2. Common foe: Though South Alabama and Troy will “battle for the belt,” North Carolina State has taken both teams’ scalp. Cheap Jerseys china The Wolfpack, after opening the season with a 49 21 home win over the Trojans, beat the Jaguars 63 13 in Mobile last weekend. “Typically, when you take a loss like that, it either brings your team together or it destroys you,” USA running back Tyreis Thomas said. “I think, with our family here, it’s definitely going to bring us together.”
3. Blackout: The Trojans have declared a “blackout” for Saturday’s game and will wear special all black uniforms. Maybe it will turn out better than their last “blackout.” On Halloween 2013, Troy lost 49 37 to Louisiana Monroe. It was the first time the Trojans had donned black jerseys since an October 2005 win over Florida International on Al Lucas Day.
4. League lidlifter: Both Troy and South Alabama are playing their Sun Belt Conference openers Saturday. “This is the opening of the season for us,” said Troy coach Neal Brown, who had referred to the three non conference games that started the year as “preseason.” “We’re lucky to start it with a rivalry game.”
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Bennett, who turns 24 on Monday, didn’t react well the last time the Trojans wore all black uniforms. He was ejected during the 2013 loss to Louisiana Monroe after a third quarter verbal confrontation with umpire Tyrone Blanks.