Following a devastating home loss to Iowa State, the Iowa football team looks to rebound at Kinnick Stadium against the Troy Trojans, who enter the contest with an 0-2 record.
The Trojans entered the season as the two-time defending Sun Belt Conference champions, but they were dealt a tough blow when head coach Jon Sumrall was hired away at Tulane in the offseason.
It has been a rough debut for new head coach Gerad Parker, as his squad suffered a two-point home loss against Nevada and a 21-point beating on the road at Memphis.
To fully digest this matchup, let’s take a deeper look at where Troy stands.
Offense
Despite many transfers entering the mix, third-year Goose Crowder earned the starting quarterback job after serving as the backup in 2023. Crowder fared well against Nevada, tossing one touchdown and 200 yards through the air. But he suffered an injury in the blowout loss to Memphis, leaving his status for the game against Iowa in question.
The Trojans will likely rely on running backs Damien Taylor and Gerald Green to power their rushing attack, which has averaged 191 yards in two games.
Third-year wideout Devonte Ross is Troy’s leading receiver, recording 102 total yards and a touchdown in the young season. Ross tallied 428 yards during the 2023 season and could become one of the top playmakers in the Sun Belt this year.
Defense
Last season, the Trojans featured the Sun Belt’s best defense, allowing only 17.1 points per game — but they lost several members of their vaunted pass rush, including standout defensive end Javon Solomon. Solomon recorded 16 sacks in 2023 and was drafted in the fifth round of the NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.
Though Solomon’s departure hurts the Trojan defense, it does return third-leading tackler Jordan Stringer as linebacker and rising free safety Dell Pettus. New defensive coordinator Dontae Wright hopes Pettus can help mentor an inexperienced secondary that features four transfers.
Throughout the first two weeks of the season, Troy’s defense has allowed 28 points per game. Safety Justin Powe leads the team with nine tackles.
Special teams
Third-year Scott Taylor Renfroe is the starting kicker for the Trojans, and he has rewarded them by knocking in all of his field goals and extra point attempts thus far. Fourth-year Robert Cole enters his second season as the starting punter, averaging 38.3 yards per punt through two games.
Final analysis
Troy has been one of the dominant Group of Five teams in college football the past two seasons and brings plenty of talent and energy into this matchup, but the Hawkeyes have more than enough talent to take this one at home, especially after their loss to Iowa State.