2023 Troy Trojans football team

American college football season

2023 Troy Trojans football

Sun Belt champion Sun Belt West Division champion
Sun Belt Championship, W 49–23 vs. Appalachian State
Birmingham Bowl, L 10–17 vs. Duke
Conference	Sun Belt Conference
Division	West Division
Record	11–3 (7–1 Sun Belt)
Head coach	Jon Sumrall (2nd season) Greg Gasparato (interim, bowl game)
Offensive coordinator	Joe Craddock (2nd season)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Defensive coordinator	Greg Gasparato (1st season)
Base defense	Multiple 4–2–5
Home stadium	Veterans Memorial Stadium
Seasons ← 2022 2024 →

2023 Sun Belt Conference football standings
v t e
Team	W		L	W		L
East Division
James Madison* x	7	–	1	11	–	2
Appalachian State y	6	–	2	9	–	5
Coastal Carolina	5	–	3	8	–	5
Old Dominion	5	–	3	6	–	7
Georgia State	3	–	5	7	–	6
Marshall	3	–	5	6	–	7
Georgia Southern	3	–	5	6	–	7
West Division
Troy xy$	7	–	1	11	–	3
Texas State	4	–	4	8	–	5
Arkansas State	4	–	4	6	–	7
South Alabama	4	–	4	7	–	6
Louisiana	3	–	5	6	–	7
Southern Miss	2	–	6	3	–	9
Louisiana–Monroe	0	–	8	2	–	10
Championship: Troy 49, Appalachian State 23
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant * – Ineligible for postseason play due to FCS-to-FBS transition rules

The 2023 Troy Trojans football team represented Troy University as a member of the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by second-year head coach Jon Sumrall, the Trojans played home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy, Alabama.

Preseason

Media poll

In the Sun Belt preseason coaches' poll, the Trojans were picked to finish in first place in the West division.^[1]

Predicted finish	Team	Votes (1st place)
Media poll (West division)
1	Troy	92 (10)
2	South Alabama	85 (4)
3	Louisiana	64
4	Southern Miss	62
5	Texas State	36
6	Arkansas State	33
7	ULM	20

Defensive linemen TJ Jackson and Richard Jibunor and defensive back Reddy Steward were named to the preseason All-Sun Belt first team. Running back Kimani Vidal, offensive lineman Daniel King, defensive lineman Javon Solomon, defensive back Dell Pettus, and all purpose back Kimani Vidal were named to the second team.^[1]

Schedule

The football schedule was announced February 24, 2023.^[2]

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 2	6:00 p.m.	Stephen F. Austin*	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	ESPN+	W 48–30	28,179
September 9	11:00 a.m.	at No. 15 Kansas State*	Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium Manhattan, Kansas	FS1	L 13–42	51,940
September 16	6:00 p.m.	James Madison	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	NFLN	L 14–16	26,634
September 23	11:00 a.m.	Western Kentucky*	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	ESPNU	W 27–24	26,124
September 30	6:00 p.m.	at Georgia State	Center Parc Stadium Atlanta, GA	ESPN+	W 28–7	16,536
October 7	3:00 p.m.	Arkansas State	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	ESPN+	W 37–3	26,957
October 14	2:30 p.m.	at Army*	Michie Stadium West Point, NY	CBSSN	W 19–0	27,829
October 28	2:00 p.m.	at Texas State	Bobcat Stadium San Marcos, TX	ESPN+	W 31–13	22,369
November 2	6:30 p.m.	South Alabama	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL (Battle for the Belt)	ESPN2	W 28–10	28,212
November 11	1:00 p.m.	at Louisiana–Monroe	Malone Stadium Monroe, LA	ESPN+	W 45–14	7,683
November 18	6:00 p.m.	Louisiana	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	NFLN	W 31–24	26,621
November 25	11:00 a.m.	at Southern Miss	M. M. Roberts Stadium Hattiesburg, MS	ESPNU	W 35–17	19,766
December 2	3:00 p.m.	Appalachian State	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL (Sun Belt Championship Game)	ESPN	W 49–23	20,183
December 23	11:00 a.m.	vs. Duke	Protective Stadium Birmingham, AL (Birmingham Bowl)	ABC	L 10–17	20,023
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll and CFP Rankings released prior to game All times are in Central time

Rankings

Ranking movements
**Legend:** ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Final
AP	RV	RV	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	RV	RV	RV
Coaches	RV	RV	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV
CFP	Not released									—	—	—	—	—	—	Not released

References

^ ^a ^b "Sun Belt Announces Football Preseason Awards & Poll". sunbeltsports.org. July 24, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
^ "2023 Football Schedule". Troy Trojans.com. Retrieved February 25, 2023.

v t e Troy Trojans football
Venues	Pace Field (1930–1949) Veterans Memorial Stadium (1950–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Jacksonville State: Battle for the Ol' School Bell Middle Tennessee: Battle for the Palladium South Alabama
Culture & lore	Trojan "Trojans One & All" Sound of the South Marching Band
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943–1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
National championship seasons in bold

v t e Sun Belt Conference football champions
Middle Tennessee & North Texas (2001) North Texas (2002) North Texas (2003) North Texas (2004) Arkansas State, Louisiana–Lafayette, & Louisiana–Monroe (2005) Middle Tennessee & Troy (2006) Florida Atlantic & Troy (2007) Troy (2008) Troy (2009) FIU & Troy (2010) Arkansas State (2011) Arkansas State (2012) Arkansas State & Louisiana–Lafayette (2013) Georgia Southern (2014) Arkansas State (2015) Appalachian State & Arkansas State (2016) Appalachian State & Troy (2017) Appalachian State (2018) Appalachian State (2019) Coastal Carolina & Louisiana (2020) Louisiana (2021) Troy (2022) Troy (2023)

Sun Belt Conference football champions