2018 Troy Trojans Football Preview

Troy lost several key pieces from a Sun Belt championship team that will need to be replaced, but the Trojans still might be the toughest non-conference opponent Nebraska will face this September.

If I said that Troy was going to be the best opponent Nebraska was going to face in the non-conference part of the 2018 football schedule, you might do a double take. While Akron has the name coach (Terry Bowden) and Colorado has a Power Five pedigree (allegedly, though they did win ten games in 2016), Troy has proven themselves to be a sneaky-good team despite playing in the Sun Belt conference.

In 2016, eventual national champion Clemson sweated out a 30-24 victory over the Trojans. Last fall, LSU invited Troy into Death Valley for homecoming and trailed the whole night, losing 24-21. So in case you are thinking this one is a gimme, think again.

That being said, Troy is missing several key pieces from last year’s team starting with four-year starting quarterback Brandon Silvers. In 2018, it’ll be either sophomore Sawyer Smith (6’3” 219 lbs.) or junior Kaleb Barker (6’1” 206 lbs.). As a freshman, Smith edged out Barker to be the backup in 2016, but redshirted last season. In 2016, Smith completed 18 of 25 passes for 181 yards; he also rushed 19 times for 73 yards. Last season, Barker completed eight of 13 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown while rushing nine times for 101 yards. Neither quarterback distinguished themselves from the other, so it’s a battle that will continue through August.