The 0-5 Georgia State Panthers take the field Saturday to compete in their first Sun Belt conference game of the season against the 3-3 Troy Trojans.
The Trojans are one of the most recognizable Sun Belt teams in the country under head coach Larry Blakeney in his 23 season coaching the Trojans.
Blakeney is 172-101-1 with the Trojans and is ranked seventh among active coaches with the most victories.
“I would say Coach Blakeney would be the dean of the Sun Belt coaches,” Panthers head coach Trent Miles said.
Troy is 0-3 this season on the road and 1-1 in conference games.
Troy’s first conference victory was against South Alabama last Sautrday in a dramatic come-from-behind win.
Trailing 33-27 with 14 seconds remaining, Troy’s quarterback, Corey Robinson, made a 20-yard touchdown pass to leading receiver Eric Thomas in the corner of the endzone to win the game.
Thomas has 480 receiving yards this season with 9 touchdowns. He averages 80 yards per game.
Quarterback Corey Robinson is second in active NCAA players in total offense just behind the University of Georgia’s Aaron Murray.
The senior has thrown for 1539 yards this season with 12 touchdown passes and five interceptions.
“Keep the ball on offense, keep possession of the football, [and] try and keep him off the field,” Miles said was his strategy against Robinson.
Troy’s Deon Anthony is listed with Robinson at the top of the Trojan’s depth chart at the quarterback position.
Troy uses Anothony as quarterback when they need his abilty to run the ball.
Anthony has completed 17-of-29 pass attempts for three touchdowns and has ran for 287 yards and two touchdowns.
Anthony is third on the team in all purpose yards averaging 66.8 yards per game.
Running back Brandon Burks leads the team in the same list averaging 90 yards per game. Burks has one touchdown this season.
Troy’s weakness is in their 110 ranked defense that has allowed 208 points this season compared to Georgia State’s defense which has allowed 191.
The Trojan defense has two interceptions this season including one from junior linebacker Eli Canton who intercepted the ball 78 yards for a touchdown against Savannah State.
The Trojans go against a winless Georgia State team coming off a 45-3 defeat on the road against No. 1 Alabama.
“That was preseason,” Miles said on his team’s first five games of the season as they now have only conference games remaining.
Panthers quarterback Ronnie Bell completed 11-of-20 pass attempts for 146 yards against Alabama. He has five passing touchdowns this season.
The Panthers running troubles continue as the team has 403 rushing yards this season.
Running back Travis Evans leads the team in rushing with 224 yards and one touchdown.
The Panthers will be looking to mostly move the ball in the air against Troy.
Leading receiver Albert Wilson has 517 reception yards and four touchdowns this season.
Senior Kelton Hill has two touchdowns this season while true freshman Robert Davis has 286 reception yards and one touchdown.
The Panthers defense has had more success than the Trojans in pass defense averaging 259 passing yards allowed per game compared to the Trojan’s 316 yards.
Saturday’s game is Georgia State University’s homecoming. The Panthers are 2-1 in homecoming games.
The game kicks off at 3:30 p.m. at the Georgia Dome. It will be televised on the Sun Belt Network/ CSS and can be heard on The Fan 3 1340 AM.
