By Caleb Seaver, Contributing Writer

TROY, Ala. – South Alabama came back from a fourth quarter deficit, but the comeback falls short in overtime with the Trojans winning 31-214, to bring “The Belt” back to Troy.

The two rivals entered Saturday with their seasons on completely different trajectories, Troy 3-2 entered the game fresh off a bye week, after a road win at Buffalo the week prior. South Alabama however, had lost four matches straight. They entered the game following a loss to North Texas, the Jaguars still looking for their first FBS win on the season.

South Alabama started with the ball in front of a packed Veterans Stadium, but they would do nothing with it on their first possession, forced to punt it back to the Trojans. Troy would take advantage, quickly scoring on a touchdown run by quarterback Tucker Kilcrease.

The Jags would get on the board on their next drive though, scoring on a quick touch pass to Micah Woods that went for 33 yards and a touchdown. The two teams would then trade possessions, before Troy took the lead late in the second quarter on a Kilcrease pass to RaRa Thomas. On the next South Alabama possession, despite having nearly two minutes on the clock and all three timeouts, South would choose to run the clock out to bring it to halftime, the Trojans leading at the half 14-7.

South Alabama came out of the locker room quick in the second half, forcing a Troy fumble on the first play. South Alabama kicked a field goal after this and forced a big stop on defense. The offense capitalized, scoring a touchdown a few plays later on an explosive 56-yard touchdown run by quarterback Bishop Davenport, giving the Jags their first lead of the game.

However, a touchdown by Troy and a turnover on downs by South on the next two possessions would give the Trojans the lead back in the fourth quarter. South Alabama would have a chance to tie it though, getting the ball with six minutes to go in the game. South Alabama was able to move the ball effectively on this important drive, converting on a number of huge plays, ultimately tying it on a Davenport touchdown pass to Kentrel Bullock.

South Alabama and Troy would both get a possession with a chance to win the game with under two minutes to go in regulation, but neither team capitalized, sending the Battle for the Belt rivalry to overtime for the first time. This overtime period would be all Trojans, Troy scoring a touchdown on just four plays. The Trojans made a big fourth down stop on the Jags’ ensuing possession, winning the game 31-24.

“Ultimately disappointed. Disappointed in the way the game finished. When we got it into overtime, I thought we had an opportunity there. I thought our defense did an outstanding job all night. Got them off the field and got two takeaways. We’ve got to do a better job as an offense capitalizing on those takeaways,” said Coach Major Applewhite

Troy avenged their loss in Mobile last year to bring home the belt and this win now gives the Trojans a commanding lead in the series, with. Troy now having won 10 of the 14 games between the two, including seven of the last eight. The two teams will meet back in Mobile in 2026.

More information about this game and all South Alabama athletics are available on usajaguars.com.