(PHOTO/ Troy Athletics)
Senior quarterback Kaleb Barker passed for 421 yards in the loss against Georgia State, the most yards through the air by any FBS quarterback during week nine of the 2019 season.
Hanna Cooper
Staff Writer
Following a tough loss against Georgia State, the Trojans prepare to turn the page to Coastal Carolina.
Last Saturday, Troy fell to the Panthers, 52-33, at Georgia State Stadium. Despite the loss, the offense remained efficient with 517 yards.
After battling the flu all week, Kaleb Barker passed for 421 yards, including two touchdowns. DK Billingsley tacked on three rushing touchdowns.
Coastal Carolina comes off of a bye week but had previously fallen to Georgia Southern in triple overtime.
This weekend’s matchup is a must-win on both sides as Troy enters 1-2 in conference play while Coastal Carolina is still searching for its first conference win.
“If we want to accomplish our goals, it is a must-win,” Head Coach Chip Lindsey said. “We try and approach every week the same, and we try being consistent.
“We know where we are in the standings, so you can say it’s a must-win, but we’ll prepare the same.
“We’ll put together a great plan and go out and try and execute it.”
While entering the opposing territory, especially for a homecoming game, is always a challenge. This matchup will be decided by which side gives more in the passing game.
The Trojans have the top-ranked passing offense in the league, throwing for an average of 309.7 yards per game. This mark ranks 13th nationally.
In all three of Troy’s wins this season, the team, led by Kaleb Barker, has thrown for 200+ yards. Barker also has a 500+ yard game and a pair 400+ yards in losses this season.
However, the Chanticleers have the top-ranked passing defense in the Sun Belt Conference, allowing just 145.6 yards per game. This mark also ranks fifth nationally.
“On defense, you see them mix up their looks and play extremely hard,” Lindsey said. “Watching the Georgia Southern game, they just played, they flew to the ball and did a great job.
“Their corners are really aggressive and do a good job of forcing the issue. We need to make sure we play well in all three phases to have a chance.”
Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Brooks Stadium. The game will be aired on ESPN3.
