Wesley Kirchharr Following many scheduling changes in the college football landscape due to the pandemic, Troy Football has finalized its 2020 football schedule as the season fast approaches. The revised 12-game schedule has slated six home games, the first of which is a conference opener against Louisiana-Monroe on Sept. 5. The revised schedule does eliminate some matchups planned for 2020 , including a road game at Tennessee and a home battle against the North Carolina State Wolfpack. The Trojans are preparing for eight conference games this year – four at home. The team is set to revive an old rivalry in week two of the season, traveling to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to take on the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee State. Troy and Middle Tennessee have met 12 times since 1999 with Troy holding an 8-4 record against the Blue Raiders. The Battle for the Palladium, as this rivalry was pinned, was the oldest rivalry in the Sun Belt when Middle Tennessee was a member. The matchup dates back to 1936, and ESPN named it one of the top five Group of 5 rivalries in the sport. A Palladium trophy was created in 2003 to engage fans within the rivalry before conference realignment forced the rivalry to fall by the wayside in 2013. Troy has scheduled a home-and-home series with Middle Tennessee – both games happening this season. The Blue Raiders will make the trip to Troy on Nov. 21. The Trojans then hit the road again in week three to take on BYU in Provo, Utah. BYU and Troy have never faced off on the gridiron prior to the etching of a home-and-home series between the two. Troy is set to play host to the Cougars in 2026. After facing off against South Alabama in the Battle for the Belt on Oct. 3, Troy goes on a three-game home stretch, playing host to Texas State, Eastern Kentucky and Georgia State. This will be the first season that Troy has faced off against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels since 1997. The final six games of the year feature five conference matchups with Georgia Southern, Arkansas State and Coastal Carolina. Troy will play its final regular season game in Boone, North Carolina, as the Trojans take on Appalachian State. The Sun Belt Championship Game is set for Dec. 5, following the conclusion of the regular season.
Staff Writer
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