MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama football team will open Sun Belt Conference play this weekend, but more than just a fast start in search of a league title will be on the line.

That's because it was announced Monday that when the Jaguars visit Troy on Saturday, the two schools will "Battle For The Belt" for the first time since the rivalry began on the football field in 2012.  So in addition to a 1-0 start in the Sun Belt, the winner of the contest will take home a championship-style belt.

While USA head coach Joey Jones is anticipating this weekend's match-up — which will kick off at 6 p.m. (CDT) at Veterans Memorial Stadium, and can be seen across the country on ESPN3 — he is also wary of an improved opponent.  "We're excited about this ballgame," he said Monday at the program's weekly press luncheon.  "Troy is a very good football team, and they have improved over last year.  You don't compare year-to-year, but I have watched what they're doing and defensively they are much more sound; they are doing a good job of playing gap control.  Offensively they really run the same stuff they have been, just a few wrinkles here or there with [first-year head coach] Neal [Brown] coming in and calling some of the plays.  But they do a good job with the spread offense.

"They are a typical Troy team — they play fast on offense and play very hard defensively."

Both squads are coming off losses to schools from "Power Five" conferences, although the Trojans have had an extra week to prepare.  USA fell at home to North Carolina State and will enter play with a 2-2 mark, while Troy is 1-2 after a Sept. 19 loss at nationally-ranked Wisconsin; the Trojans other defeat was to the Wolfpack on the road in their season opener.

This will mark the fourth meeting between the two programs, with the Jags claiming their first win in the series last October in a 27-13 decision in Mobile.  In that contest Xavier Johnson recorded his first-ever 100-yard game after carrying 15 times for 107 yards, while current defensive starters E.J. May and Devon Earl posted career highs at the time in tackles with seven and five, respectively.  USA was up 10-6 in the third quarter when it broke open the game with 17 unanswered points sparked by Johnson's 14-yard touchdown run.

The Trojans won the first two match-ups in the series, however, including pulling out a 34-33 victory in the only meeting in Troy in 2013; the Jaguars had taken their first lead on a 65-yard scoring pass from Ross Metheny to Jeremé Jones, but Troy responded with Corey Robinson hitting Eric Thomas for a 20-yard touchdown with seven seconds to go.

The two offensive units posted similar scoring numbers in the opening month of the season, with the Jags averaging 22 points per outing and Troy 22.7, with USA holding an advantage in average total offense, 377.2-311.3.  Johnson has 320 yards and three scores while gaining 7.3 yards per attempt and Tyreis Thomas has added 157 yards while averaging nearly five yards per carry for the Jaguars, with Brandon Burks pacing the Trojans with 236 yards and three rushing touchdowns.  Gerald Everett leads three Jags with a double-digit reception total having collected 18 catches for 305 yards and three touchdowns, while both Josh Magee and D.J. Vinson have recorded 10 receptions each as Cody Clements has thrown for 926 yards and five touchdowns while completing 51.9 percent (69-of-133) of his attempts.  Counterpart Brandon Silvers has a 69.2 completion percentage, connecting on 54-of-78 attempts, with Teddy Ruben topping Troy with 146 yards and two scores on 12 catches.

"They are probably a lot heavier in the screen game — the quick screens outside; they are going to run eight to 10 of those a game," explained Jones.  "That's just part of what they do and part of what he [Brown] has always done.  They are going to do some things different in the game and have some gimmicks.  It's pretty much the same deal, but they do it at a fast pace, similar to what we're doing.  I think our defense has had good practice against it from working against us all summer.  That should help us, but we have to be on our toes."

Each defense enters play surrendering more than 30 points and 400 yards per game, with both squads allowing more yards on the ground than via the pass.  Jeremy Reaves paces USA with 35 tackles and four stops behind the line, with Roman Buchanan and Blake Dees adding 33 and 31 total stops, respectively.  Earl has supplied 25 tackles — both he and Dees have forced a pair of fumbles — while DeMarion Harper has been credited with three stops for loss among his 19 total tackles.  William Lloyd's 24 stops lead the Trojans, while Montres Kitchens has chipped in with 19 tackles and Tyler Roberts 15; the latter has 3½ stops behind the line of scrimmage, as does Rashad Dillard.

Although the Jaguars did not record a takeaway against the Pack, they have forced five turnovers on the year.  Troy's lone takeaway has come on a fumble recovery in a win over Charleston Southerm.

"They are very well-coached and they're in the gaps they are supposed to be in; they are very gap sound," Jones observed.  "That's the best thing they do.  They are very well-coached and disciplined. Up front they are going to step up and handle the right gap, that's the biggest change and the biggest thing I have noticed about watching them."

Aleem Sunanon and Brandon McKee highlight the Jags special teams units — the former leads the team in scoring and has connected on 7-of-8 field-goal attempts, while the latter is averaging 46.3 yards per punt over the last two contests.  Ruben handles all return duties for the Trojans, with an average of 19.6 yards per kick return and 16.2 running back punts.  He was named the Sun Belt's Special Teams Student-Athlete of the Week following the Trojans' lone victory the second week of the season, an award Sunanon has claimed twice as well.

A lot will be on the line when South Alabama and Troy meet Saturday in a rivalry game, including for the first time a trophy for the victor to bring home and display.  Which will be nice for one of the teams — though probably not as welcome as a 1-0 start in the chase for a conference championship.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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