Date: Tuesday December 16, 2025
Time: 8:00 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN
COACHES
Charles Kelly has the Gamecocks sitting at 8-5 in his first season at Jacksonville State, falling to Kennesaw State in the Conference USA Championship 19-15. His squad will face Gerard Parker and the Troy Trojans, who are also 8-5 after dropping the Sun Belt Championship game to College Football Playoff participant James Madison 31-14.
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Jacksonville State
The Gamecocks have been led all season long by their dynamic offense, scoring 29 points per game. Cam Cook is their running back and the nation’s leading rusher with 1,659 yards and 16 touchdowns. Quarterback Caden Creel is close behind with 1,059 yards on the ground to go with his nearly 1,400 yards passing. Defensively, freshman Walker O’Steen leads with 80 tackles. The Gamecocks will look to attack Troy early and often in Montgomery.
Troy
After a rough start to Gerard Parker’s tenure for a winning program, the Trojans got things rolling in 2025 on their way to an 8-4 regular season and winning the Sun Belt West. Goose Crowder has taken over the Troy offense down the stretch, passing for 1,314 yards, 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
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Tae Medows leads the ground attack with 695 yards and six touchdowns this season while former Georgia receiver Rara Thomas leads the receiving category with 577 yards and five trips to the endzone.
Prediction
Look for this to be a great battle between a pair of Alabama programs in the state’s capital, but I think the rushing attack of the Gamecocks will be too much to overcome.
Jacksonville State 34, Troy 24
