Despite a rough start to the season, the Southern Miss Golden Eagles were competitive in their 24-21 loss at Tulane on Sept. 26, leading to a game that could set the tone for the rest of the season on Tuesday night.
Southern Miss (1-3) will travel to Troy (2-2) in the Golden Eagles’ first Sun Belt Conference game of the season. Despite dropping three games in a row, Southern Miss has begun to settle in and become a more cohesive team, even with more than 70 new players on the roster entering the 2026 season. Tuesday’s conference game on the road will be a huge test to see whether their performance in the Tulane game was a revelation or a fluke.
Here’s what else to know about the matchup, including how to watch it on TV.
Kickoff time for Southern Miss-Troy
Southern Miss and Troy will kick off at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy, Ala., at 7 p.m. CT on Tuesday, Oct. 6.
How to watch Southern Miss-Troy
Southern Miss and Troy will air live on ESPN2.
Southern Miss-Troy quick shots
— Tuesday’s game will be the 16th all-time matchup between the Golden Eagles and the Trojans. It’s been a close series, with Southern Miss barely holding the edge in an 8-7 record against Troy.
— Despite leading the all-time series, the Golden Eagles have lost five in a row to Troy, dating back to Sept. 18, 2021. The last time the two teams faced off was a little under a year ago in Hattiesburg. Southern Miss fell short at home, losing 28-18.
— Troy opened as a 10.5-point favorite over Southern Miss. The Trojans are 1-3 against the spread in 2026, while the Golden Eagles are 2-2.
— Blake Anderson is in his first year as the Southern Miss head coach with a 1-3 record, while Troy coach Gerad Parker is in his third season leading the team. He is 14-16 overall with the Trojans, including finishing first in the Sun Belt West in 2025 and an appearance in the conference championship game.
— The Golden Eagles are still looking to backup quarterback Landry Lyddy to run the team following a multi-week injury to starting quarterback Ethan Hampton. In Lyddy’s only start of the season, he threw for 18 of 29 completions, 243 yards, and 3 touchdowns.
— The Trojans remain with starter Goose Crowder, who is 69 of 132 for the year with 822 passing yards, 7 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions.
— Weapons for Lyddy and Southern Miss include running back Steven Robinson (319 yards on 72 carries, 4 TDs) and wide receiver Mario Sanders (302 yards on 20 catches, 3 TDs).
— Weapons for Crowder and the Trojans include running back Gavin Griffin (259 yards on 54 carries, no TDs) and wide receiver TK Keyes (270 yards on 12 catches, 3 TDs).