0-1 , 0-0
Troy
1-0 , 0-0
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Houston | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| Troy | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
Troy edges Kats in 2026 opener
9/5/2026 9:37:00 PM | Football
TROY, Ala. – Landyn Locke threw for a career-high 335 yards and three touchdowns, but Troy held on for a 24-21 victory over Sam Houston Saturday night in the Bearkats' 2026 season opener at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Locke completed 30-of-46 passes to nine different receivers, putting up the most passing yards by a Bearkat quarterback since Eric Schmid threw for 359 yards against Montana State in the final game of the 2021 season.Â
Sam Houston led 7-0 after Locke connected with Grady O'Neill for a 14-yard touchdown and went into halftime tied with Troy, 14-14 after Darrick Bledsoe III found the end zone in the second quarter. O'Neill finished with 86 yards on seven grabs in the game to lead the receiving corps, while Alton McCaskill finished with a team-high 51 yards on the ground.
But the game turned when Troy took a 17-14 lead early in the third quarter after TJ Thompson intercepted Locke on the first play of the half. The Trojans converted the short field into a 32-yard field goal by Ethan Head and later extended the lead to 24-14 early in the fourth quarter on quarterback Goose Crowder's third touchdown pass of the night.Â
The Kats were able to respond, however, with a late 85-yard drive that Locke capped by finding Chris Reed for a 31-yard touchdown with 1:03 remaining; however, Troy recovered the ensuing onside kick and converted a third-and-8 with a 16-yard pass to seal the victory.
Despite the loss, Sam Houston finished with 373 yards of total offense to Troy's 342. The Bearkats threw for 335 yards, while Troy did the bulk of its damage on the ground by rushing for 177 yards.
UP NEXT
The Kats will make their return to Bowers Stadium on Saturday when they host Tulsa. The game is set for a 6:00 p.m. kickoff on ESPN+.
QUICK HITTERS
-Â Landyn Locke set career highs with 335 passing yards and three touchdown passes
- The Bearkat defense finished with six breakups -Â five coming in the first quarter - to go with 8.0 TFLs and 4 sacks
-Â Darrick Bledsoe III caught his first career touchdown, a 14-yard strike from Locke in the second quarter
-Â Cal Joseph averaged 41.1 yards on seven punts, including a 47-yarder that pinned Troy at its own 1-yard line
-Â Sam Houston completed 30 passes for 335 yards and had 22 first downs, including 15 through the air
-Â O'Neill finished with seven catches for 86 yards and a touchdown; Tim Burns Jr. also had four catches for 63 yards
-Â Sam Houston is now 2-1 against Sun Belt opponents since moving to the FBS level
Players Mentioned
Team Stats
SH 7, TRO 0
SH - O'Neill,Grady 14 yd pass from Locke,Landyn (Carpenter,Samuel kick) 6 plays, 83 yards, TOP 02:32
SH 7, TRO 7
TRO - Rogosch,Fabian 19 yd pass from Crowder,Goose (Head,Ethan kick) 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:41
SH 7, TRO 14
TRO - Keyes,TK 28 yd pass from Crowder,Goose (Head,Ethan kick) 6 plays, 72 yards, TOP 02:13
SH 14, TRO 14
SH - Bledsoe III,Darrick 14 yd pass from Locke,Landyn (Carpenter,Samuel kick) 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:55
SH 14, TRO 17
TRO - Head,Ethan 32 yd field goal 4 plays, yards, TOP 00:41
SH 14, TRO 24
TRO - Lott,TJ 18 yd pass from Crowder,Goose (Head,Ethan kick) 9 plays, 87 yards, TOP 04:35
SH 21, TRO 24
SH - Reed,Chris 31 yd pass from Locke,Landyn (Carpenter,Samuel kick) 9 plays, 85 yards, TOP 03:17
