Fresh off their first road game last Saturday, the Troy Trojans will have another first this Saturday when they take on Arkansas State in the Sun Belt Conference opener at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

“It’s a big weekend with a lot of different things going on, and I think it’ll be an exciting weekend for our fans,” Troy head coach Chip Lindsey said. “I’m looking forward to being back here at the Vet, because last time we were here, our fans were unbelievable and our student body was second-to-none. I was really impressed with how active and engaged they were with our players. This weekend should be no different.”

The Trojans (2-1, 0-0) are coming off a convincing win over Akron last week on the road. This week they hope to open conference play 1-0 for the fourth-straight season.

“It’s definitely something we talk about,” Lindsey said. “At the same time, we don’t approach Saturday any different than any other game. We’re going to prepare each week the same and give our team the best chance to win each week. It’d be nice to get off to a good start in conference play, and certainly that’s our goal. There are still plenty of games ahead, but we want to get off to a good start. Saturday is a big challenge for us.”

After not playing last season, the Trojans and Red Wolves look to continue a rivalry that has had championship implications in previous seasons. In their last meeting in 2017, the Trojans knocked off the Red Wolves in Jonesboro to claim a share of the Conference championship. In 2016, the Red Wolves knocked off the No. 25 Trojans 35-3 and went on to share the championship with Appalachian State.

“It’s a huge game because it’s a conference game,” Lindsey said. “This is a team that is very well-coached, and they do a great job in all three phases of the game. They’ve had a lot of success, finishing either first in their division or first overall in the Sun Belt a lot, and they’re traditionally one of the better teams in our conference.”

The Trojans will honor the military with their annual Military appreciation game on Saturday.

“That’s really an important day for us,” Lindsey said. “We get an opportunity to honor the servicemen and women who have made the ultimate commitment to serve our country. So, we want to do a great job of acknowledging and honoring those guys this weekend.”

The Trojans will also honor Dr. Jack Hawkins, who is celebrating his 30^th year as Chancellor of Troy University.

“Chancellor Hawkins and his wife (Janice) have meant so much to our University, so I think it’s a neat thing for him to be honored for 30 years of service as our chancellor.”

Kickoff between the Red Wolves and Trojans is scheduled for 5 p.m.