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The Troy Trojans will make the 1,900-mile trip to Provo, Utah on Saturday evening. Despite the long trip and late kickoff, it will be business as usual for the 1-0 Trojans.

It will be the Trojans first big test of the year. After knocking off a winless Middle Tennessee Team last week, the Trojans will take on the nationally ranked Cougars.

“We are excited for the opportunity to play a storied program like BYU,” head coach Chip Lindsey said. “It’s exciting to be able to go out and play these guys.”

It will be Troy’s first visit to the state of Utah since they knocked off Utah State in 2003. The Trojans are no strangers to playing in big time college football environments, having played in Baton Rouge against LSU and in Lincoln against Nebraska in the last five years. Saturday’s game gives the current Trojans another opportunity on a national stage.

“This is a big challenge, but we’re looking forward to it,” Lindsey said. “Going on the road a long way from home and competing against a really good top-20 opponent I think is a reason a lot of these kids come to Troy; to get these opportunities. It’s going to be a lot of fun and we’re looking forward to it.”

Despite playing in a new environment in the shadows of the Wasatch Mountains, the Trojan players will treat this weekend’s trip to Provo like they would any other trip.

“Whenever you go on trips like this you really have to rely on the older guys to set the pace,” said senior offensive lineman Dylan Bradshaw. “It’s all business. Yes we are going to Utah and we’re going to see mountains, but it’s not about that; it’s about playing a football game. A lot of the younger guys will be excited about the trip and flying, but at the end of the day the job is going to play a football game. We are excited for the challenge ahead of us.”

LaVell Edwards Stadium has a capacity of 63,470 on a normal Saturday. This time around the Trojans will be playing in an empty stadium. In accordance with the state of Utah, this Saturday’s game will be played without fans.

The Trojans got their first taste last week of traveling amid all the new protocols and guidelines that comes with playing college football in 2020. The lengthy road trip this weekend will offer the Trojans a new test.

“We are always focused on having our masks on and social distancing and we have changed how we are doing our meals,” Lindsey said. “Our players and our staff together have done a really nice job of trying to follow all the guidelines and do whatever we can do to stay as safe as possible. I think our medical team and our administration have put together a great plan. We are going to play the hand we are dealt each week and do the best we can do to keep our team safe.”

Kickoff between the Trojans and the Cougars is scheduled for 9:15 and it can be seen on ESPN.