Merriweather's three touchdowns power Troy past Alabama State 34-17
10 sourcesUpdated Sep 13, 2026
Troy defeated Alabama State 34-17 on Saturday behind Jaheim Merriweather’s 127 rushing yards and three touchdowns, improving to 2-0 while the Hornets fell to 2-1. The Trojans built a 31-7 halftime lead after Goose Crowder connected with TK Keyes for a 73-yard touchdown and Merriweather scored on runs of 69, 6 and 1 yards. Alabama State responded in the third quarter with Andrew Body’s 19-yard touchdown pass to John Austin and Andrew Abu-Akel’s 37-yard field goal, cutting the deficit to 14 points. Ethan Head’s 47-yard field goal restored Troy’s three-possession advantage, and the Trojans’ defense stopped Alabama State on downs late in the game. Crowder passed for 201 yards, while Keyes caught five passes for 119 yards; Alabama State’s Jamarie Hostzclaw rushed for 80 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown run.
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Crowder's passing yards helped set up those early scores but the defense still needs work.
Alabama State cut the lead late but never recovered from giving up 31 points in the first half.
Troy's ground game looked unstoppable with Merriweather scoring three times before halftime.