Jacksonville State football closed out its 2025 college football season on a high note.
In what was a defensive battle between two in-state foes, the Gamecocks outlasted the Troy Trojans, 17-13, in the 2025 Salute to Veterans Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at the historic Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama.
It is the second-ever bowl win for Jacksonville State since the Gamecocks transitioned from Division I FCS in 2023. The loss for the Trojans snapped their 79-game win streak when they entered the fourth quarter with a lead.
After giving up a rather easy opening drive touchdown, Troy flipped the game’s momentum near the end of the first quarter when TJ Thompson stripped the ball out of Jacksonville State quarterback Caeden Creel’s hands on a flea-flicker attempt. The stripped sack led to a defensive touchdown for the Trojans.
Things then changed again in the fourth quarter for Troy after Jacksonville State turned a late third-quarter interception off Tucker Kilcrease into seven points with a 1-yard rushing touchdown from Andrew Paul to reclaim the lead at 17-13 at the 10:06 mark.
The Gamecocks defense then created a turnover on downs on the Trojans’ next drive before getting their second interception of the night to seal the win.
Creel completed 14 of 20 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown, a 22-yard pass to Brock Rechsteiner in the first quarter. Kilcrease took most of the snaps under center for Troy after Goose Crowder got banged up in the first quarter. He completed 12 of 22 passes for 116 yards and two interceptions.
Jacksonville State played without a key member of its offense: Conference USA Player of the Year Cam Cook. The Gamecocks’ running back, who leads the nation in rushing yards, was ruled out after warm-ups with an injury.
Final score: Jacksonville State 17, Troy 13
Jacksonville State vs. Troy Salute to Veterans Bowl highlights
Jacksonville State wins Salute to Veterans Bowl
Jacksonville State’s defense comes up with a stop on a last-second touchdown drive for Troy to seal the 17-13 win in the Salute to Veterans Bowl. Gamecocks’ safety Trevor Woods broke up a Hail Mary pass from Tucker Kilcrease in the end zone to seal the win.
The Gamecocks end the season with a 9-5 record, while the Trojans finish 8-6 on the year.
Jacksonville State intercepts Tucker Kilcrease
Tucker Kilcrease attempts to go downfield on first-and-10 and it costs the Trojans, as Jacksonville State’s Tyrin Taylor intercepts the pass. It’s a costly mistake by Kilcrease, who had 3:30 to work with in a four-point game.
Troy will look to get another stop with three timeouts to work with.
Troy gets stop, forces punt
Troy gets the stop it needs on defense as Caden Creel is sacked on third-and-6, and it forces Jacksonville State to punt the ball back to the Trojans. Down 17-13, Tucker Kilcrease and the Trojans have 3:30 to work with for a game-winning touchdown drive opportunity.
Troy turns it over on down
Tucker Kilcrease fires a quick throw to Peyton Higgins, but Higgins is ruled a yard short of the first down. It’s brutal ball placement by Troy as it turns the ball over on downs and looks to its defense for a stop down 17-13 with 5:34 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Andrew Paul gives Jacksonville State lead with TD
Jacksonville State retakes the lead at 17-10 in the fourth quarter after Andrew Paul punches it in from the 1-yard line. It’s the first touchdown score for the Gamecocks since the first quarter. It’s a nice drive put together by Jacksonville State overall, as it converted three third-downs on the ground.
The scoring drive was 11 plays for 47 yards and took 5:44 off the game clock. The Gamecocks are 10:55 away from winning their second bowl win in program history.
End of third quarter: Troy 13, Jacksonville State 10
Jacksonville State is moving with the ball, and will open the fourth quarter with a third-and-8 at Troy’s 48-yard line. The Gamecocks are looking for their first touchdown score since the first quarter, down 13-10.
Jacksonville State intercepts Tucker Kilcrease
Ian Mitchell intercepts Tucker Kilcrease on first-and-10 to give Jacksonville State its first takeaway of the night. Mitchell was all over Kilcrease’s throw on the cross route. The Gamecocks get the ball back down 13-10 with under a minute to go in the third quarter.
Jacksonville State forced to punt after penalty on coach
Due to an unsportsmanlike penalty on Jacksonville coach Charles Kelly, the Gamecocks are pushed back 15 yards and forced to punt instead of maybe going for it on fourth-and-4. Kelly was seen coming onto the field to express his frustration with officials not calling a defensive pass interference on Troy on third-and-4 when Caden Creel tried going do field.
Troy misses field goal attempt
Troy comes up short on a great field goal position from DJ Epps’ 79-yard kickoff return, as Scott Taylor Renfroe’s 49-yard field goal attempt misses left. It’s a tough end to what started as a great drive for the Trojans.
DJ Epps returns Troy kickoff for 79-yards
The first explosive play of the night comes on special teams, as Troy’s DJ Epps returns the kickoff for 79 yards down the right sideline. The Trojans are still looking for their first offensive touchdown score of the night, as they’ve had to settle for field goals on their last two drives to the red zone.
Jacksonville State cuts deficit with field goal
Jacksonville State ends its scoring drought with a 51-yard field goal from Garrison Rippa. The Gamecocks now trail Troy 13-10 with 6:35 remaining in the third quarter.
The scoring drive was nine plays for 22 yards and took 4:16 off the game clock.
Jacksonville State punts
Jacksonville State begins the second half with a 16-yard catch from Caden Creel to Deonandre Johnson, but then stalls on offense, as the Gamecocks send out the punt unit three plays later. It is the third punt of the night for the Gamecocks.
Not the start Jacksonville State needed or wanted. The Gamecocks haven’t scored since the 9:41 mark of the first quarter when they marched down the field for an opening-drive touchdown.
End of first half: Troy 13, Jacksonville State 7
Why did the lights go out at halftime of Salute to Veterans Bowl?
As Troy coach Gerad Parker was being interviewed on ESPN going into halftime, the lights at the Cramton Bowl went dark. As noted by the Gadsden Times, part of the USA TODAY Network, it was because of a normal operating procedure at Cramton Bowl, the host site of the bowl game. The stadium hosts at least one high school football game per week for the Montgomery City Public School System.
Troy leads Jacksonville State at halftime
Troy takes a 13-7 lead into halftime as Jacksonville State lets the clock run out after an 11-yard pass from Caden Creel to Khristian Lando. The Trojans came up with a 15-yard sack on Creel on second-and-10 that set the Gamecocks’ offense back once again.
The Gamecocks will start the second half with the ball.
Troy extends lead with field goal
Troy elects to take the points on fourth-and-7 instead of going for the touchdown, and Scott Taylor Renfroe hits the 30-yard field goal down the middle. It’s an 11-play drive for 58 yards and took 6:35 off the game clock.
The Trojans have now scored 13 unanswered points after Jacksonville State went down the field and scored a touchdown on its opening drive. Troy now leads 13-7 with 1:49 remaining until halftime.
Jacksonville State sacks Tucker Kilcrease
Walker O’Steen rushes Tucker Kilcrease and is all over the Troy quarterback for an 8-yard sack. It’s a big play by O’Steen, and a much-needed play for Jacksonville State’s defense.
Troy gets stop, forces punt
Jacksonville State punts for the second time on the night, as the Gamecocks are not able to recover from an offensive pass interference call on Deondre Johnson on third down. Johnson’s penalty wiped out a 49-yard catch for the wide receiver from Caden Creel.
The Gamecocks’ offense continues to struggle since driving down the field for a touchdown on their first drive of the night.
Troy takes lead on field goal
Scott Taylor Renfroe hits a 38-yard field goal attempt to give Troy its first lead of the night at 10-7. The scoring drive for the Trojans was nine plays for 25 yards and it took four minutes off the game clock.
Goose Crowder back in for Troy
After missing the whole last series, Goose Crowder is back on the field operating the Troy offense.
Jacksonville State misses fake punt
Another lost opportunity for Jacksonville State, as Pearson Baldwin drops the fake punt pass from Gavin Wimsatt. It’s a turnover on downs for the Gamecocks and gives Troy the ball at the Jacksonville State 41-yard line.
End of first quarter: Jacksonville State 7, Troy 7
Troy recovers fumble, scores touchdown
Jacksonville State tries a flea flicker on first-and-10, but TJ Thompson forces the ball out of Caden Creel’s hands. Luis Medina then recovers the fumble in the end zone for the touchdown to tie the game at 7-7. It’s a costly play by the Gamecocks, who were at their own 12-yard line. It’s also a costly ball control mishap by Creel, who fumbled the toss back.
Cam Cook ruled out for Jacksonville State
Cook ran for 1,584 yards and 16 touchdowns this season for the Gamecocks, and had been named Conference USA Player of the Year.
Tucker Kilcrease remains in for Troy
Tucker Kilcrease stays in at quarterback, as Troy heads onto the field for its third drive of the night. Crowder remains on the sideline, where ESPN reports he’s getting an ankle retapped after getting banged up on the last drive. Crowder came into the game injured; he had been injured late in the Sun Belt championship game vs. James Madison.
Troy turns it over on down
Troy elects to go for it on fourth-and-5, but Jacksonville State comes up with the stop, as Tucker Kilcrease’s throw to RaRa Thomas sails out of bounds. Kilcrease is in for the Trojans at quarterback after Goose Crowder appeared to have gotten injured on a 13-yard carry on the second play of the drive.
Jacksonville State strikes first on 22-yard TD pass
Caeden Creel finds Brock Rechsteiner down the field, standing on the goal line for the easy 22-yard touchdown pass to put Jacksonville State on the board first. It was a nine-play drive for 71 yards for the Gamecocks and it took 3:41 off the game clock.
Troy punts, Cam Cook not out for Jacksonville State
It’s a quick three-and-out for Troy’s offense, as the Trojans send out the punt unit onto the field. As the Jacksonville State offense trots out, Gamecocks star running back Cam Cook is not with the unit. ESPN mentioned that Cook is dealing with an undisclosed injury and was a game-time decision.
Jacksonville State wins toss, Troy on offense to start
The Gamecocks win the opening coin toss and defer the opening kickoff to the second half. That means it will be Goose Crowder and the Troy offense out first to begin the night in Montgomery.
Pregame
Salute to Veterans Bowl moved to ESPNU
It seems like the start of the Salute to Veterans Bowl between Jacksonville State and Troy will be aired on ESPNU due to the ongoing Tennessee-Louisville men’s basketball game.
Salute to Veterans Bowl kickoff time delayed
The Salute to Veterans Bowl between Jacksonville State and Troy will now kick off at 9:08 p.m. ET due to the ongoing Tennessee-Louisville men’s basketball game still on ESPN.
Salute to Veterans Bowl coming up
The Salute to Veterans Bowl between Jacksonville State and Troy is coming up in Montgomery. Kickoff might be delayed slightly due to the ongoing Tennessee-Louisville men’s basketball game still on ESPN.
Caden Creel warming up in Salute to Veterans Bowl
Jacksonville State quarterback Caden Creel has taken the field in Montgomery for the Salute to Veterans Bowl against Troy. Creel finished 12 of 21 passing for 96 yards with two sacks and an interception in the Conference USA championship game. He also had 112 rushing yards and a score on 18 carries in the Gamecocks’ loss to Kennesaw State.
Jacksonville State unveils uniforms for Salute to Veterans Bowl
The Gamecocks look to be wearing their red on white uniform set, with the red pinstripes down the side of the pants, for the Salute to Veterans Bowl against Troy.
What time does Troy vs Jacksonville State start?
- Date: Tuesday, Dec. 16
- Time: 9 p.m. ET
- Where: The Historic Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Ala.)
Troy and Jacksonville State are set for a 9 p.m. ET kickoff on Tuesday, Dec. 16 in the Salute to Veterans Bowl from The Historic Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama.
What TV channel is Troy vs Jacksonville State on today?
- TV channel: ESPN
- Streaming: ESPN app | Fubo (free trial)
ESPN will nationally broadcast the Salute to Veterans Bowl between Troy and Jacksonville State. Matt Barrie and Tom Luginbill will call the game from the booth at The Historic Cramton Bowl, while Harry Lyles Jr. will report from the sidelines.
Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app (with a TV login) and Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Stream the Salute to Veterans Bowl live with Fubo (free trial)
Troy vs Jacksonville State predictions in Salute to Veterans Bowl
Here’s a compilation of predictions from experts within the USA TODAY Sports Network for the Salute to Veterans Bowl between Troy and Jacksonville State:
- Matt Hayes: Troy
- Jordan Mendoza: Troy
- Paul Myerberg: Jacksonville State
- Erick Smith: Troy
- Eddie Timanus: Troy
- Blake Toppmeyer: Troy
Troy vs Jacksonville State odds, spread for Salute to Veterans Bowl
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Monday, Dec. 15
- Spread:
- Over/under:
- Moneyline:
Troy football schedule 2025
Here’s a look at Troy’s 2025 schedule:
Here’s a look at Troy’s schedule in 2025, including past scores.
- Saturday, Aug. 30: Troy 38, Nicholls 20
- Saturday, Sept. 6: Clemson 27, Troy 16
- Saturday, Sept. 13: Memphis 28, Troy 7
- Saturday, Sept. 20: Troy 21, Buffalo 17
- Saturday, Sept. 27: BYE
- Saturday, Oct. 4: Troy 31, South Alabama 24 (OT) *
- Saturday, Oct. 11: Troy 48, Texas State 41 (OT) *
- Saturday, Oct. 18: Troy 37, Louisiana-Monroe 14 *
- Saturday, Oct. 25: Troy 35, Louisiana 23 *
- Saturday, Nov. 1: Arkansas State 23, Troy 10 *
- Saturday, Nov. 8: BYE
- Thursday, Nov. 13: Old Dominion 33, Troy 0 *
- Saturday, Nov. 22: Troy 31, Georgia State 19 *
- Saturday, Nov. 29: Troy 28, Southern Miss 18 *
- Friday, Dec. 5: No. 19 James Madison 31, Troy 14 **
- Tuesday, Dec. 16: vs. Jacksonville State | 9 p.m. ET | ESPN (Fubo) ***
* Denotes Sun Belt game
** Denotes Sun Belt Championship game
*** Denote bowl game
Jacksonville State football schedule 2025
Here’s a look at Jacksonville State’s 2025 schedule:
- Thursday, Aug. 28: UCF 17, Jacksonville State 10
- Saturday, Sept. 6: Jacksonville State 34, Liberty 24 *
- Saturday, Sept. 13: Georgia Southern 41, Jacksonville State 34
- Saturday, Sept. 20: Jacksonville State 45, Murray State 10
- Saturday, Sept. 27: Southern Miss 42, Jacksonville State 25
- Saturday, Oct. 4: BYE
- Thursday, Oct. 9: Jacksonville State 29, Sam Houston 27 *
- Wednesday, Oct. 15: Jacksonville State 38, Delaware 25 *
- Saturday, Oct. 25: BYE
- Wednesday, Oct. 29: Jacksonville State 24, Middle Tennessee 21 *
- Saturday, Nov. 8: Jacksonville State 30, UTEP 27 *
- Saturday, Nov. 15: Jacksonville State 35, Kennesaw State 26 *
- Saturday, Nov. 22: FIU 27, Jacksonville State 21 *
- Saturday, Nov. 29: Jacksonville State 37, Western Kentucky 34 *
- Friday, Dec. 5: Kennesaw State 19, Jacksonville State 15 **
- Tuesday, Dec. 16: vs. Troy | 9 p.m. ET | ESPN (Fubo) ***
* Denotes Conference USA game
** Denotes Conference USA Championship game
*** Denote bowl game
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