Linebacker Boris Lee has never touched the Palladium Trophy though it's been in Troy's possession for two years.
He'll have to beat Middle Tennessee State again tonight to avoid resting on his laurels.
"I never had a chance to touch it, and I didn't think about that until this game with Middle Tennessee came around again," said Lee of the hardware awarded to the annual winner of the MTSU-Troy football game.
"I think I'll get another chance to touch it, but it's going to take a dogfight ? one big dogfight in Murfreesboro."
MTSU and Troy kick off their budding Sun Belt rivalry today at 6:30 p.m. at Floyd Stadium. It is both teams' season-opener, but they met in last season's finale when Troy won 45-7 to clinch a share of its second straight Sun Belt title.
"It's a great situation and I'm excited," MTSU defensive tackle Trevor Jenkins said. "I hate how that game ended last year against Troy and we're looking forward to starting this year with Troy."
Troy has owned the series recently.
In 2006, MTSU squandered a 13-point lead in the final 2:19 in Troy's miraculous 21-20 win in front of a stunned Floyd Stadium crowd. It kept MTSU from winning its first outright Sun Belt title.
MTSU owns an 11-4 lead in the series, but the rivalry's momentum has swung Troy's way in recent years. The Trojans won three of the last four meetings since joining the Sun Belt.
And Troy remains the only conference team they haven't beaten in Coach Rick Stockstill's two seasons.
Troy Coach Larry Blakeney said his team's success has only enriched the young rivalry.
"We lost enough to Middle over the years that maybe we're starting to even it out," Blakeney said. "We were lucky at Middle two years ago because everything went our way late, and last year we just got on a roll.
"We've got a pretty good little rivalry going now. I consider Middle a contender every year, and we know we're probably going to have to beat Middle to win this conference."
This marks MTSU's third consecutive year starting the schedule with a conference game, and history says the game's result dictates the direction of the season.
In 2006, MTSU beat conference foe Florida International in its season-opener and reeled off six straight league wins en route to a co-championship. Last year, MTSU lost its opener to Florida Atlantic, which ultimately went to the New Orleans Bowl and shared the title with Troy, while MTSU slumped to a 5-7 record.
Two-thirds of this MTSU team is composed of sophomores and freshmen, and Stockstill said they must play beyond their experience in an important first game.
"This year, with as many young people as we've got, you wish you weren't playing a conference game to open it up," Stockstill said. "If you had your druthers?I'd rather not open with a conference opponent. I just think you get most of your improvement in your second and third games."
Beginning tonight, MTSU will have a chance to move far ahead or fall behind in the league standings. The Blue Raiders will play three Sun Belt games before any other team plays two.
The Trojans have not played a conference game as their season opener since joining the Sun Belt.
"I guess this is an important game for both of us," Blakeney said.
Stockstill has not named his starting quarterback, but said senior Joe Craddock and sophomore Dwight Dasher would play tonight.
Troy debuts new starting quarterback Jamie Hampton, who replaces 2007 Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year Omar Haugabook.
Only one of the teams' four conference meetings have been decided by less than 10 points, but players from both teams expect a close game.
"That's what a rivalry is supposed to be, great games," Lee said. "We don't have any secret about how to beat Middle Tennessee. We know we're not going in there and giving them a butt whooping. We've got to beat them in a four-quarter game." ?
He'll have to beat Middle Tennessee State again tonight to avoid resting on his laurels.
"I never had a chance to touch it, and I didn't think about that until this game with Middle Tennessee came around again," said Lee of the hardware awarded to the annual winner of the MTSU-Troy football game.
"I think I'll get another chance to touch it, but it's going to take a dogfight ? one big dogfight in Murfreesboro."
MTSU and Troy kick off their budding Sun Belt rivalry today at 6:30 p.m. at Floyd Stadium. It is both teams' season-opener, but they met in last season's finale when Troy won 45-7 to clinch a share of its second straight Sun Belt title.
"It's a great situation and I'm excited," MTSU defensive tackle Trevor Jenkins said. "I hate how that game ended last year against Troy and we're looking forward to starting this year with Troy."
Troy has owned the series recently.
In 2006, MTSU squandered a 13-point lead in the final 2:19 in Troy's miraculous 21-20 win in front of a stunned Floyd Stadium crowd. It kept MTSU from winning its first outright Sun Belt title.
MTSU owns an 11-4 lead in the series, but the rivalry's momentum has swung Troy's way in recent years. The Trojans won three of the last four meetings since joining the Sun Belt.
And Troy remains the only conference team they haven't beaten in Coach Rick Stockstill's two seasons.
Troy Coach Larry Blakeney said his team's success has only enriched the young rivalry.
"We lost enough to Middle over the years that maybe we're starting to even it out," Blakeney said. "We were lucky at Middle two years ago because everything went our way late, and last year we just got on a roll.
"We've got a pretty good little rivalry going now. I consider Middle a contender every year, and we know we're probably going to have to beat Middle to win this conference."
This marks MTSU's third consecutive year starting the schedule with a conference game, and history says the game's result dictates the direction of the season.
In 2006, MTSU beat conference foe Florida International in its season-opener and reeled off six straight league wins en route to a co-championship. Last year, MTSU lost its opener to Florida Atlantic, which ultimately went to the New Orleans Bowl and shared the title with Troy, while MTSU slumped to a 5-7 record.
Two-thirds of this MTSU team is composed of sophomores and freshmen, and Stockstill said they must play beyond their experience in an important first game.
"This year, with as many young people as we've got, you wish you weren't playing a conference game to open it up," Stockstill said. "If you had your druthers?I'd rather not open with a conference opponent. I just think you get most of your improvement in your second and third games."
Beginning tonight, MTSU will have a chance to move far ahead or fall behind in the league standings. The Blue Raiders will play three Sun Belt games before any other team plays two.
The Trojans have not played a conference game as their season opener since joining the Sun Belt.
"I guess this is an important game for both of us," Blakeney said.
Stockstill has not named his starting quarterback, but said senior Joe Craddock and sophomore Dwight Dasher would play tonight.
Troy debuts new starting quarterback Jamie Hampton, who replaces 2007 Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year Omar Haugabook.
Only one of the teams' four conference meetings have been decided by less than 10 points, but players from both teams expect a close game.
"That's what a rivalry is supposed to be, great games," Lee said. "We don't have any secret about how to beat Middle Tennessee. We know we're not going in there and giving them a butt whooping. We've got to beat them in a four-quarter game." ?
