1998 Troy State Trojans football team

The 1998 Troy State Trojans football team represented Troy State University—now known as Troy University—as a member of the Southland Football League during the 1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by eighth-year head coach Larry Blakeney, the Trojans compiled an overall record of 8–4 with a mark of 5–2 in conference play, tying of second place the Southland title. For the fifth time in six seasons, Troy State advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where the Trojans lost to Florida A&M in the first round. The Trojans finished the season ranked No. 13 in the Sports Network poll.^[1] The team played home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy, Alabama.

1998 Troy State Trojans football
Southland champion
NCAA Division I-AA First Round, L 17–27 at Florida A&M
Conference	Southland Football League
Ranking
Sports Network	No. 13
Record	8–4 (5–2 Southland)
Head coach	Larry Blakeney (8th season)
Offensive coordinator	Don Jacobs (8th season)
Defensive coordinator	Wayne Bolt (2nd season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Veterans Memorial Stadium
Seasons ← 1997 1999 →

1998 Southland Football League standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 3 Northwestern State $^		6	–	1					11	–	3
No. 8 McNeese State ^		5	–	2					9	–	3
No. 13 Troy State ^		5	–	2					8	–	4
Jacksonville State		4	–	3					7	–	4
Nicholls State		3	–	4					4	–	7
Southwest Texas State		2	–	5					4	–	7
Stephen F. Austin		2	–	5					3	–	8
Sam Houston State		1	–	6					3	–	8
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 5	Alabama State*	No. 25	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	W 26–0	18,845	[2]
September 12	at Marshall*	No. 23	Marshall University Stadium Huntington, WV	L 12–42	25,625
September 19	at Chattanooga*	No. 25	Finley Stadium Chattanooga, TN	W 23–6	7,618
September 26	Samford*	No. 20	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	W 27–23	16,574
October 3	at Sam Houston State	No. 19	Elliot T. Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX	W 17–14	6,014	[3]
October 17	at Stephen F. Austin	No. 11	Homer Bryce Stadium Nacogdoches, TX	L 14–21
October 22	Southwest Texas State	No. 16	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	W 20–17	16,780	[4]
October 31	at No. 4 Northwestern State	No. 15	Harry Turpin Stadium Natchitoches, LA	W 14–13	10,362
November 7	Nicholls State	No. 11	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	W 31–10	16,631
November 14	No. 3 McNeese State	No. 9	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	L 3–23	16,125	[5]
November 21	No. 24 Jacksonville State	No. 14	Paul Snow Stadium Jacksonville, AL (Battle for the Ol' School Bell)	W 31–7	14,987
November 28	at No. 3 Florida A&M*	No. 11	Bragg Memorial Stadium Tallahassee, FL (NCAA Division I-AA First Round)	L 17–27	16,509	[6]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game

^[7]

References

1. "Final Div. I-AA poll". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. December 22, 1998. p. 7C. Retrieved May 20, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "Trojans wallop Hornets". The Montgomery Advertiser. September 6, 1998. Retrieved July 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Troy State wins conference opener". The Montgomery Advertiser. October 4, 1998. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Trojans score scare". The Montgomery Advertiser. October 23, 1998. Retrieved March 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "McNeese dominates Trojans". The Montgomery Advertiser. November 15, 1998. Retrieved March 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Rattlers squeeze past Troy St.; await Leaterneck challenge". Great Falls Tribune. November 29, 1998. Retrieved April 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "1998 Football Schedule". Troy University Athletics. Retrieved November 14, 2022.