Salute to Veterans Bowl: Jacksonville State Beats Troy — 5 Takeaways

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Salute to Veterans Bowl: Jacksonville State Beats Troy — 5 Takeaways

The IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl wasn’t exactly beautiful, but it was fun, it had drama, and it came down to one last play in a bowl game that always seems to come through. 

Jacksonville State won 17-13 in a battle with several missed chances and lots of second-guessing. The Gamecocks brought a nasty defense that didn’t allow a touchdown – the Troy D came up with the team’s only TD – in an interesting game from beginning to end.

Here are five takeaways from a solid early-season bowl game.

What We Learned From the Salute to Veterans Bowl — and What’s Next

Jacksonville State Gamecocks outside linebacker Jacob Cruz (13) celebrates a defensive stop as Troy Trojans take on Jacksonville State Gamecocks during the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. Troy Trojans lead Jacksonville State Gamecocks 13-7 at halftime.© Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

5. The Salute to Veterans Bowl doesn’t disappoint

Okay, so there wasn’t any offense, both attacks were painful, and the yards weren’t there like they should’ve been, but once again, whether it’s the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl, or one of the several other names this has been called since it started in 2014 – yes, there was one back in the 1940s, but that doesn’t really count – this bowl always delivers something interesting.

Whether it was the strange call at the end of the Northern Illinois 21-19 win over Arkansas State in 2023, or last year’s South Alabama win over Western Michigan that was tight until late, this makes it the 11th time in 12 games that were decided by one score.

And this one, after all of the struggles, came down to one Hail Mary that came achingly close for Troy. It had to bomb away, because …

4. Troy went for it, and it didn’t work

Down four late, Try had it fourth and six on the Jacksonville State 27, and if went for it.

It’s a bowl game, the defense was playing great, there would probably be another chance, but instead of going for the field goal … nope. The pass was completed, but P Higgins was ruled just short of the first down. 

The Troy offense wasn’t working all night. It didn’t get into the end zone, and all it needed to do was kick a field goal, come up with a stop – which it did – and get in range for one more field goal try.

Give Jacksonville State’s defense credit for keeping all of that from happening.

3. This is a hit for the Sun Belt, a big win for Conference USA, and a massive oops for the College Football Playoff

Troy was a good, solid team all season long. It gave Clemson a fight, got to the Sun Belt title game, and …

Ouch. This was the Sun Belt’s No. 2 team, and it couldn’t do anything against the Conference USA’s No. 2 team. Not to conference-shame, but the Sun Belt is far, far deeper than CUSA – at least it’s supposed to be.

Even worse, for all the record-rankers and bizarre formula and metrics types trying to excuse James Madison’s inclusion in the College Football Playoff – with no Power Four wins, instead of a Duke team with seven – is even harder to justify (unless the Dukes do something crazy in Eugene on Saturday). 

2. What’s next in 2026 for Troy?

Yeah, it was a tough loss, it hurts to lose the last two games of the season, and the offense came up short in both games, but it was a huge step-forward season for Gerad Parker and the program.

After a 4-8 2025, the Trojans won eight games, got to the Sun Belt Championship, and, of course, getting to a bowl is a big deal.

There will be several losses, and the transfer portal has to boost up the depth, but the skill parts should be okay. Defensively, it’ll take a bit of a rebuild, but that goes for almost everyone in the Sun Belt.

1. What’s next in 2026 for Jacksonville State?

Hand raised … who else thought the loss of Rich Rodriguez, along with almost all of the good players from the 2024 Conference USA champs, would mean a total do-over this year?

Instead, under Charles Kelly, the Gamecocks came up with their third nine-win season in three years in the FBS, a second straight trip to the Conference USA Championship, and get their second bowl win in three tries. 

Reloading in 2026 will be nothing compared to what the program did this year. The talent was relatively young, there’s depth to get excited about, and the portal should fill in the gaps around quarterback Caden Creel working behind a veteran line.

Expect more of the same.

Related: LA Bowl: Washington Beats Boise State — 5 Takeaways and What’s Next

This story was originally published by College Football News on Dec 17, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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