Troy vs. ULM: A History

This weekend, Troy faces off against a conference foe that has plagued them in the past. The Warhawks of ULM are a tough squad that the Trojans have a lot of history with.

Overall, the Trojans and Warhawks have had 17 games over almost 5 decades starting in 1970. During this time, the only decade in which the Trojans did not play the Warhawks was in the 1980s.

The Trojans hold a slight 9-7-1 advantage over the Warhawks. Troy has had 5 coaches during this span, while the Warhawks have had 6, though it will be 7 this Saturday as ULM fired Todd Berry and hired Matt Viator in 2015.

Troy legend Billy Atkins led the Trojans in their first two games, going 1-1. One of the more important games in modern Troy history was the 15-15 tie in 1973. This is notable as the date that Troy became the Trojans (again) for the first time since 1931.

The team left Troy without a nickname and students voted for a nickname on Saturday before the game. The votes came in shortly before kickoff, with Trojans winning 2 to 1.

The Warhawks gained an edge over the Trojans since Troy joined the Sun Belt Conference in 2004, holding a 6-4 advantage. Since joining the Sun Belt 14 years ago, the Trojans and Warhawks have not met on the field in 2004, 2012, 2016, and 2017.

• Series Notes and Quirks:
  • Every game in the series has been played in either Monroe, LA or Troy, AL, except for one: a 21-7 win for the Trojans played in Dothan, AL on November 13, 1971.
  • The Trojans and Warhawks have another connection: their nicknames. During the time of this series, both the Trojans and Warhawks have changed names. The Trojans’ change was previously mentioned, while ULM changed from the Indians moniker they’d used for 75 years back in 2006.
  • Both teams won their last national championship in 1987. The Trojans won theirs in Division II and ULM won it in what is now the FCS.
  • The largest margin of victory in the series was Troy’s 37 point difference in a 51-14 win in 2005.
  • ULM’s largest victory was a 28 point difference in a 38-10 win in 2011.
  • The closest non-tied game was ULM’s 31-30 victory over the Trojans in 2008.
  • The largest gap between wins in the series is ULM’s drought from the first win in 1970 until they finally won their second game against the Trojans in 2005.
  • The nearest to this year’s game Troy and ULM have played before was on Sept. 29th, 2007: a 24-7 victory for the Men of Troy.
  • As the Trojans travel to Monroe this weekend, it’s important to note that Troy hasn’t won there since 2001.