The 2023 Birmingham Bowl features the 11-2 Troy Trojans against the 7-5 Duke Blue Devils. Here is the 2023 Birmingham Bowl Preview.
Troy won 11 games to make their second straight bowl game. They defeated seven teams who are playing in bowl games this season: Western Kentucky, Georgia State, Arkansas State, Texas State, South Alabama, Louisiana and Appalachian State. Both losses they incurred were to bowl-eligible teams.
The offense scores 31.2 points per game, ranking them 44th. They pass for 267.9 yards (ranked 32nd) an rush for 158.4 yards per game (ranked 64th).
Gunnar Watson is the leader of the team at the quarterback position. He has passed for 3,339 yards, 27 touchdowns and five interceptions on 61.3 percent completion. Four pass catchers have over 400 receiving yards on the season. Jabre Barber has been the leading receiver with 65 receptions for 892 yards and five touchdowns. Chris Lewis has the team-high with 10 touchdown catches to go with 735 yards.
Kimani Vidal is the leading rusher on the team and has been a star for the Trojans. Vidal has rushed for 1,582 yards and 14 touchdowns. His backup is Damien Taylor who has 343 yards and one touchdown.
Defensively, the Trojans give up 17.2 points per game, ranking them 10th in the country. They concede 103.5 rushing yards (ranked 14th) and 202.9 passing yards per game (ranked 31st). Jayden McDonald and Dell Pettus are the team leaders in tackles with 75 and 72 respectively. Javon Solomon is the FBS leader in sacks with 16. Reddy Steward has tallied eight passes defended and four interceptions on the season.
Duke won seven games to make their second straight bowl game. The Blue Devils won three games against bowl-eligible teams: Clemson, Northwestern and NC State. They had one loss to a team that didn’t qualify for a bowl game in Virginia.
The Blue Devils score 27.8 points per game, which ranks 63rd. They pass for 180.7 yards (ranked 112th) and rush for 168.9 yards per game (ranked 54th).
Riley Leonard was the starting quarterback for Duke, but he is in the transfer portal. Grayson Loftis will likely play quarterback in this game for the Blue Devils after passing for 823 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions on 57.6 percent completion. Two receivers have been standouts for Duke. Jordan Moore leads the team with 59 receptions for 794 yards and eight touchdowns. Jalen Calhoun has also been impressive with 48 receptions for 642 yards and four touchdowns.
Jordan Waters and Jaquez Moore were the team’s top two running backs, but they are in the transfer portal. That means Jaylen Coleman will likely get most of the work out of the backfield. He rushed for 152 yards this season.
They have allowed 19.8 points per game, which ranks them 21st in the country. The Blue Devils give up 146.3 rushing yards (ranked 53rd) and 208.2 passing yards per game (ranked 39th). Tre Freeman leads the team with 97 total tackles. RJ Oben leads the team in sacks, but he is in the transfer portal. Miami transfer Al Blades Jr. has the team-high nine passes defended.
Duke is missing their head coach, quarterback and running backs in the transfer portal. They also have their top pass rusher in the portal. There is just too much uncertainty to take them to win this game, especially when Troy has a good defense.
Troy Trojans 27 Duke Blue Devils 17
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