Troy doesn’t have to look back very far to figure out how to bounce back from a 1-2 start — the Trojans were in this exact same spot a year ago.

Troy began the 2022 season with two losses in its first three games — a decisive loss to a Power 5 opponent, a sloppy win over an FCS team and then a gut-punch loss in its Sun Belt Conference opener. The 2023 season has followed the exact same pattern, with Kansas State, Stephen F. Austin and James Madison replacing Ole Miss, Alabama A&M and Appalachian State from a year ago.

The only question is whether or not the Trojans can respond in the same fashion in 2023 as they did last season. Troy won its final 11 games of 2022 — including seven Sun Belt Conference regular-season games, the league championship game and the Cure Bowl — to finish 12-2 and ranked No. 19 in the country.

“I’ve acknowledged it,” Troy coach Jon Sumrall said. “This team is very different than last year’s team in regards to makeup. Like I’ve told people the last few weeks, I like this team’s athleticism. I don’t love our experience and maturity in some spots.

“Last year’s team, I don’t really know how talented we were … but those guys were mature, they were gritty, they were tough. This group’s got a little ways to go there, in my opinion. I’m not saying we can’t get there, I just think we’ve got a little ways to go.”

The path to redemption begins on Saturday at home vs. Western Kentucky. The Trojans host the Hilltoppers (2-1) at 11 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Western Kentucky, which Troy beat 34-27 last season in Bowling Green, Ky., is looking to rebound from a 63-10 loss at Ohio State. The Hilltoppers are again a high-powered offensive team, with Austin Reed having passed for 796 yards and seven touchdowns with just one interception through three games this season.

“I’m going to give him respect, he’s definitely a very talented guy,” Troy safety Dell Pettus said. “Obviously, their offense has had a lot of success over the past couple of years. It’s going to be a great challenge for our defense, and just push us to another level.

“Last week was a good showing for us of what we can do. We’ve got a lot of things we need to do better still, but we’re growing and we’re taking strides. I think it’s going to be fun playing against a quarterback that skilled and talented.”

Though the defense has been largely solid, Troy has been mistake-prone on offense in the early-going this season, having turned the ball over seven times through three games. There have also been ill-timed penalties, such as the intentional grounding call on quarterback Gunnar Watson that pushed the Trojans out of field-goal range in the final minute of Saturday’s 16-14 loss to JMU.

James Madison’s always-stout run defense made Troy’s offense one-dimensional, forcing the Trojans to pass to move the football. Watson passed for 332 yards and two touchdowns, but star running back Kimani Vidal totaled just 27 yards on 11 rushing attempts.

“Last week we felt there were things there in the pass game to be had,” Sumrall said. “We do have a plan every week, a different plan to how you win the game, and we felt like there were a lot of things maybe there in the throw game for us down the field with our matchups at receiver. But we can’t lose sight of the fact that (Vidal) is … one of our best players and he’s got to get the football.

“Some games dictate a little bit different play style. (JMU was) really good up front, but we’re going to make sure we get (Vidal) involved. Some of his touches may come on the perimeter in the pass game or in different ways.”

One positive for the Trojans on Saturday night was the return of All-Sun Belt defensive end T.J. Jackson, who was suspended indefinitely for a team rules violation prior to preseason camp and sat out the first two games. Jackson did not start vs. JMU, but did play some on defense later in the game.

Jackson is listed as the co-starter at defensive end for the Western Kentucky game, alongside sophomore Luis Medina. A redshirt junior from Millbrook, Jackson led the Trojans with 14.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks in 2022.

“Our No. 1 thing around here is ‘protect the team,’” Sumrall said of Jackson. “No one individual is bigger than the team and that includes myself. But our team’s glad to have (Jackson) back. I think the guys on the team have welcomed him back the right way.

“And I’ll say this about TJ — he was a first-team all-conference player last year and when he came back, I sent him over to the scout team for about three weeks and he didn’t go over there and mope around. … He went down there and took a boatload of reps and made our O-line better by how he practiced.”

Saturday’s Troy-Western Kentucky game will be televised live by ESPNU.