Troy vs. James Madison Prediction & Opening Odds for Sun Belt Championship
My Troy vs. James Madison prediction for the Sun Belt Championship focuses on James Madison’s recent dominance and Troy’s solid defensive play to inform our picks ahead of Friday's kickoff at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN) from Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, Va.
James Madison is favored by 20.5 to 22.5 points and has been one of the most popular early picks of the week. With a convincing win, the Dukes could potentially sneak into the College Football Playoff. Does Troy have any chance of playing spoiler? We break it all down as part of our college football conference championship predictions.
Early Troy vs. James Madison prediction & betting preview
Stay ahead with the rest of our early college football picks this week.
Troy +22.5 (-110) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
James Madison won seven of its eight conference games by at least 10 points. Four of those wins came by more than 30. However, Troy’s defensive prowess is why my best Troy vs. James Madison prediction is Troy to cover as huge underdogs.
Troy allowed just 23.9 points per game this season. The Trojans held Clemson, Memphis, and eight of their other 10 opponents to fewer than 30 points this season. Offensively, they're averaging 25.2 points per game while scoring at least 28 in six of their last eight.
James Madison has won four of its last five Sun Belt games by at least 30. However, in the seven games where the Dukes scored 35 or fewer, they won by more than 20 just once.
BetMGM’s price of -110 implies a 52.38% chance that Troy covers. A $10 bet would profit $9.09.
💡 More college football predictions
Want more college football betting advice? Check out all of our college football analysis and expert predictions for the conference championships.
Live Troy vs. James Madison odds: Sun Belt Championship
See the latest college football odds for every conference championship game.
Troy vs. James Madison opening odds
- Moneyline: Troy +900 | James Madison -1600
- Spread: Troy +20.5 (-110) | James Madison -20.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: Over 47.5 (-110) | Under 47.5 (-110)
Troy vs. James Madison line movement
James Madison opened as 20.5-point favorites, and the spread has grown to 22.5. With the Dukes in the College Football Playoff conversation, I don’t anticipate this spread getting below 21 again. That said, I also don’t expect it to go north of 23.5.
When it comes to the total, there has been no movement. These are two of the best defensive teams in the Sun Belt, but James Madison could also hit this Over without any help from Troy. Therefore, I don’t expect much support for one side or the other, as the total remains between 47.5 and 48.5.
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Troy vs. James Madison trends & betting notes
- The Over has hit in five of James Madison’s last six games
- James Madison is 3-2 against the spread when favored by at least 19
- Four consecutive Troy games have gone Under
- Troy is 5-2 against the spread as an underdog this season
How to watch Troy vs. James Madison
- Date: Friday, Dec. 5
- Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
- Location: Bridgeforth Stadium (Harrisonburg, Va.)
- TV: ESPN
Early conference championship predictions
- Early Kennesaw State vs. Jacksonville State prediction: Conference USA Championship
- Early Troy vs. James Madison prediction: Sun Belt Championship
- Early North Texas vs. Tulane prediction: American Conference Championship
- Early UNLV vs. Boise State prediction: Mountain West Championship
- Early BYU vs. Texas Tech prediction: Big 12 Championship
- Early Miami (OH) vs. Western Michigan prediction: MAC Championship
- Early Duke vs. Virginia prediction: ACC Championship
- Early Georgia vs. Alabama prediction: SEC Championship (coming soon)
- Early Indiana vs. Ohio State prediction: Big Ten Championship (coming soon)
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