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Troy vs James Madison Preview & Picks – Troy To Cover As Sun Belt Championship Underdog

leigh-copson
03 Dec 2025
leigh-copson
Leigh Copson 03 Dec 2025
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  • Troy vs James Madison picks for Friday, December 5
  • Sun Belt Championship is taking place at Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg
  • Preview, predictions, stats & form
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Troy vs James Madison Preview & Picks

Troy are tipped to cover the spread in the Sun Belt Championship.

James Madison are the better team and are expected to win the game, but Troy have proven to be a reliable spread bet in the role of underdog this season.

  • Troy have are 6-1-0 ATS as a betting underdog
  • James Madison are 2-4-0 ATS in their last 6 games as a double digit favorite
  • The Over has cashed in 5 of James Madison’s last 6 games

Head To Head

  • James Madison lead the all-time series 2-1
  • James Madison won 16-15 when the two teams last met in September 2023

Troy Form

Troy enter the Sun Belt Championship game having won six of their eight conference games while going 8-4 overall.

The Trojans split their first four games of the season against non-conference opposition, before making a roaring start to their Sun Belt schedule with four straight wins.

They beat South Alabama 31-24 at home, and backed that up with a 48-41 win at Texas State, a 37-14 victory at UL-Monroe and a 34-23 win at home to Louisiana.

Troy’s perfect start was finally ended by a 23-10 loss to Arkansas State, and they were then shut out in a 33-0 defeat to Old Dominion.

The Trojans got back over their final two games though, as they backed up a 31-19 win over Georgia State with a 28-18 victory at Southern Mississippi.

James Madison Form

James Madison enter this championship matchup having won all eight of their Sun Belt games, while finishing on a 10-game win streak that gave them an 11-1 record.

The Dukes began the season by winning two out of three non-conference games, with their only loss coming at Louisville, 28-14.

They then enjoyed a strong start to their Sun Belt schedule as they followed up a 35-10 win over Georgia Southern with a 14-7 win at Georgia State, before returning home to down Louisiana, 24-14, and Old Dominion, 63-27.

James Madison’s run continued on the road as they beat Texas State 52-20 and Marshall 35-23 to break into the top-25, and they then blew out Appalachian State 58-10 at home.

The Dukes made it nine-in-a-row with a non-conference victory, and closed out the regular season with a 10th straight win as they beat conference opponents Coastal Carolina, 59-10.

Verdict

James Madison have been on a tear in conference play, but they have not been a reliable spread bet when the number has been double digits.

Troy, on the other hand, have routinely delivered as an underdog, so we are taking the Trojans and the free points.

Best Bet1: Troy +22.5 Spread @-111.11 at Stake.us - 4 Units
Best Bet2: Over 47.5 Total Points @-111.11 at Stake.us - 2 Units
Troy +22.5
Spread
@-111.11 - 4 Units
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Bet at Stake.us
Over 47.5
Total Points
@-111.11 - 2 Units
55 Stake Cash no deposit & 550,000 Gold Coins & 5% Rakeback
Use promo code NEWBONUS

Sign up with the code NEWBONUS. When you verify your account get 25 Stake Cash for free PLUS 250,000 Gold Coins and 5% Rakeback! No deposit required. Login each day for the next 30 days and get an additional 30 Stake Cash AND 300,000 Gold Coins. 21+ only. T&Cs apply. Excludes WA, NY, NV, ID, KY, MI, VT, NJ, DE, WV, PA, RI & MD.

Bet at Stake.us