The James Madison Dukes and Troy Trojans meet Saturday in week 3 college football action at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.
James Madison Dukes Betting Preview
The James Madison Dukes look for another win after wins over Bucknell and Virginia. James Madison looks for a 3-0 start for a fourth straight season. Jordan McCloud is completing 64.3 percent of his passes for 368 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Reggie Brown and Elijah Sarratt have combined for 218 receiving yards and 1 touchdown, while Phoenix Sproles has 8 receptions. The James Madison Dukes ground game is averaging 214 yards per contest, and Kaelon Black leads the way with 150 yards on 24 carries. Defensively, James Madison is allowing 19 points and 301.5 yards per game. Taurus Jones leads the James Madison Dukes with 17 tackles, Jamree Kromah has 2 sacks and Francis Meehan has 1 interception.
James Madison Dukes Team Facts
- James Madison has won each of its last five games.
- James Madison has failed to cover the spread in six of its last seven games against non-AP-ranked teams.
- James Madison has won the first half in six of its last seven games against conference opponents.
- Four of James Madison’s last five September games as an underdog have gone OVER the total points line.
Troy Trojans Betting Preview
The Troy Trojans look for a second home win to get above a .500 record. Troy hasn’t lost a home game since November 2021. Gunnar Watson is completing 57.4 percent of his passes for 365 yards, 5 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Ethan Conner and Jabre Barber have combined for 142 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns, while Kimani Vidal has 2 receptions. The Troy Trojans ground game is averaging 206 yards per contest, and Vidal leads the way with 331 yards on 42 carries. Defensively, Troy is allowing 36 points and 318.5 yards per game. Dell Pettus leads the Troy Trojans with 12 tackles, Javon Solomon has 1 sack and Reddy Steward has 2 interceptions.
Troy Trojans Team Facts
- Troy has won each of its last 11 games against non-AP-ranked teams.
- Troy has covered the spread in eight of its last nine games against conference opponents.
- Troy has won the first quarter in five of its last six home games against conference opponents.
- Troy has won the first half in each of its last five home games against conference opponents.
- Each of Troy’s last seven September games as a home favorite against non-AP-ranked teams have gone OVER the total points line.
Matchup/League Facts
- Troy was one of only two FBS teams to win 4+ games when trailing at HT last season.
- Troy ranked 2nd among FBS teams for Q1 points allowed per game last season (2.1).
- James Madison ranked 2nd among FBS teams for Q3 points per game last season (10.8).
- James Madison ranked 5th among FBS teams for Q1 points allowed per game last season (2.4).
Randy’s Pick
The James Madison Dukes have the best win of these two teams with a road victory last week over Virginia. However, Troy hung around with Kansas State on the road last week for a half and now comes back home where it hasn’t lost in nearly two years. Troy has also covered 8 of its last 9 non conference games and has a potent running game to lean on. We’re only laying a field goal. Given the home dominance as of late, I’ll side with the Troy Trojans to get a big victory here.