Forget the College Football Playoff, the Cure Bowl is the only game this bowl season that pits two conference champions against each other as C-USA kings, the UTSA Roadrunners, face a showdown with the Troy Trojans, the Sun Belt’s standout team. We’ve got all the latest college football betting odds and a UTSA vs. Troy prediction as we pick a winner of the Cure Bowl.
UTSA vs. Troy Betting Preview
- Spread
Troy (-2) - Moneyline
Troy (-130), UTSA (+110) - Over/Under
55.5 points - Game Time
3 p.m. ET - Location
Exploria Stadium, Orlando, Florida - Predicted Weather
65.3 degrees, sunny, 5.1 mph winds - How to watch
ESPN, fuboTV
The Cure Bowl has the potential to be the most exciting and close-fought game of the entire college football bowl season. Are you looking to make some loot this Friday afternoon? Let’s examine the UTSA vs. Troy odds to find the best bang for your buck from this early bowl season bash.
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Despite Troy winning the Sun Belt on the back of their dominant defense, hammering the over might be your best bet in this close contest. UTSA covered the over/under line in their last two games and were 8-4 for the season. Meanwhile, a late-season offensive explosion for Troy meant they hit the over in their last three contests after five straight games under the line.
We’re going to make a UTSA vs. Troy prediction, but this game is a classic pick ’em where both teams have a conceivable path to victory. That said, Troy is undefeated as the moneyline favorite this season and has covered the spread in a remarkable 76.9% of their games on the run to a Sun Bowl title.
Prediction For Cure Bowl Between UTSA vs. Troy
The 2022 Cure Bowl will see the first-ever matchup between UTSA and Troy, and it couldn’t come at a better time for college football fans. The Roadrunners come into the game off the back of a second consecutive C-USA title before heading to the AAC. Meanwhile, Troy lifted the Sun Belt title after an incredible season for the Trojans under first-year head coach Jon Sumrall.
Let’s start our UTSA vs. Troy prediction with the Trojans and their path to victory. It starts on defense, where the Trojans have been dominant this season. Troy has allowed just 17.5 points per game this year, ranking eighth in the nation and second in the Sun Belt conference. Allowing just 13 passing touchdowns, they’ve formed their own no-fly zone this year.
From the backfield brutality of Richard Jibunor and T.J. Jackson, through NCAA career tackles record holder Carlton Martial, who has marshaled the unit, to Reddy Steward, who has been a ball-hawking force in the secondary, the Troy defense has playmakers at every level.
While the offense hasn’t always matched that talent level this season, Kimani Vidal and DK Billingsley make a formidable running back tandem with 17 touchdowns between them this fall. RaJae’ Johnson-Sanders is a reliable target for those moments when Gunnar Watson flashes the full force of his capability — like he did in the title game against Coastal Carolina.
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With UTSA boasting the third-best rushing defense in the C-USA (151.38 YPG) and only allowing three 100+ yard rushers this season (Bijan Robinson, DeWayne McBride, and Ikaika Ragsdale), Troy is going to need that Watson-to-Johnson-Sanders connection to be at its best to keep up with the UTSA offense.
Although Troy’s defense has been stellar in all phases, UTSA QB Frank Harris’ dual-threat dynamism is enough to stretch even the most dominant defensive units. A talented offensive armory that includes Zakhari Franklin, Joshua Cephus, and running back Kevorian Barnes should prove too strong for the Trojans in a game that could come down to the wire.
Prediction: UTSA 30, Troy 27