Troy Trojans vs James Madison Dukes Preview & Odds — October 29, 2026
TROYOffense2026 regular season to dateJMU
TROYDefenseJMUTROYRecent formJMUTROYHome and roadseason to dateJMUTROYLast 10 gamesJMURest & travelrest and travel
TROYRest & travelJMUAbout these numbers
2026 regular season to date, captured before kickoff. League rank in small type (138 teams); the gold side ranks higher. Bars show rank, longest = 1st. Source: Gridiron & Wine public Analytics tables.
Last five results this season, oldest to newest. Records are season to date, with home and road splits. Against-the-spread (ATS) and over–under records use the consensus closing line.
Margin of each of the last 8 games this season, oldest to newest (gold = won). Hover a bar for the score margin.
Distance is straight-line from each team's home arena; time-zone change is at game time. Rest counts days since each team's previous game.
Matchup preview
Troy (2-4) visits James Madison (6-1) on Thursday, October 29 at 7:30 PM ET.
Troy has the 93rd-ranked offense by EPA per play (expected points added per snap) and the 89th-ranked defense (ranks among the 138 teams with play-by-play data). Meanwhile, James Madison has the 22nd-ranked offense and the 25th-ranked defense. When Troy has the ball, a 93rd-ranked offense (−0.001 EPA per play) meets a 25th-ranked defense (−0.058 allowed); when James Madison has it, a 22nd-ranked offense (+0.211) meets a 89th-ranked defense (+0.133 allowed).
By success rate (the share of plays that gain expected points), the Troy offense is at 43.8% (102nd) and the James Madison offense at 50.1% (30th). Troy scores 21.0 points per game (103rd) and allows 26.2 (70th); James Madison scores 34.9 (18th) and allows 20.4 (29th).
Troy is 3-4 and 2-5 against the spread; its last game was a 21-14 loss to UL Monroe. James Madison is 7-1 and 6-2 against the spread; its last game was a 34-31 loss to App State.
James Madison is a 20.5-point favorite at home against Troy. The spread opened at James Madison -17.5. The total is 49.5, down from 52.5 at the open. After removing the vig, the moneyline (Troy +900, James Madison -2000) prices Troy at 10% and James Madison at 90%.
Built from public team and player data; ranks are league-wide and update daily until kickoff.
Market
Odds and line movement
Troy +17.5 (-110)
Troy +20.5 (-105)
James Madison -1074 88%
James Madison -2000 90%
Consensus of US sportsbooks. The Now column updates from our odds board. Percentages are the moneyline's no-vig market-implied chances.
Best available prices on Oct 28
- Troy +20.5+104Novig
- James Madison -20.5-105theScore Bet
- Over 49.5-105theScore Bet
- Under 49.5+104ProphetX
- Troy+1150Kalshi
- James Madison-1150Novig
Members
G&W Line
G&W’s own number for this game, next to the market. Analytics
Matchup
Players to watch
- Attempts145
- Completion %54.5%
- Passing yards887
- Yards per attempt6.1
- TD–INT8–4
- Rushing yards398111th
- Season line87 carries, 398 yds, 2 TD
- Receiving yards282234th
- Season line13 catches, 282 yds, 3 TD
- Tackles52112th
- Attempts213
- Completion %62.0%127th
- Passing yards1,56891st
- Yards per attempt7.4125th
- TD–INT14–2
- Rushing yards82413th
- Season line124 carries, 824 yds, 8 TD
- Receiving yards371126th
- Season line24 catches, 371 yds, 4 TD
- Tackles5956th
Season passing totals from public box scores, captured before kickoff. Ranks among the 264 quarterbacks with at least 60 attempts. Rushing, receiving and tackle leaders: season totals captured October 28, 5:34 a.m. ET; ranks among FBS players.
Success by situation
| Situation | Troy | James Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Early-down success rateTroy offense vs James Madison defense | 39.7%112th | 39.2%20th |
| Early-down success rateJames Madison offense vs Troy defense | 44.4%89th | 47.0%18th |
| 3rd-down conversion rateTroy offense vs James Madison defense | 36.9%98th | 40.4%68th |
| 3rd-down conversion rateJames Madison offense vs Troy defense | 34.7%27th | 38.3%89th |
| Explosive play rateTroy offense vs James Madison defense | 6.2%90th | 6.3%54th |
| Explosive play rateJames Madison offense vs Troy defense | 5.8%40th | 7.4%46th |
| Pass rateshare of plays that are passes or sacks | 43.4%117th-highest | 47.2%96th-highest |
On 3rd down Troy converts 36.9% (98th) against a James Madison defense allowing 40.4% (68th).
On 3rd down James Madison converts 38.3% (89th) against a Troy defense allowing 34.7% (27th).
2026 regular season before kickoff, from play-by-play with garbage time removed; ranks among the 138 teams in the play-by-play data (defense: 1st = allows the least). Success = a play that gains expected points.
Coaching staff
| Staff | Troy | James Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Gerad Parker | Billy Napier |
| Tenureat this school | 3rd season | 1st season |
| Record at schoolthis season included, as of the date below | 15–18 | 7–1 |
| Career recordas an FBS head coach | 15–24 | 69–36 |
| Offensive coordinator | Adam Austin | Cam Aiken |
| Defensive coordinator | Dontae Wright | Robert Bala / Josh Linam |
Staff list as of October 27, 6:50 a.m. ET.
Head-to-head
The teams have met 2 times since 2021: Troy won 0 and James Madison 2.
| Date | Score | Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 5, 2025 | Troy 14, James Madison 31 James Madison won | ||
| Sep 16, 2023 | James Madison 16, Troy 14 James Madison won |
Meetings since 2021, most recent first. Line and total are the consensus closing numbers where line history is available.
Result
After the final: score vs the closing line, Drive X-Ray and the graded official play, if there was one, appear here on this same page.
Teams
Troy Trojans
- Troy Trojans team stats
- UL Monroe Warhawks 21, Troy Trojans 14 (Oct 24)
- Troy Trojans 6, Louisiana Ragin Cajuns 33 (Oct 17)
- Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles 34, Troy Trojans 55 (Oct 6)
James Madison Dukes
More NCAAF games on October 29, 2026
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