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Troy vs UTSA Cure Bowl Odds, Picks and Predictions

John Perrotto

by John Perrotto in College Football

Updated Dec 13, 2022 · 7:00 AM PST

UTSA Roadrunners quarterback Frank Harris runs with the ball
Sep 10, 2022; West Point, New York, USA; UTSA Roadrunners quarterback Frank Harris (0) runs with the ball against the Army Black Knights during the first half at Michie Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports
  • Troy is a 1.5-point favorite over UTSA in the Cure Bowl on Friday in Orlando
  • Both teams are on 10-game winning streaks
  • A look at the Troy vs UTSA odds and matchup can be found below with a prediction

Two top Group of Five teams on 10-game winning streaks meet when #24 Troy plays #25 UTSA in the Cure Bowl at 3 p.m. ET Friday at Exploria Stadium in Orlando.

Both are 11-2 and coming off wins in conference championship games. Troy defeated Coastal Carolina 45-26 on Dec. 3 to win the Sun Belt Conference title and UTSA beat North Texas 48-27 on Dec. 2 to capture the Conference USA crown.

ESPN will televise the game.

Troy vs UTSA Odds

Team Moneyline Spread Total
Troy -125 -1.5 (-110) Over 54.5 (-110)
UTSA +105 +1.5 (-110)0 Under 54.5 (-110)

Odds as of December 13th at BetMGM. Claim the BetMGM promo code for bowl season. 

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Troy is a 1.5-point favorite and a -125 pick on the moneyline in the college football odds, giving it a 55.56% implied win probability. UTSA has an IWP of 48.78% as a +105 underdog.

The weather forecast calls for sunny skies, a high of 69, and northwest wind at 5-10 mph.

Troy Betting Outlook

Troy rode a strong defense to the Sun Belt title.

The Trojans are eighth in the nation in points allowed (17.5) and 19th in total yards given up (324.9).

Senior linebacker Carlton Martial was named the Sun Belt’s Defensive Player of the Year and was second in the conference with 121 tackles. He holds the all-time FBS record for tackles with 563 and has been a first-team all-conference selection four times.

Troy has won four consecutive bowl appearances and is 5-3 overall. It has not played in a bowl since 2018 when it downed Buffalo 42-32 in the Dollar General Bowl.

Gunnar Watson is fifth in the Sun Belt in passing yardage with 2,705. He has completed 61.9% of his attempts for 13 touchdowns with 10 interceptions.

Watson shined in the conference title game. He completed 12 of 17 passes for 318 yards and three TD passes.

Two of the scores went to RaJae’ Johnson, covering 67 and 36 yards. He finished with four receptions for 134 yards.

Taz Johnson is Troy’s top receiver with 52 receptions for 823 yards and four touchdowns.

Kimani Vidal has rushed for a team-high 1,059 yards and nine touchdowns on 209 carries, ranking second in the Sun Belt in rushing. While he was held to 53 yards in 20 attempts by Coastal Carolina, DK Billingsley picked up the slack with three TDs on the ground, including a 33-yard run.

Troy built a 31-0 lead in the second quarter, outgaining Coastal Carolina 316-22 to that point. Coastal Carolina finished with a 432-411 edge in total yardage.

UTSA Betting Outlook

Sixth-year quarterback Frank Harris will try to deliver USTA’s first bowl victory. The Roadrunners are 0-3 in the postseason, including losing to San Diego State 38-24 in last year’s Frisco Bowl.

Harris is having a marvelous season with a 71.1% completion rate on his 429 passes. The San Antonio native has set single-season school records with 3,865 passing yards and 31 touchdown passes while being intercepted just seven times.

Nationally, Harris is third in total yardage with an average of 342.5 a game as he has rushed for 588 yards. Harris also holds the UTSA career record for passing yards (9,158) and TD passes (73).

UTSA is ninth in the FBS in total yards gained (486.1) and 12th in scoring offense (38.7). The Roadrunners have scored at least 30 points in 12 of their 13 games.

The Roadrunners possess two top receiving threats in Josh Cephus (87 receptions, 985 yards, six TDs) and Zakhari Franklin (86, 1,110, 14).

Franklin stands third in the nation and first in C-USA in receiving touchdowns. He is second in the conference in yards.

Franklin had three TD receptions among his 10 catches and 144 in the C-USA title game. Harris was 32-of-37 passing for 341 yards and four touchdowns while also running for a score.

Kevorian Barnes rushed for 175 yards and one touchdown on 28 carries in his first career start. He was in the lineup in place of Brendan Brady, who was out with an injury and is questionable for Friday.

Troy vs UTSA Prediction

The first-ever meeting between the two teams features UTSA’s explosive offense against Troy’s staunch defense. Look for Harris and the Roadrunners to score enough to secure their first-ever bowl win.

Pick: UTSA ML (+105)

Make sure to monitor our college football bowl opt-out tracker for any major news that could impact the betting line.

 

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