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Troy at Florida Atlantic Football Odds

Written by Jimmy Boyd on October 6, 2008

Week 7 college football action gets underway Tuesday night on ESPN 2 when the Troy Trojans take on the Florida Atlantic Owls in Sun Belt Conference play. Odds makers have opened up betting with Florida Atlantic listed as 3.5-point home underdogs. Jimmy cashed in his Sun Belt Conference Game of the Year last Tuesday on ESPN 2 and you can count on him for another big winner in this mid-major conference this week. In this preview, Jimmy gives you both sides of the matchup to help you better handicap the contest.

The defending Sun Belt Conference champs, FAU, was beaten last Tuesday by Middle Tennessee State on a Hail Mary with no time remaining to lose by one point. The Owls are hoping for better luck when they host another Sun Belt Conference contender this week.

The stunning loss dropped FAU to 1-4 on the season and this is definitely not where the Owls thought they would be since they returned the majority of their players from a championship team a season ago. Losses to Texas, Michigan State, and even Minnesota were expected as the team was using those games to be playing at a higher level when entering conference play and to gain national exposure for the program.

While FAU dominated last week’s game, they kept Middle Tennessee Stat in it by committing four turnovers. The Owls no they can’t afford to turn the ball over against a Troy team who many picked to win the Sun Belt this season.

The Owls averaged 31.2 points per game a season ago and were expected to have a dynamic offense once again, but they have struggled to put points on the board, averaging just 17 per game in their last three. The passing game has also surprisingly struggled as last season’s Offensive Player of the Year in the conference, QB Rusty Smith, is yet to get on track. The junior quarterback has thrown no touchdowns and six interceptions during a three-game span.

The defense played well last week outside the final few seconds. FAU’s run defense was particularly strong a week ago and it will have to be again for the Owls to pull off the upset. FAU upset Troy to earn a share of last season’s Sun Belt Conference title and you can bet them at +3.5 at BetUS if you think they can do it again.

Troy will try to avenge last season’s 38-32 home loss to the Owls on the road this week. While Troy appears to be among the elite in the Sun Belt, it was hit in the mouth the past two weeks by Ohio State and Oklahoma State.

The Cowboys especially steamrolled the Troy defense, racking up 612 yards of offense, the eighth-highest total in school history. All I can say is what a difference a year makes as the Cowboys were able to avenge a 41-23 loss to Troy in 2007.

I don’t ready into Troy’s last two games much however as they just came up against bigger, physical teams. They’ll be ready to go against their division rivals.

QB Jamie Hampton was still pretty good against the Cowboys, completing 27 of 49 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns. He did have two picked off. Tro was also able to rush for 144 yards showing that it does have an explosive offense.

Defense is definitely the weakness of the Troy team, but it may not matter too much if the Owls can’t find their fire power. If you think the Trojans avenges last season’s loss to FAU and covers the spread in the process, bet Troy at -3.5 at BetUS.

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