JMU football (11-1, 8-0 SBC) hosts Troy (8-4, 6-2 SBC) on Friday with a Sun Belt championship on the line. It’s a massive opportunity for one of the best teams in program history. Can the Dukes finish the season in style?

How to watch

Kickoff time: 7 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN with Anish Shroff handling the play-by-play call. Andre Ware will be the analyst, with Paul Carcaterra on the sideline.

Weather: Cold, dark, and perfect! Snow comes in Thursday night into Friday morning, but it should be clear Friday night with minimal wind. The temps, however, won’t get above freezing. This game will be played in the mid-20s.

Opponent preview: Troy

Record: 8-4, 6-2 SBC

Coach: Gerad Parker, 12-12 at Troy, 12-18 overall

Top players

Goose Crowder, QB: He can sling it! The West Virginia transfer has dealt with injuries this fall, but he’s been back to full health in recent weeks. In the past two games (both wins), he’s averaging more than 300 passing yards per game with 7 TDs and 1 INT. He’s a quality player and will test JMU’s secondary.

Donnie Smith, DE: Smith leads the Sun Belt with nine sacks this season. Troy’s defense is stout, ranking in the top four in the SBC in total defense and scoring defense. Smith is one of the best players on a good unit. 

Evan Crenshaw, P: The SBC’s Special Teams Player of the Year, Crenshaw is a star. Troy leads the Sun Belt in net punting because Crenshaw has a big leg and knows how to limit returns. He can flip the field and put JMU’s offense in tough spots.

Key to the Game: Block out the noise

Troy is a good team. The Trojans play really solid defense, and their passing game is respectable. But JMU is one of the best G5 teams in the country. The Dukes are a top-25 team playing at home. They should win this game. 

If JMU blocks out the loud outside noise — the Dukes lost their head coach to UCLA and hired Billy Napier this week and have a shot at making the College Football Playoff with a win — the Dukes should be OK. They’re a 3-TD favorite. JMU is the better team, but Troy is no slouch and the Dukes can’t just show up and expect to win. 

But if JMU blocks out the distractions, its defense should give Troy fits. Plus, the Dukes’ offense is playing its best football of the season and wide receiver Landon Ellis is trending toward playing after being banged up in recent weeks. JMU has significantly more firepower than Troy. 

The JMU we’ve seen the past few weeks should win this game by 10-plus points. Just don’t let the distractions get in the way, Dukes.

Score prediction

Troy is going to come into this game with something to prove after being disrespected all week, but the Trojans don’t have a consistent running game. That’s a recipe for disaster against JMU’s top-notch defense. Expect the Trojans to stay close early, but JMU is the more complete team and should pull away in the second half.

The pick: JMU 31, Troy 14

Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications