Troy won the Sun Belt in 2022, and after spring football, I’m taking the Trojans to win the league again in 2023.
Head coach Jon Sumrall knows how to coach defense, and I’m anticipating Troy’s defense once again being one of the most ferocious units in the Sun Belt. Troy also returns quarterback Gunnar Watson, who wasn’t spectacular last season but flashed the ability to be an efficient quarterback for the Trojans.
If Watson limits mistakes – he threw 12 interceptions and only 14 touchdowns – Troy’s offense could take a necessary step forward in 2023. If Watson struggles, West Virginia transfer Goose Crowder seems poised to step up as a capable No. 2 option.
Better quarterback play would put less pressure on a defense that’s still expected to be elite. Reddy Steward is a fantastic corner expected to play a big role in 2023, and he snagged an interception in the team’s spring game. He’s one of several standouts on the defense.
If Troy’s defense gets more consistent help from the offense – the Trojans won five games with less than 20 points scored in 2022 – it could run the table in conference.
Better Than Last Year?
Sumrall said after this year’s spring game that his team needs to make strides to be ready to play important games in the fall, but he also shared a quote worth noting.
”We are more efficient on both sides of the ball and know who we are,” Sumrall said. “Last year at this time, we were still trying to figure out what our base calls were going to be and how we were going to function. We are lightyears ahead of that; we just have to get guys to play consistently at a high level.”
Troy won 12 games a season ago, including a bowl victory over a strong UTSA team. The Trojans look better than that??
That’s a scary proposition for Sun Belt opponents, as the Trojans seem like they could make a push into the AP Top 25 this fall. They’re gunning for not only a Sun Belt Championship but also a spot in a New Year’s Six Bowl game.
JMU Ineligible
South Alabama, Marshall, Coastal Carolina, and Appalachian State are among the other likely contenders for the Sun Belt title. James Madison would be on that list, but the NCAA recently denied the program’s waiver request for immediate postseason eligibility in 2023. That means the Dukes may miss a bowl game even if they win six games, and they’re more than likely ineligible for the SBC Championship again in 2023. The Dukes finished atop the Sun Belt East in 2022, but weren’t allowed to participate in the conference title game.
JMU not being able to play for the league title certainly helps Troy, as does facing the Dukes at home on Sept. 16. Sun Belt West contender South Alabama has to travel to JMU on Sept. 30. JMU might not be able to win the Sun Belt, but the Dukes can hand out conference losses to opponents.
Troy’s schedule sets up favorably, with home games against JMU, South Alabama, and Southern Miss. A good group of returners coupled with a favorable schedule makes Troy my post-spring pick to win what feels like a wide-open Sun Belt race.
Bennett Conlin is a college football contributor for HERO Sports, and he works full-time covering sports betting industry news and legislation for Sports Handle and US Bets.
