2026 Sun Belt College Football Betting Preview, Odds & Best Bets

By Kody Malstrom | Aug 02, 2026, 7:28pm

In their brief stint in the Sun Belt, James Madison has quickly risen to a tier of their own, throttling Troy in the conference championship 31-14. Come December 5th, James Madison will attempt to host the Sun Belt Conference Championship again in 2026, potentially taking on the likes of Louisiana, Arkansas State, or Troy from the other division for the conference title.

2026 Sun Belt Winner Odds

Fresh off of a conference championship, James Madison will find it difficult to make their return to the title game, suffering the most turnover in regard to returning production this offseason. With an abundance of new faces needing to integrate on both sides of the ball, pass on the Dukes to win the Sun Belt at their current short odds.

Old Dominion on the other hand brings back a majority of their defense, a unit who ranked 26th or better in Success Rate, Havoc, PPA, and in Explosiveness. Even with negative regression looming large over their offense, the continuity on defense will help keep them competitive while ironing out the kinks, making the Monarchs worth a wager to win the conference championship.

Last year’s runner up, Troy brings back a majority of their offense who struggled last season, making them worth monitoring to see if there are any signs of improvement before placing a wager. Especially with their defense plugging in new players at key positions, potentially forcing them to play in highly volatile track meets if they are unable to slow down their opponents.

Keeping our attention near the top of the oddsboard, Louisiana is one of the few contenders who actually fared well in returning production, bringing back nearly 50% of their roster. Unfortunately for Louisiana, continuity is not always a sign of progression as their offense ranked near dead last in Success Rate last season, a big hill for them to climb if they want to actually contend for the title.

A newcomer in the conference, Louisiana Tech has left the Conference USA to join the Sun Belt this season, bringing with them 56% of their roster to help keep them afloat. If their offense can show any signs of improvement to help compliment their stalwart defense, then the Bulldogs will be worth an addition to the portfolio.

Best Bet: Old Dominion

2026 Sun Belt Win Total Odds

Appalachian State (6)
Arkansas State (6.5)
Coastal Carolina (5)
Georgia Southern (5)
Georgia State (4)
James Madison (8.5)
Louisiana (7.5)
Louisiana Tech (6)
Marshall (7.5)
Old Dominion (7.5)
Southern Miss (4)
South Alabama (5.5)
Troy (6.5)
UL-Monroe (3.5)

It’s not exactly settling on the stomach to fade James Madison, but it’s impossible to ignore their turnover. While they certainly are littered with talent, any uptick in variance will make it tough for them to string together their wins, making the under on their win total at 8.5 worth a wager.

While James Madison is poised to regress, Old Dominion is in a great position to dethrone them, using their continuity to their advantage to help brush aside any regression. We will get a clear picture of how the Monarchs stack up early on in the year, hosting James Madison on September 26th with the winner receiving a massive bump in their odds to win the division.

Louisiana Tech is also an intriguing contender in their first year in the Sun Belt, making the over on their win total of 5.5 worth a look. Like their chances of winning the conference title, I want to see how their offense looks before tying up any of my bankroll to their futures, making them a pass for now.

Best Bet: Old Dominion Over

2026 Sun Belt Heisman Trophy Contenders, Odds

After turning into one of the more exciting conferences the past few years, the Sun Belt is expected to take a turn for the worse in 2026 after getting gutted out in the offseason. With all their top talent gone, there are no viable contenders for the Heisman, making the conference a pass until someone quickly stands out.

Even if we kept our focus on Old Dominion, the spotlight will be turned towards their defense, making it impossible for any skill player on offense to garner enough media attention to build a case for the award. Especially with the likes of Arch Manning, Dante Moore, and CJ Carr all in a position to thrive, keeping the spotlight towards the top contenders heading into 2026.

Best Bet: Pass

2026 Sun Belt College Football Playoff Odds

After James Madison stamped their ticket to the playoffs last year, Old Dominion will look to take the reins as a G6 contender. Other than an away matchup against Louisiana Tech and an early date against Virginia Tech, Old Dominion is projected to be the favorite in their other 10 games, creating a favorable path to the playoffs if they can avoid any stunning upsets.

Best Bet: Old Dominion

Photo Credit: REUTERS

Kody Malstrom

Kody is a professional sports bettor and sports betting journalist with eight years of experience in the industry. He covers a wide range of sports, including NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NCAAB, NHL, MLB, and UFC. What started as a side gig has turned into a full time job, spending a majority of his time staring at odds screens and market movement. When away from the computer, Kody enjoys spending his time outdoors relaxing at the beach or golfing with friends.