2025 college football predictions: Why Arkansas State will win the Sun Belt Conference
College football die-hards will tell you that there is nothing quite like the Fun Belt.
An unpredictable conference headlined by plenty of high-octane offenses representing a region of the country with an insane amount of talent coming through the ranks, the Sun Belt rarely disappoints, and 2025 was no different.
James Madison, South Alabama, and Troy were supposed to headline the conference in 2024, but it was Marshall that came out of nowhere to win the title.
A few weeks later, Marshall's head coach, Charlie Huff, took over at Southern Miss, and he brought seemingly his entire roster with him.
That's just how things work in the Sun Belt.
2025 Sun Belt odds
Team Odds James Madison +325 Georgia Southern +650 South Alabama +650 Texas State +650 Louisiana +650 Old Dominion 11/1 Troy 14/1 Appalachian State 16/1 Coastal Carolina 18/1 Southern Miss 18/1 Arkansas State 22/1 Marshall 25/1 UL Monroe 33/1 Georgia State 40/1 Odds via bet365
2025 Sun Belt preview, picks, and best bets
The Favorite: James Madison
James Madison is the deserving favorite in the Sun Belt going into Week 1.
The Dukes have established themselves as the cream of the crop in the SBC, and they're an outside chance (13/1) to represent the Group of 5 in the College Football Playoff.
Bob Chesney has done a terrific job in his first two years since moving over from Holy Cross, and he'll look to improve on a 9-4 season that was actually a bit disappointing compared to their preseason expectations.
The number isn't enticing enough to play JMU, especially since things tend to get bonkers in the Fun Belt, but if you're building out a conference-winner-round-robin or parlay, they'd be a good leg to add.
Fade: Southern Miss
Every conference will have a preseason darling, and Southern Miss fits the bill for the Sun Belt. This number is getting out of hand.
Not only has their win total gone from 3.5 to 5.5, but their odds to win the conference have been slashed in half, and it could keep going down by the time we get to conference play.
The reason for the love in the market is that Charles Huff, the former head coach at Marshall, has arrived in Hattiesburg, and he's brought a ton of players over with him from Marshall, which won this conference last year.
Old Dominion is also getting some love as an under-the-radar play for those looking to go against James Madison, but I'd much rather play a roughie in the SBC West, avoiding the Dukes.
Best bet to win the Sun Belt
Arkansas State to win the Sun Belt (30/1, BetMGM)
The Red Wolves made a bowl game last year, but they were quite fortunate to do so, and that is cooling the hype around the betting market.
Sharp bettors often look to fade teams that had the rub of the green in the previous season (and Arkansas State certainly did with its record in close games), but that can also cause the number to drift to a point where it becomes playable.
That's what I think has happened here, with Arkansas State sitting as high as 30/1 and projected to be an also-ran alongside Georgia State and UL Monroe.
I think that's pretty harsh on a team that has significant offensive upside with quarterback Jaylen Raynor and wide receiver Corey Rucker.
Arkansas State Red Wolves wide receiver Corey Rucker.
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
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The defense was terrible last year, but it'll have a completely new look in 2025, which is a good thing.
Arkansas State also benefits from being in the West Division of the Sun Belt, which means they won't have to beat out James Madison to get to the title game.
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
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