Both Western Kentucky and James Madison went 8-4 during the regular season. Both were among the best teams in their respective conferences. And both showed signs of struggle during the past month.
JMU began the regular season with a four-game winning streak, including a 70-50 victory over North Carolina. But the Dukes went on to go 4-4 in Sun Belt play. They finished the regular season with back-to-back losses at App State and against Marshall, the eventual league champion, at home.
Western Kentucky, meanwhile, did make it to the Conference USA Championship. The Hilltoppers won seven of their first nine games in 2024, with their only losses being at Alabama and a one-point defeat at Boston College. Though WKU did lose its next two contests against Louisiana Tech and Liberty, the program bounced back and beat Jacksonville State in its regular season finale.
That led to a rematch against Jax State in the CUSA title game. The Gamecocks won that time around, 52-12.
Now WKU and JMU will take the field as two of the better Group of Five teams from this season.
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Western Kentucky vs. JMU Betting Odds
Western Kentucky is a +7.5 college football betting odds underdog against JMU, with the Over/Under being 49.5.
The moneyline for Western Kentucky is +230, while it’s -300 for JMU.
Western Kentucky vs. JMU On TV
The matchup between Western Kentucky and JMU will be televised on ESPN.
The game will kick off at 5:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 18. The contest is taking place at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida.
Western Kentucky vs. JMU Prediction
I predict Western Kentucky will win and cover the spread at +7.5. I also project the game will go Over 49.5 total points.
I think WKU has played just a little bit more consistently this season. Yes, the Hilltoppers lost a few games late, but their win over Jacksonville State at the end of the regular season was pretty impressive in my mind.
I also like WKU’s depth. JMU, meanwhile, is dealing with injuries and won’t look like the team it has been this season, I believe.
The Dukes have also lost their last two contests going into their bowl game. They are looking for their first bowl win as a program, so they will be motivated, but I ultimately think WKU scores enough to win here.
