James Madison may not be in the College Football Playoff rankings yet, but the Dukes could get there if they keep winning like they have.
All JMU has done is start the season 8-1 overall with a perfect 6-0 mark in Sun Belt play. The Dukes have only lost to Louisville, which entered this week at No. 20 in the CFP rankings, and have won seven games since then. And they’ve done so in convincing fashion. They’re ninth in the country in average scoring margin (15.8 points per game).
Now they go on the road to take on App State, and this has become a bit of a rivalry since JMU joined the FBS.
The Mountaineers will be eager to bounce back after losing three straight games against Coastal Carolina, Old Dominion, and Georgia Southern by a collective 13 points. App State still has a chance at a bowl game with a 4-5 overall record, and a win this weekend would certainly help with that.
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JMU vs. App State Betting Odds
JMU is a -21 college football betting odds favorite against App State, with the Over/Under being 53.5 as of this writing.
The moneyline for App State is +900, while it’s -1600 for JMU.
JMU vs. App State On TV
The matchup between App State and JMU will be televised on ESPN+ .
The game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 15. The contest is taking place at Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
JMU vs. App State Prediction
I predict JMU will win but App State will cover the 21-point spread. I also project the game will go Under 53.5 total points.
The Mountaineers haven’t quite been able to close the gap to earn victories in recent weeks, but that doesn’t mean they’ve been playing poorly, as all three of their most recent games have been decided by single possessions.
And considering App State still has something to play for, I don’t expect this to be a blowout. But I do think the Dukes will dominate on the defensive side of the ball.
They’re eighth in the country in total defense, allowing 269.4 yards per game. They’re also 12th in scoring defense with 16.9 points per game allowed. And with players like linebackers Trent Hendrick and Gannon Weathersby, and defensive backs Jacob Thomas, Tyler Brown, DJ Barksdale, and Justin Eaglin, JMU has plenty of talent on that side of the ball.
And after some early-season inconsistencies, JMU quarterback Alonza Barnett III has been playing at a high level. He’s thrown for 1,786 yards, 16 touchdowns, and four interceptions on a 61% completion rate while rushing for 396 yards and a team-best 10 touchdowns.
Wayne Knight leads JMU with 746 yards and six TDs rushing and is second on the team with 313 receiving yards to go with one TD on 29 receptions. Wide receiver Landon Ellis paces JMU with 486 yards and five TDs on 30 catches.
I think JMU will play well on both sides of the ball again and win by two touchdowns.
