The possibility of James Madison making the College Football Playoff seems to be dwindling. But the Dukes are doing everything they can to build their resume.
Since losing to Louisville in September, JMU has won nine straight games and is 10-1 overall with a 7-0 mark in Sun Belt play. And most of those wins have been decisive.
The Dukes are eighth in the country in average scoring margin at plus-17.8. All but two of their victories during their current winning streak have been decided by double digits. They most recently defeated Washington State 24-20 at home.
But now they’re going on the road to take on Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers are 6-5 overall and 5-2 against conference opponents, so they’ve already locked up bowl-eligibility. And since JMU has already guaranteed itself a spot in the Sun Belt Championship, CCU can’t win the Sun Belt East no matter what happens today.
But that doesn’t mean the Chanticleers wouldn’t love to get a win in this matchup.
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JMU vs. Coastal Carolina Betting Odds
Coastal Carolina is a +21.5 college football betting odds underdog against JMU, with the Over/Under being 53.5 as of this writing. The moneyline for JMU is -2500, while it’s +1100 for Coastal Carolina.
JMU vs. Coastal Carolina On TV
The matchup between JMU and Coastal Carolina will be televised on ESPNU.
The game will kick off at 3:45 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29. The contest is taking place at Brooks Stadium in Conway, South Carolina.
JMU vs. Coastal Carolina Prediction
I predict JMU will win but Coastal Carolina will cover the 21.5-point spread. I also project the game will go Over 53.5 total points.
The Dukes are on the road for this game, and they haven’t been quite the same team that they have been at home. Their one loss was on the road, granted it was against Power Four opponent Louisville, but the Dukes have also had to battle for wins away from home. They beat Georgia State 14-7 and Marshall 35-23, for example.
So while I don’t think JMU will win by more than three touchdowns, I do expect the Dukes to be in control of this contest.
The Dukes are fifth in the nation in total defense (261.1 yards per game allowed) and 11th in scoring defense (16.55 points per game allowed). They are also 17th in the country in scoring offense (35.9 PPG) and 23rd in total offense (444.7 YPG).
With Alonza Barnett III at quarterback, Wayne Knight at running back, and Trent Hendrick, Tyler Brown, Jacob Thomas, and Immanuel Bush on defense, I think JMU will enjoy some success on both sides of the ball en route to a win.
