The James Madison Dukes (11-1) and Air Force Falcons (8-4) meet in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl on Saturday at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN+). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the James Madison vs. Air Force odds, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.
The Dukes will be making their 1st-ever trip to an FBS bowl. James Madison was in its 2nd transition season from the FCS to FBS, but since not enough teams qualified for a bowl, JMU was allowed to participate.
James Madison’s only blemish was a 26-23 OT loss against Appalachian State at home on Nov. 18. The Dukes scored 30 or more points in 4 of the final 5 games, and it’s no surprise the Over was 4-1 in those outings. The defense is legit, too, allowing 14 or fewer points in 3 of the final 4 games, and 5 of the final 7 regular-season contests.
Air Force really sputtered down the stretch. After opening with an 8-0 SU record and a ranking, the Falcons fell 23-3 at home to Army on Nov. 4, and the downward spiral continued. Air Force dropped 4 in a row to finish the season while also going 0-4 against the spread (ATS).