The James Madison Dukes look to continue their success in their second season at the FBS level but will face a stern test on the road against the Marshall Thundering Herd as we make our top James Madison vs. Marshall prediction based on the best college football odds.
James Madison, boasting a perfect 6-0 record, is among the 11 remaining undefeated teams in the country. Its triumph doesn't come as a shock, given its impressive 8-3 record in its debut season at the FBS level.
Marshall's prospects of clinching the Sun Belt East division title may hinge on a victory in this game. While the Thundering Herd hold a 4-2 overall record, they've already incurred one conference loss. Back-to-back defeats to NC State and Georgia State have presented Marshall with a challenging task to return to the win column.
To accompany our college football predictions for Week 8, here is our best James Madison vs. Marshall prediction and our college football picks (odds via our best college football betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
James Madison vs. Marshall prediction: Week 8
Editor's note: The Over/Under for this matchup is most commonly found at 49.5 as of Wednesday morning.
James Madison has gone from a 2.5 to a 3.5-point road favorite, so the fact that this line is now more than a field goal has us looking elsewhere for better value. Given how well the Dukes' defense has played to this point, we have found that value in the total. Several metrics suggest the offenses should struggle.
JMU has one of the best defenses in the country but has gone under the radar playing in the Sun Belt. It entered last week ranked in the Top 9 nationally in Rushing Success Rate Allowed, Stuff Rate, Pressure Rate, and Sacks Per Dropback. Meanwhile, Marshall ranks as the fifth-worst team in Line Yards, so we expect the Thundering Herd offense to be one-dimensional without the threat of a running game.
The fact that JMU is undefeated is heavily tied to its strong defense. Offensively, the Dukes rank in the Bottom 13 in Line Yards and are 133rd out of 134 FBS teams in Stuff Rate. If they also struggle to run the football, their passing offense will face a stern test from a Marshall secondary that ranks in the Top 22 in Passing Downs Success Rate.
This is a four-star play, as JMU has held three of its six opponents to 14 or fewer points, while Marshall allows 11 points fewer per game at home than on the road.
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James Madison vs. Marshall best odds
| DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM | Caesars | bet365 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52.5 | 52.5 | 52.5 | 52 | 52 |
| Under (-110) | Under (-105) | Under (-110) | Under (-110) | Under (-110) |
As Under backers, there are few choices of sportsbooks that offer a total as high as 52.5. Not only can we find that number at FanDuel, but it is also the only one of the best sports betting sites where bettors can wager on the Under at less than -110 odds.
The Over has cashed in four of Marshall's six games, while James Madison has an O/U record of 3-3.
James Madison vs. Marshall odds
James Madison vs. Marshall odds analysis
The point spread on a JMU game has gone in its favor for the second straight week. The Dukes ballooned from 3.5 to 6-point favorites last week against Georgia Southern and responded with a 41-13 victory.
This week, the Dukes' point spread went through a key number from -2.5 to -3.5, and all the best sports betting apps currently agree with that number. JMU reached as high as -4.5 at FanDuel, BetMGM, and DraftKings before underdog backers drove the number down. Sixty-five percent of spread wagers are on the Dukes as of Wednesday morning.
The total remained stagnant at 52.5 for a couple of days after opening but has been driven down. Current totals are in the 49.5 to 50-point range with the Over seeing the bulk of the wagers.
James Madison vs. Marshall game info
- When: Thursday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. ET
- Where: Joan C. Edwards Stadium, Huntington, WV
- How to watch: ESPN
- Weather: 70 degrees, 18% PoP, wind 11 mph SSW
James Madison-Marshall prediction made 10/17/2023 at 6:07 a.m. ET.
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