College football bowl season continues apace Saturday, with the 11-1 James Madison Dukes of the Sun Belt taking on the 8-4 Air Force Falcons of the Mountain West in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl.
Will James Madison or Air Force end the 2023 college football season in style? Ahead of the game, we’ve got the latest college football betting odds, DFS picks, and an Armed Forces Bowl prediction.
Armed Forces Bowl Betting and DFS Preview
All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and correct as of Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023. Want to take advantage of the Armed Forces Bowl odds? Visit the College Football Network live college football odds page to place bets in your state.
- Spread
James Madison -1.5 - Moneyline
James Madison -122, Air Force +102 - Over/Under
41 points - Game time
3:30 p.m. ET - Location
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX - Predicted Weather at Kick
66 degrees, 12 mph winds, periods of rain - How to Watch
ABC, FuboTV
Looking to make a dollar on the Dukes? Fancy a flutter on the Falcons? If you’re going to take advantage of the Armed Forces Bowl odds, consider some of the following factors before you part with your hard-earned cash.
They started the season in sensational style, earmarked as a potential Group of Five representative in the New Year’s Six, but Air Force had their wings clipped down the stretch of the season and instead entered the Armed Forces Bowl as an underdog against one of the stories of the 2023 college football season — James Madison.
The Dukes are 6-1 covering the spread as a single-digit favorite, and honestly, it feels like the oddsmakers are reading too much into the departure of head coach Curt Cignetti with the 1.5-point line. I’d expect James Madison to enjoy a substantially larger victory in Texas on Saturday. Air Force hasn’t covered in each of their last four games — all defeats.
The two teams have combined to marginally hammer the over throughout the 2023 college football season, going 13-11 above the total points line. The last two Air Force games have crept over the line, while James Madison is 4-1, covering the points total in their last five. It’s a low line based on two strong defenses, but there’s a strong chance of scoring in this one.
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
James Madison Depth Chart | Air Force Depth Chart
- QB Jordan McCloud, James Madison
- QB Zac Larrier, Air Force
- RB Kaelon Black, James Madison
- RB Latrele Palmer, James Madison
- RB Owen Burk, Air Force
- RB John Lee Eldridge III, Air Force
- RB Emmanuel Michel, Air Force
- RB Jensen Jones, Air Force
- RB Aidan Calvert, Air Force
- WR Elijah Sarratt, James Madison
- WR Reggie Brown, James Madison
- WR Phoenix Sproles, James Madison
- WR Brandon Engel, Air Force
- WR Jared Roznos, Air Force
- WR Dane Kinamon, Air Force
- TE Zach Horton, James Madison
- TE Caleb Rillos, Air Force
There are seven college football games on Saturday to compile your DFS team from. If you’re new to DFS, Fanduel Superflex contests require you to select a quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, and a “Superflex” that can be any of the above or a tight end.
Before you make your Armed Forces Bowl picks, there are several injury statuses for the Falcons that could impact your decisions. Emmanuel Michel, Dane Kinamon, and Jared Roznos are all expected back from injury in time for the game, but their appearances have yet to be confirmed. Michel is the team’s second-highest fantasy asset, with 128.7 points this season.
Although he is in the transfer portal, James Madison quarterback Jordan McCloud will play on Saturday, and he’s a legitimate contender to take the QB spot in your DFS lineup. He’s a top-10 fantasy player this season with 325.62 points, tallying 40 touchdowns and over 3,700 total yards. A final hurrah for the Dukes could prove very profitable for your team.
You can’t go wrong with one of McCloud’s targets on Saturday. A mere handful of fantasy points separate Elijah Sarratt and Reggie Brown’s output this fall. The former has been favored with 23 extra receptions, but Brown leads the team with eight scores. The Air Force pass defense will make it tough, but they’re both big-play wide receiver options for your team.
Prediction for the Armed Forces Bowl
Okay, so we’ve furnished you with the Armed Forces Bowl odds and some DFS picks.
Now, it’s time to close this thing out with our prediction.
MORE: College Football Bowl Opt-Out Tracker
Can interim head coach Damian Wroblewski close this remarkable season out with a James Madison win on Saturday? Or will Air Force soar for one final time after a terrible run of form to end the year extinguished a red-hot campaign?
During their eight-game winning streak to start the 2023 college football season, Air Force looked unstoppable offensively, regularly putting up 30+ points on opponents as the only remaining true triple option service academy.
Fullback Michel assumed the role left vacant by Brad Roberts and filled it with aplomb during a three-game stretch with multiple touchdowns.
However, Michel and multiple key components of the Air Force offense struggled to stay healthy through the entire season, and that early-season free-scoring unit has scored more than 20 points just once in their last four games — including putting up just three against Army and 13 against Hawaii.
The Armed Forces Bowl pits that offense against one of the nation’s top defensive units. Despite losing Jalen Green to injury and Mikail Kamara to the portal, the meat of a destructive and disruptive front remains.
James Madison has allowed just 61.50 rushing yards per game and 2.09 yards per carry, leading the nation in run defense. That feels pretty pivotal against Air Force.
The Falcons have a mean defense of their own, allowing just 17.9 points per game, giving up less than 100 rushing yards per game, while operating a no-fly zone in the secondary led by Jim Thorpe Award winner Trey Taylor. However, they’ve averaged 27 points allowed per game in their last four, and could be outmatched by a JMU unit looking to end a fairytale year on top.
Prediction: James Madison 31, Air Force 21
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