It’s mid-late October and every game has some form of conference consequences, but few are as important as this all-Sun Belt matchup between the 4-2 Marshall Thundering Herd and the undefeated James Madison Dukes.
Who emerges victorious from a game with real ramifications? Ahead of the game, we’ve got the latest college football betting odds, DFS picks, and a Marshall vs. James Madison prediction.
Marshall vs. James Madison Betting and DFS Preview
All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and correct as of Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. Want to take advantage of the Marshall vs. James Madison odds? Visit the College Football Network live college football odds page to place bets in your state.
- Spread
James Madison -3.5 - Moneyline
James Madison -170, Marshall +142 - Over/Under
50 points - Game time
7 p.m. ET - Location
Joan C. Edwards Stadium, Huntington, WV - Predicted Weather at Kick
60 degrees, 8-10 mph winds, cloudy - How to Watch
FuboTV, ESPN
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Looking to make a dollar on the Dukes? Are you thundering to your preferred oddsmaker to hammer the Herd? If you’re going to take advantage of the Marshall vs. James Madison odds, consider some of the following factors before you part with your hard-earned cash.
James Madison has been an unstoppable force so far this season, but their history with the Thundering Herd has been quite the opposite. Marshall is 3-0 against the Dukes, including a 26-12 victory the only time the two teams met with both as FBS competitors.
However, JMU is a marginal favorite for the game, and our Marshall vs. James Madison prediction details why.
It’s a small spread line, so if you’re confident that James Madison gets the job done in Huntington, then backing them to cover, too is sensible. After opening the year 0-2 against the spread, the Dukes are on a four-game covering spree, having been a single-touchdown favorite in the last three.
Marshall hasn’t covered the spread in their last three outings — two of them as underdogs.
Wrapping up the Marshall vs. James Madison odds with the 50-point over/under, the two teams have combined to cover the over in seven of their 12 outings this fall. Marshall’s last three games have gone over 60 points, while each of the Dukes’ last three games have tallied more than the 50-point line here.
The over is very much in play for this game.
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
Marshall Depth Chart | James Madison Depth Chart
- QB Jordan McCloud, James Madison ($11,200)
- QB Cam Fancher, Marshall ($9,500)
- RB Rasheen Ali, Marshall ($11,500)
- RB Kaelon Black, James Madison ($8,600)
- RB Ty Son Lawton, James Madison ($6,400)
- RB Ethan Payne, Marshall ($5,000)
- RB Latrele Palmer, James Madison ($4,700)
- WR Elijah Sarratt, James Madison ($8,300)
- WR Reggie Brown, James Madison ($7,600)
- WR Caleb Coombs, Marshall ($7,000)
- WR Phoenix Sproles, James Madison ($6,800)
- WR Darryle Simmons, Marshall ($6,600)
- WR Caleb McMillan, Marshall ($6,000)
- WR Chuck Montgomery, Marshall ($5,900)
- WR Jayden Harrison, Marshall ($5,800)
- TE Zach Horton, James Horton ($5,400)
- TE Cade Conley, Marshall ($5,100)
- TE Christopher Mottillo, Marshall ($4,600)
There are two college football games on Thursday to compile your DFS team from in Week 8. 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 you can also select a tight end for the Superflex spot.
Quarterbacks Jordan McCloud and Cam Fancher are both legitimate options for your DFS lineup in this all-Sun-Belt matchup.
They’re both high-scoring fantasy assets that have the ability to score points on the ground as well as through the air. However, McCloud has done a better job taking care of the football this fall and should lead his team to a win on Thursday.
There are few surer things in football, nay in life, than Rasheen Ali. There isn’t a running back in action on Thursday with more fantasy points than the Marshall running back. His 150.5 points lead all Sun Belt backs and are fourth in the nation.
Ali has just one game this year — against NC State — where the standout rusher hasn’t scored two touchdowns. He’s automatic.
While the Thundering Herd might dominate your Marshall vs. James Madison picks at the RB position, their WR room isn’t so productive. Thankfully, the Dukes have a couple of options to fill some of your pass-catching spots.
Elijah Sarratt leads the team in targets and is tied for receiving touchdowns, while Reggie Brown leads the team in yards. Pick one and thrive.
Prediction for Marshall vs. James Madison
Okay, so we’ve furnished you with the Marshall vs. James Madison odds and some DFS picks. Now, it’s time to close this thing out with our prediction.
Are the Thundering Herd set to trample all over James Madison’s undefeated record? Or are the Dukes in a position to prove that they’re really the top dogs in the Sun Belt Conference?
Despite coming into the game as the underdog, there is, of course, the potential for Marshall to provide a Thursday night upset here. Those chances start with running back Ali, whose combination of explosion, lateral agility, vision, and receiving capability make him a dangerous weapon for any defense in the nation.
Meanwhile, led by Owen Porter up front (10.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks) and a talented secondary that contains impressive cornerback Micah Abraham (two interceptions, four pass breakups), the Marshall defense has shown at time this season that it can strangle opposition offenses.
However, in the last three games, they’ve allowed 35+ points and face a difficult test against McCloud and James Madison’s vast array of weapons.
Furthermore, the Dukes have the run defense to prevent Ali from establishing complete dominance. James Carpenter and Jalen Green get into the backfield in a hurry, tallying 24 tackles for loss between them.
The Dukes have allowed a national-low 1.49 yards per attempt to the run game this year. Meanwhile, nine different Dukes have logged an interception so far this fall.
James Madison has the advantage on each side of the ball, and Curt Cignetti’s team should take their undefeated run deep into the second half of the season.
Prediction: Marshall 27, James Madison 35