James Madison (JMU) vs. Coastal Carolina Prediction, Preview, and Odds

The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers play host to the James Madison Dukes in a crucial Sun belt matchup on Saturday afternoon from Brooks Stadium. James Madison hits the road, fresh off their first loss of the season the last time out. For Coastal Carolina, a loss last week as well served to snap a five-game losing streak. These two have only squared off once in their history, which was a 47-7 win for JMU last season, as they aim to repeat that performance at the road in this one. Expect this to be a tightly contested matchup as these two teams square off.

Dukes Look To Bounce Back

James Madison was off to one of the best starts in the college football season but after getting tripped up against App State last weekend at home, they now have their eyes on bouncing back. A 10-0 start turned some heads and has allowed them to nearly secure first-place in the Sun belt Conference final standings. Due to their recent transition to FBS football, they're ineligible for a bowl game and the conference championship game, though that isn't likely to alter their confidence or ambition going into this one. They've dominated opponents all season, including putting together an impressive 5-0 record on the road, as they aim to get back in the win column as they head into the off-season. It doesn't hurt that they have confidence to draw on from last season's massive win, as they take to the road.

The Dukes carry three injuries into this one, two on of the defensive side and another on the offensive end. With two of those going down in September, those absences aren't likely to alter things. One to keep an eye on though is that the defense will be without Jalen Green (knee) in this one. One of the best pass rushers in the country at 15.5 sacks, he will certainly be missed.

On the offensive end, they rank 39th in total yards, 23rd in passing. Coastal Carolina has a strong secondary though, which means that the Dukes might need to resort to life on the ground in this one. Jordan McCloud (27 touchdowns, 8 interceptions) has put up video game numbers at quarterback and it'll be interesting to see how he performs in this one. With Green out, all eyes will turn to Jamree Kromah, whose 10 sacks still shows the potential for pass-rushing success. After last week's game against App State, it could be a challenge for the Dukes to bounce back against another quality opponent.

Coastal Carolina Returns Home

Coastal Carolina may have lost last weekend but will be excited to return home, where they have a 5-1 record. The wins haven't been easy this season, with four of the five prior to last week coming by ten points or less. Experience has been key for this group, especially as they take on some of the more talented teams on their schedule, and it'll be interesting to see if that carries through against potentially the most difficult opponent on their schedule. At 7-4 and in second-place in the Sun Belt, a win here could go a long way to improving their bowl standing as we head into December.

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Coastal Carolina has some injuries of their own to worry about, all on the offensive side of the ball. Grayson McCall (concussion) is one of football's most talented and experienced quarterbacks, though is doubtful for this one. His ability to play or not, likely will make a world of difference in regards to how this game goes.

Coastal's offense ranks 33rd nationally in total yards and yards per play, while also leaning heavily on the passing attack. Even if McCall is unable to go, whoever does get the reps at quarterback should be thrilled to be seeing a pass defense that ranks 126th nationally in yards allowed. That could serve as the almighty equalizer in this one. The lack of ground game is a concern though, especially in a game like this one where controlling the clock could be crucial. If they can't find success early on the offensive end in this one, it could spell trouble for this group.

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If McCall was expected to play for Coastal Carolina, this pick would be different, but without their heart and soul at quarterback, they'll struggle in this one. James Madison will certainly feel like they have something to prove in this one and considering their depth, especially on the defensive side, will be able to keep Coastal struggling to find points. The Dukes have something to prove against one of the better programs in the Sun Belt over the last few years and will be carrying a ton of confidence into this one after dominated last season. Expect James Madison to get off to a quick start, especially on the offensive end, as they grab this massive win. JMU covered the spread last year and has covered in all but two of their last nine games overall, as they find a way to cover again in this one.

Prediction: James Madison (-9)

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While James Madison's defense has been known for putting up points, this will still be a low-scoring affair. Coastal will be without their quarterback, which will seriously cut into their offensive productivity and keep them struggling to find the endzone. Given the potential blowout nature of this game with the injury situation at play, it wouldn't come as a shock to see the Dukes lean on the ground game in this one and work the clock. The under hit for JMU last week and has hit for Coastal Carolina in six of their last eight games, as that trend continues on this one.

Prediction: Under 50

Eric grew up surrounded by sports, whether it was spending the weekend catching games in person or on tv, or heading out to the fields to play whatever sport was in season. What started as a hobby, soon became a passion, as he became the sports editor of his high school newspaper, then wrote for his university newspaper during his undergrad years. After obtaining a degree in Sports Operations and Promotions, and spending 8 years deeply immersed in the sports world, Eric decided to take his love for analytics and predictions, and his experience, to online sports fans everywhere. James is now an integral part of our team here at StatSalt and has also been a very successful sports bettor over the years. Be sure and follow him daily.