James Madison Out to Spoil Coastal Carolina’s Sun Belt Title Bid
James Madison vs Coastal Carolina Odds: JMU Down to -8.5
On the heels of their first loss, the James Madison Dukes will look to bounce back Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET) against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers.
The No. 24 Dukes opened as 10.5-point favorites, but are now down to -8.5 (-110), including -325 on the moneyline. Coastal Carolina, meanwhile, is +8.5 (-110) on the spread and +270 to win outright. The projected total is 50 (-110 Over, -110 Under).
Here’s what bettors should know when breaking down the James Madison vs Coastal Carolina odds.
James Madison vs Coastal Carolina 
Day/Time:
Location: Brooks Stadium; Conway, S.C.
Stream: ESPN2
Betting Trends
The James Madison Dukes are 7-4 against the spread, including 4-1 away from home. The total has gone Over in six of their 11 games. The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, meanwhile, are 8-3. That includes a 4-1 mark at home. Notably, the total has gone Under in eight of their 11 games. That’s important to remember when assessing the James Madison vs Coastal Carolina odds.
Unbeaten No More
The James Madison Dukes‘ unbeaten start is over after falling 26-23 in overtime to Appalachian State last week. The Dukes, 10-point favorites, rallied from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime — to no avail.
James Madison is now 10-1, including 6-1 in Sun Belt Conference play, and dropped to No. 24 in the AP poll. But because of FBS transition rules, the Dukes are ineligible for postseason play. The NCAA recently denied the school’s request to be able to participate in a college football bowl this season.
The Dukes still may be able to participate if there are not enough bowl-eligible teams in the college football standings to fill all 82 spots. At the moment, 70 NCAAF teams have reached the six-win threshold for eligibility. That includes James Madison and Jacksonville State, which is also in just its second year of FBS competition.
Jordan McCloud has had a big hand in James Madison’s success. The senior quarterback, playing at his third school in four years following stints with South Florida and Arizona, has passed for 3,089 yards and 27 touchdowns compared to just eight interceptions. He has also rushed for seven scores.
Prior to Appalachian State, James Madison had won four of its previous five football games by double digits. It also beat defending Sun Belt champion Troy, 16-14. The Dukes are 5-0 on the road, including 4-1 ATS. Bettors should keep that in mind when analyzing the James Madison vs Coastal Carolina odds.
Prime Opportunity for Coastal Carolina
The goal for the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers is simple: win, and the Chanticleers will head back to the Sun Belt Conference title game against Troy. A loss, however, would eliminate the Chanticleers from contention and pave the way for either Appalachian State or Old Dominion to play for a conference championship.
Coastal Carolina is 7-4, including 5-2 in the Sun Belt, following last week’s 28-21 loss to Army. A 1-point favorite, the Chanticleers fell behind 21-7 in the first half and never recovered. It marked their first loss against the spread — and in general — since Sept. 30 against Georgia Southern, a span of seven games.
Grayson McCall, the three-time reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year, has missed the last four games with an injury and likely will remain out. Backup Jarrett Guest stepped in at quarterback in McCall’s absence against Army and fared well. He completed 26 of 36 passes for 279 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. But the Chanticleers were held to their lowest scoring output on the NCAAF scoreboard since Sept. 21 against Georgia State.
Coastal Carolina’s top receiver, Sam Pinckney, has caught at least one pass in an FBS-record 56 consecutive games. He leads the team with 60 catches for 841 yards and seven touchdowns.
Handicapping the Game
James Madison, in potentially its final game of the NCAAF season, is out to play spoiler. The Dukes came out flat against Appalachian State, managing only five first-half points after the pomp and circumstance that included a visit from ESPN’s College GameDay.
With that behind them, the Dukes can reset their focus. Coastal Carolina is talented enough to keep this close — the Chanticleers’ 72.7% cover rate is tied for fourth highest in FBS — but the Dukes should make enough plays to outlast them and dash their Sun Belt title hopes. Consider taking Coastal Carolina at +8.5.
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