The James Madison Dukes take on the Marshall Thundering Herd in Huntington, West Virginia. Kickoff is set for 12:00 p.m. EST on ESPN2.
James Madison is favored by 13.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -525. The total is set at 54.5 points.
Here’s my James Madison vs Marshall prediction and college football picks for Saturday, November 8, 2025.
James Madison vs Marshall Prediction
- James Madison vs Marshall Pick: Under 54.5 (-110, bet365)
My Marshall vs. James Madison best bet is on the Under. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
James Madison vs Marshall Odds
| JMU Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-13.5 -110 | 54.5 -110o / -110u | -525 |
| Marshall Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+13.5 -110 | 54.5 -110o / -110u | +390 |
James Madison vs Marshall Preview
This game triggered one of our Action PRO betting systems, powered by Evan Abrams.
Early Unranked Unders is a college football system that identifies value in early-season matchups where neither team is ranked and where offensive expectations are often overstated.
In the first 10 games of the season, unranked teams often lack the consistency and firepower of top programs, leading to sloppy execution, conservative play-calling, and a slower tempo.
The system focuses on regular-season contests with closing totals between 46 and 100, a range that signals scoring potential but often proves inflated when factoring in real game conditions.
Additional filters, such as wind speeds above 6 MPH and temperatures no higher than 66 degrees, further suppress offensive efficiency, creating an environment where scoring struggles to match market projections.
With the home spread allowed to range widely from slight underdog to heavy favorite, the system captures a broad spectrum of unranked contests where defenses or conditions keep outcomes tighter and lower-scoring than the total suggests, making the under a profitable angle.
James Madison vs Marshall Pick, Betting Analysis
Alonza Barnett III and the Dukes are a dangerous passing offense, but most of what they do is set up on the ground — they rank eighth nationally in rush play rate (61%).
That could be a problem against Marshall. While the Thundering Herd boast an overall poor defense, they rank in the top 20 nationally in both Rush Success Rate and EPA per Rush allowed behind a defensive line that ranks 32nd in Defensive Line Yards.
I think Marshall’s defense can hang tough with James Madison’s rushing attack, which could keep the Dukes from being too efficient through the air.
Marshall’s offense is the far stronger unit, especially behind new quarterback Carlos Del-Rio Wilson. However, I’m not sure the Herd will move the ball well against James Madison’s defense, as the Dukes rank second nationally in Success Rate allowed behind a stingy front that ranks in the top 10 in Defensive Line Yards and Havoc.
Although Marshall games have been high-scoring recently, I’m still taking the Under in a game that could be decided by the defenses.
Pick: Under 54.5 (-110, bet365)
