The Old Dominion Monarchs take on the James Madison Dukes in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
James Madison is favored by 1.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -120. The total is set at 47.5 points.
Here’s my Old Dominion vs. James Madison prediction and college football picks for Saturday, October 18.
Old Dominion vs James Madison Prediction
- Old Dominion vs. James Madison Pick: Old Dominion +1.5 or Better
My James Madison vs. Old Dominion best bet is on the Monarchs to cover. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Old Dominion vs James Madison Odds
| Old Dominion Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 47.5 -110o / -110u | +100 |
| JMU Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -110 | 47.5 -110o / -110u | -120 |
- Old Dominion vs James Madison point spread: James Madison -1.5 (-110), Old Dominion +1.5 (-110)
- Old Dominion vs James Madison over/under: 47.5 (-11o / -110u).
- Old Dominion vs James Madison moneyline: Old Dominion +100, James Madison -120
Old Dominion vs James Madison Pick
Some may have jumped off the Old Dominion bandwagon after last week's upset loss in Marshall, but not me. I'm still holding on.
The Monarchs may have been caught looking ahead a bit to this week's Sun Belt showdown, but they were also just done in by a minus-five turnover margin. You're not going to win many games on the road in league play when you lose the turnover battle that badly.
From an EPA and Yards Per Play Margin, Old Dominion has been the clearly superior team despite a more difficult schedule.
The Dukes have played one of the easiest slates in the country, especially in league play, with four wins over Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Liberty, and Louisiana. Yet, despite playing some of the nation's worst defenses, the James Madison offense has been a bit stuck in the mud. The Dukes led 17-13 in the fourth quarter against Liberty, which lost its starting quarterback to an injury earlier in the game. They did run all over Georgia Southern (like everybody else) but still needed a fourth-quarter touchdown (on a 28-yard drive) to escape lowly Georgia State 14-7. Just last week, they found themselves tied in the fourth quarter at home against Louisiana, which was playing its backup quarterback.
Penalties also continue to plague the Dukes, who have the second-most penalty yards in the country (Old Dominion ranks 53rd in comparison).
The James Madison defense is the real deal, and Wayne Knight is a good back, but quarterback Alonza Barnett isn't playing at a very high level at the moment.
Conversely, Old Dominion quarterback Colton Joseph has been spectacular all season. Just take a look at the difference between these two signal callers:
- Barnett: 6-6 BTT-TWP and a 60% completion with a 7.5 ADOT
- Joseph: 14-6 BTT-TWP and a 62.5% completion with a 13.8 ADOT
Joseph has also averaged 7.5 yards per carry with 300 more rushing yards than Barnett, who has averaged 3.5 yards per attempt despite facing an easier schedule.
Despite last week's results, I still have Old Dominion power-rated as the better team by about a field goal on a neutral field.
Pick: Old Dominion +1.5 or Better
