The James Madison Dukes will be returning home after a two-game road trip. James Madison and the Marshall Thundering Herd will face off in a Sun Belt battle at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday at Showker Field at Bridgeforth Stadium. The Dukes are out to keep their three-game home win streak alive.
James Madison came within a touchdown against the Georgia Southern Eagles last week, but they wound up with a 45-38 loss. Despite the defeat, James Madison got a solid performance out of QB Todd Centeio, who passed for two TDs and 468 yards on 48 attempts in addition to rushing for three TDs and 44 yards.
Meanwhile, Marshall came up short against the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns last Wednesday, falling 23-13. If the result catches you off guard, it should: Marshall was far and away the favorite. The losing side was boosted by RB Khalan Laborn, who rushed for two TDs and 120 yards on 26 carries.
This next contest looks promising for the Dukes, who are favored by a full 12.5 points. Those burned by picking them against the spread last week might want to keep in mind that the team has not yet dropped back-to-back games against the spread this season.
The losses put James Madison at 5-1 and the Thundering Herd at 3-3. A pair of defensive numbers to keep in mind before kickoff: James Madison ranks first in the nation when it comes to rushing yards allowed per game, with only 37 on average. Marshall is not quite as good, but they are no chumps, either: they enter the game with only 77.3 rushing yards allowed per game on average, good for second best in the nation. Looks like yards on the ground might be a bit hard to come by this week.