James Madison vs Coastal Carolina

James Madison’s eight-game winning streak, built on a 35.9-point scoring average and an 11th-ranked scoring defense, makes them an overwhelming straight-up favorite against a Coastal Carolina team that has dropped two in a row by a combined 49 points and is just 93rd nationally in scoring offense. With dual-threat quarterback Alonza Barnett III directing a top-10 rushing attack and workhorse back Wayne Knight nearly at 1,000 yards, the Dukes’ offensive floor is far higher than a Chanticleers squad now forced to lean on Tad Hudson after dynamic QB Samari Collier’s knee injury removed a critical element of their ground game. Add in that JMU has dominated the series since joining the Sun Belt—three straight wins by 33+ points each—and still has motivation to keep its New Year’s Six and CFP-resume shine ahead of hosting the conference championship, and it’s hard to see a realistic outright path for Coastal despite the minimal road edge and some injury question marks in JMU’s front seven. From a value standpoint, though, laying a -3333 moneyline price in college football is inefficient even on a heavy favorite, so this is more a parlay anchor than a standalone wager, earning only a C+ grade despite a very high probability of cashing. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 28/11/2025 11:16am

The total hangs right on top of these teams’ combined scoring profiles, but the matchup dynamics lean slightly Under 53.5, as James Madison’s elite defense (16.5 points allowed per game, top 10 in total yardage) meets a Coastal Carolina offense that has been wildly inconsistent and now lacks injured dual-threat weapon Samari Collier, likely shrinking the Chanticleers’ explosive-play and red-zone upside. Coastal’s attack under Tad Hudson has been heavily run-leaning and methodical, while JMU’s offense is built around a dominant rushing trio led by Knight and Barnett, and the Dukes also rank near the top of FBS in time of possession, a combination that tends to bleed clock when they play from ahead. With JMU favored by more than three touchdowns and historically burying Coastal in this series, a game script in which the Dukes’ ground game methodically builds a lead while their front seven suffocates a banged-up Chanticleers unit makes a 38–10 or 41–13 type scoreline more likely than a true track meet, giving the Under enough edge and correlation with JMU’s defensive strength to merit a B grade at this juice. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 28/11/2025 11:16am

Against the number, James Madison laying -21.5 is aggressive but still the side, as the Dukes’ average scoring margin of nearly three touchdowns and a defense allowing just 261.1 yards per game line up against a Coastal Carolina defense bleeding 31.6 points and over 450 yards per contest, one of the worst marks in FBS. The matchup tilts further with Coastal’s offensive ceiling lowered by Collier’s absence and several front-seven and offensive-line injuries, while Barnett, Knight, and Landon Ellis headline an offense that has shredded Sun Belt foes and has already blown out Coastal in three straight meetings, including 56–14 in Conway and 47–7 at home in recent seasons. The main concern for the favorite is situational: JMU has the Sun Belt Championship locked up next week, so conservative late-game playcalling or backups entering early could open the door to a backdoor cover against a Chanticleers team that is 4-1 at Brooks Stadium and fighting to avoid a three-game slide, which keeps this to a B- rather than an A-level play—but talent, form, and matchup still point to the Dukes covering the big number more often than not. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 28/11/2025 11:16am