Ball State vs James Madison Prediction College Football Picks 9/28/24

James Madison (3-0) vs Ball State (1-2)

Game Info: Saturday, September 28, 2024 at 1:30 pm (Showker Field at Bridgeforth Stadium)

Betting Odds: James Madison -20.5 / Ball State +20.5 --- Over/Under: 57.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds

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In this article, we will formulate a Ball State vs James Madison prediction for this College Football game on Saturday, September 28th at Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Let’s take a look at the prediction for this Week 5 matchup. 

Ball State Cardinals Betting Preview

The Ball State Cardinals are 1-2 this season after they lost to Central Michigan by a score of 37-34 in their last game. Ball State led 27-23 in the fourth quarter but allowed two touchdowns in the last 5:02 of the game for the loss. The Cardinals were outgained by a total of 527-431, won the turnover battle 1-0, and went 5-15 on third down in the game. Kadin Semonza threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns, while Braedon Sloan rushed for 94 yards and one score. 

Ball State defeated Missouri State by a score of 42-34 in their first game, but they lost 62-0 against Miami in their second game. The Ball State offense has scored 31.3 points per game with 218.7 passing yards and 108.3 rushing yards per game, while the defense has allowed 44.3 points per game this season. The Cardinals have gone 39.1% on third down and 3-7 on fourth down through three games. Kadin Semonza has completed 71.2% of his passes for 658 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions, while Tanner Koziol has caught 20 passes for 211 yards and two scores. 

James Madison Dukes Betting Preview

The James Madison Dukes are 3-0 this year after they defeated North Carolina by a score of 70-50 in their last game. James Madison led 53-21 at halftime and they cruised to the victory in the second half. The Dukes were outgained by a total of 616-611, won the turnover battle 5-1, and went 6-14 on third down in the game. Alonza Barnett III threw for 388 yards and five touchdowns, while also rushing for 99 yards and two scores. 

James Madison defeated Charlotte by a score of 30-7 and Gardner Webb by a score of 13-6 in their first two games. The JMU offense has scored 37.7 points per game with 247.3 passing yards and 189 rushing yards per game, while the defense has allowed 21 points per game this season. The Dukes have gone 32.4% on third down and 2-6 on fourth down so far this season. Alonza Barnett III has completed 62.2% of his passes for 742 yards, seven touchdowns, and one interception, while Omarion Dollison has caught five passes for 205 yards and two scores. 

Ball State vs James Madison Prediction 

James Madison comes into this game after putting up 70 points on the road against North Carolina in their last game, but they need to refocus to avoid a letdown here. The Dukes were outgained in that victory against UNC, but they were able to generate five turnovers for the win. Ball State lost in the last minute against Central Michigan last week and their defense has some serious issues. The Cardinals allowed 34 points to Missouri State and 62 points to Miami in their first two games, so I expect James Madison to light up the scoreboard once again here. Take the over in this matchup. 

The pick in this article is the opinion of the writer, not a PickDawgz site consensus.

Mitch's Take...

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