Louisiana-Monroe (0-0) vs Jackson State (0-0)
Game Info: Thursday, August 29, 2024 at 7:00 pm (JPS Field at James L. Malone Stadium)
The Line: Betting Odds: Louisiana-Monroe -7.5 / Jackson State +7.5 — Over/Under: 49.5
The Jackson State Tigers and the LA-Monroe Warhawks meet Thursday in college football action from Malone Stadium. Here’s a Jackson State vs LA-Monroe prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Jackson State vs LA-Monroe pick. We will examine:
The Jackson State Tigers recent form and player performance
The LA-Monroe Warhawks recent form and player performance
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Jackson State Tigers
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the LA-Monroe Warhawks
Recent betting trends in games played between Jackson State and LA-Monroe
A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Jackson State vs LA-Monroe game
Jackson State Tigers Betting Preview
The Tigers had quite a few successes last season, but they didn’t translate to much within a pretty competitive SWAC. Jackson State ended up going 7-4 overall and 5-3 in the conference, which put the team in third place among the East Division behind Florida A&M and Alabama State.
With that all-important first year now in the rearview mirror, Tigers head coach TC Taylor is prepped for some higher expectations. The good news is that Jackson State should continue to maintain balance, excelling at minimizing turnovers and controlling the clock. Jackson State will take on Lane, Southern, and Grambling State after this game.
LA-Monroe Warhawks Betting Preview
Over on the LA-Monroe side, they’re coming off a pretty abysmal campaign in 2023. The Warhawks went just 2-10 overall and failed to win a game in the Sun Belt at 0-8. LA-Monroe finished two games back of Southern Miss for last place in the West Division and had the worst record in the conference.
It’s rebuild time under new head coach Bryant Vincent. The expectations are pretty minimal here, as LA-Monroe was voted to finish in last place among the West Division in the preseason coaches’ poll. That said, this opener is a winnable game and it’ll be a good opportunity for the Warhawks to start strong. ULM will play against UAB following this game.
Why the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks will win
- Louisiana-Monroe has won each of its last five games against non-conference opponents at Malone Stadium.
- Louisiana-Monroe has covered the spread in three of its last four games against non-conference opponents at Malone Stadium.
Why the Jackson State Tigers will win
- Louisiana-Monroe has lost each of its last eight games against non-AP-ranked teams.
- Louisiana-Monroe has failed to cover the spread in five of its last six season openers.
Total Points Facts
- Each of Louisiana-Monroe’s last seven games against non-FBS teams have gone UNDER the total points line.
Matchup/League Facts
- Louisiana-Monroe suffered the equal-most losses by a margin of 30+ points of any FBS team last season (five).
- Louisiana-Monroe suffered the equal-most losses by a margin of 40+ points of any FBS team last season (2).
Jackson State vs LA-Monroe Prediction
I’m slightly leaning LA-Monroe, but this one’s a coin flip. The Warhawks couldn’t do much of anything right last season, giving up a conference-high 446.8 yards per game and gaining a conference-low 321.1 yards per game. The good news is that the offensive line seems improved this year, and the secondary likely won’t give up too many huge plays.
All of that said, Jackson State could easily pull the rug from out under LA-Monroe’s feet if the Tigers don’t make too many mistakes. I like this one to be a fairly close finish and a dogfight the whole way. Should be a fun one to watch at least.