Pick details
| MATCHUP | James Madison Dukes | Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 7-2 | 3-5 |
| Spread | -14.5 -108 | +14.5 -112 |
| Moneyline | -650 | +470 |
| Total | Over 58.5 (-105) | Under 58.5 (-115) |
| Where | M. M. Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg, MS | |
| When | Thursday, November 5, 2026 | |
| Time | 08:00 PM EST | |
| TV | ESPN2 | |
James Madison vs Southern Miss Prediction
James Madison comes into this matchup after two very disappointing overtime losses and they desperately need to find a win here. The Dukes have scored 31+ points in three of their last five games, but they were terrible in the second half last week against Troy. Southern Miss has won back to back games and they have scored 35 points in both of those wins. The Golden Eagles have covered +14 in all but three of their games this season and I think they have way more momentum here. Take Southern Miss and the points.
James Madison Dukes Betting Preview
The James Madison Dukes are 7-2 (4-2) this season after they lost to Troy in overtime by a score of 24-21 in their last game. James Madison led 21-7 at halftime, but they were outscored 14-0 in the second half and lost on a field goal in OT. The Dukes out gained Troy by a total of 408-349, went 7-18 on third downs, and lost the turnover battle by a total of 5-1 in the game. Camden Coleman threw for 175 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, while Michael Scott caught four passes for 68 yards. Seth Cromwell rushed 23 times for 135 yards and one score in the loss.
Prior to that game, James Madison lost to App State by a score of 34-31, but did defeat Georgia State by a score of 49-22 before that. The Dukes have scored 39.1 points per game with 248.8 passing yards and 202.1 rushing yards per game, while they have allowed 18.9 points against per game this season. Camden Coleman has thrown for 1,742 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions, while George Pettaway has rushed 124 times for 824 yards and eight scores. Corey Scott is the leading receiver with 27 catches for 386 yards and five touchdowns this season.
Southern Miss Golden Eagles Betting Preview
The Southern Miss Golden Eagles are 3-5 (2-2) this year after they defeated ULM by a score of 35-21 in their last game. Southern Miss led 10-0 at halftime and 27-7 in the fourth quarter, but they did allow 14 points in the fourth in the win. The Golden Eagles out gained ULM by a total of 379-359, went 5-18 on third downs, and won the turnover battle by a total of 2-0 in the game. Landry Lyddy threw for 130 yards and one touchdown, while Mario Sanders caught four passes for 31 yards. Steven Robinson rushed 21 times for 151 yards and one score in the win.
Prior to that game, Southern Miss defeated Louisiana by a score of 35-31, but did lose to Arkansas State by a score of 23-13 before that. The Golden Eagles have scored 26.9 points per game with 232.4 passing yards and 167.1 rushing yards per game, while they have allowed 31.0 points against per game this season. Landry Lyddy has thrown for 1,326 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions, while Steven Robinson has 728 rushing yards and nine scores. Mario Sanders has led the WR room with 44 catches for 600 yards and five touchdowns this year.
Why the Southern Miss Golden Eagles will win
- Southern Miss has won each of its last four Thursday games against non-AP-ranked teams.
- James Madison has failed to cover the spread in three of its last four games as a favorite.
Total Points Facts
- Each of Southern Miss’ last four November games at Carlisle-Faulkner Field at Renasant Stadium have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Five of James Madison’s last six road games against conference opponents have gone OVER the total points line.
Southern Miss Golden Eagles Player Prop Facts
- Heading into Week 10, Mario Sanders II leads the Sun Belt Conference for targets (72) this season.
James Madison Dukes Player Prop Facts
- Heading into Week 10, George Pettaway leads the Sun Belt Conference for rushing yards (824) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- Southern Miss ranks 136th among FBS teams for rushing yards allowed per game this season (223.4).
- Southern Miss ranks T135th among FBS teams for Q1 points per game this season (2.1).
- James Madison ranks 3rd among FBS teams for Q1 points per game this season (11.4).
- James Madison ranks 4th among FBS teams for H1 points per game this season (24.7).
Positive Trends
As you can see, we don’t have a ton of trends in our corner, but I am sticking with Southern Miss here. Like I touched on above, James Madison is not playing very well right now and has failed to cover in three of their last four games as a favorite. Take Southern Miss and the points at home.
David Racey's Pick: Southern Miss +14.5
