James Madison (JMU) Dukes at Marshall Thundering Herd, Picks, Odds, Preview, and Prediction, Saturday, November 8, 2025

It’s a massive Sun Belt Conference clash on Saturday, Nov. 8. Read our James Madison vs Marshall prediction along with the other NCAAF Betting Picks! James Madison is 7-1 and they are leading the conference with their six-game winning streak. The Dukes need to keep things rolling if they want to be the Group of Four representative in the College Football Playoff. Marshall is 4-4 and they have won three straight home games. These two teams will meet with kick-off set for 12 p.m. EST.

JMU leading the Sun Belt Conference

JMU is 7-1 overall this season. The Dukes are 5-0 in the Sun Belt Conference and they are in first place in East division of the conference, the only undefeated team on that side of the league. The Dukes' lone loss was a 28-14 defeat to Louisville in Week 2. James Madison has won six straight games since the loss.

In their last game, JMU defeated Texas State 52-20 on the road on Tuesday, Oct. 28. James Madison led the game early 14-0 as they never gave up their lead. The Dukes led 28-20 at halftime before James Madison erupted in the second half. They scored 24 unanswered points to highlight the win. Quarterback Alonza Barnett III threw for 264 yards on 12-for-18 passing with four touchdowns and one pick. He also rushed for a team-high 98 yards and a touchdown.

Barnett has thrown for 1,516 yards and has completed 62% of his passes. He has thrown 13 touchdowns and three interceptions on the year. The signal caller has also rushed for 10 touchdowns. Wayne Knight leads the running back room with 659 yards and five touchdowns.

On defense, James Madison is led in tackles by Trent Hendrick with 58. He has 11 more tackles than the rest of the team. Four different players lead the team in sacks with three each. The defense has forced 11 turnovers with nine of them being interceptions.

James Madison is averaging 32.3 points per game which ranks 44th in the nation. They are the third best rushing attack with 279 yards per game on the ground. The Dukes are passing for 226 yards per game placing them 75th.

On defense, James Madison is allowing 15.6 points per game which ranks 10th best. The are the 14th best rush defense giving up 91.7 yards per game. The Dukes also rank 34th in the country in pass defense allowing 195.6 yards per game.

James Madison is 6-2 against the spread this season. They are 3-1 against the spread when they have played on the road. The Dukes are 2-2 against the spread when they have been double-digit underdogs. The under is 5-3 when James Madison has played this season. The under is 1-3 when the have played on the road. The under is 3-2 when the total has been set at 50 points or higher.

Marshall playing well at home this season

Marshall is 4-4 overall this season. The Thundering Herd are 2-2 in the Sun Belt Conference as they are in fourth place in the East Division. Marshall has won four of their last six games coming into this week. The Thundering Herd have won three straight home games.

In their last game, Marshall lost 44-27 to Coastal Carolina on the road on Thursday, Oct. 30. Marshall held a 13-3 lead halfway through the second quarter. But, the Thundering Herd’s defense could not slow down Coastal Carolina, especially in the third quarter. Marshall held a 27-17 lead with 12:00 left in the third quarter. Coastal Carolina scored 27 unanswered points to secure the win.

Marshall turned the ball over five times in the loss was detrimental to the result. Quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson threw for 153 yards on 21-for-36 passing with a touchdown and two picks. Running back Antwan Roberts rushed for 134 yards in the defeat, too.

Del Rio-Wilson has thrown for 1,286 yards with 71% of his passes. He has thrown 13 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He is also the leading rusher on the team with 414 yards and four touchdowns. Wide receiver Demarcus Lacey is the top wideout with 508 yards and four touchdowns on 40 catches.

On defense, Marshall is led in tackles by Kerion Martin with 46. Marshall has three different players with 40 tackles or more. Braydin Ward has a team-high four sacks on the season. Boogie Trotter has a team-leading five interceptions, too. Marshall has forced 16 turnovers on the year.

Marshall is averaging 35.1 points per game, which ranks 29th in the nation. They are the 11th-best rushing attack with 236 yards per game. The Thundering Herd are averaging 214 passing yards per game, which places them 91st.

On defense, Marshall is allowing 30.9 points per game, which ranks 112th. They are the 93rd-ranked rush defense, giving up 167.9 yards per game. The Thundering Herd are one of the worst pass defenses, allowing 304 yards per game, placing them 135th.

Marshall is 5-3 against the spread this season. The Thundering Herd are 3-0 against the spread when they have been underdogs. The over is 5-2-1 when the Thundering Herd have played. The over is 2-0-1 when Marshall has been an underdog. The over is 3-1-1 when the total has been set at 50 points or higher.

JMU Dukes vs Marshall Thundering Herd Picks

JMU vs Marshall Spread Pick

• Marshall +13.5 (5 units)

JMU enters this game with some high expectations as they look for a College Football Playoff bid. The Dukes are on a six-game winning streak and have dominated most of the Sun Belt Conference. The Team’s defense has been incredible this season as they rank 10th in scoring and 14th in rush yards allowed. James Madison’s offense has also been strong with the third-best rushing offense. Marshall is going to have a hard time slowing them down their defense that ranks 93rd in rushing yards allowed. But, Marshall’s offense is good enough to hang around and cover the spread. Marshall has been great at home and it’s been a tough place for teams to come to as the Thundering Herd have won three straight. Marshall is 3-0 against the spread when they have been underdogs. The spread is big enough for Marshall to hang around despite James Madison coming away with the win.

Take Marshall to cover.

JMU vs Marshall Over/Under Pick

• Over 54.5 (5 units) 

Marshall’s offense needs to score around 20 points for the over to hit, which is exactly what is going to happen. The Thundering Herd are averaging 35.1 points per game as quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson has been excellent this year. James Madison’s defense is elite, but the duel-threat quarterback will cause problems at home. The over is 5-2-1 when the Thundering Herd have played. The over is 2-0-1 when Marshall has been an underdog. Marshall’s defense has also been poor, giving up over 30 points per game.

Take the over on Saturday.