Ball State Cardinals vs James Madison Dukes Matchup

Check out our free Ball State Cardinals vs James Madison Dukes pick and preview for this CFB week 5 game in Harrisonburg. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this week 5 CFB matchup.

James Madison enters this week five non-conference matchup with a perfect 3-0 record, and they are set to face the Ball State Cardinals. The game is scheduled for 1:30 ET on Saturday, September 28th, at Bridgeforth Stadium/Zane Showker Field in Harrisonburg. ESPN+ will be covering the game as the Dukes look to remain undefeated. The over/under line is at 57.5 points, with James Madison as the heavy -20.5 point favorite. Ball State comes in with a 1-2 record for the season.

Cardinals vs. Dukes Matchup At A Glance

Sport: CFB
Teams: Ball State Cardinals at James Madison Dukes
Where: Harrisonburg at Bridgeforth Stadium/Zane Showker Field
Date: Saturday, September 28th
Betting Odds JMAD -20.5, BALLST +781 | JMAD -1370 O/U 57.5

Cardinals Preview:

Ball State is looking to bounce back after a 37-34 road loss to Central Michigan, bringing their season record to 1-2. Despite the defeat, the Cardinals covered the spread as +6.5 point underdogs. The game's combined score of 71 points easily surpassed the over/under line of 50.5 points.

Ball State started the game strong, taking a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. Central Michigan responded by outscoring the Cardinals 23-7 in the second quarter, giving them a 23-17 lead at halftime. Ball State added a touchdown in the third quarter to take a 24-23 lead, but Central Michigan outscored them 14-10 in the fourth quarter to secure the win.

Cardinals Offense Breakdown

In their 37-34 loss to Central Michigan, Ball State's offense put up 431 yards, with 285 yards coming from Kadin Semonza's arm. Semonza completed 75% of his passes, throwing for three touchdowns and posting a passer rating of 119.27. Tanner Koziol was his top target, catching nine passes for 112 yards.

On the ground, the Cardinals picked up 146 yards, with Braedon Sloan leading the way with 94 yards on 19 carries. Sloan also added a rushing touchdown to the team's three passing scores.

Cardinals Team Defense

Ball State's defense will need to make significant improvements after allowing 335 rushing yards and 192 passing yards in their most recent game. The Cardinals gave up 527 total yards and 37 points to Central Michigan, with 21 pass attempts resulting in 192 yards through the air. On the ground, Ball State's defense was gashed for 335 yards and three rushing touchdowns.

Dukes Preview:

Dukes Offense Breakdown

Alonza Barnett III was the driving force behind James Madison's offense in their 70-50 win over North Carolina, throwing for 388 yards and five touchdowns. Barnett completed 64.7% of his passes and finished with a passer rating of 143.14. Omarion Dollison was his top target, hauling in three receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown.

The Dukes' offense racked up 612 total yards, with 224 yards coming on the ground. Barnett was also the team's leading rusher, gaining 99 yards on 13 carries and scoring two rushing touchdowns.

Dukes Team Defense

James Madison's defense will be looking to improve after giving up 616 total yards in their last game. The Dukes allowed 475 passing yards and 141 rushing yards, with North Carolina scoring three touchdowns on the ground and through the air. Despite these numbers, James Madison's defense did come up with two interceptions in the game.

Cardinals vs Dukes Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Ball State has a 1-2 record in their last three road games. In this stretch, they averaged 18 points per game while allowing 38. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-1.
James Madison has played well in their previous three home games, going 2-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 40 points per game while allowing 29. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-1.
Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Ball State Cardinals have gone 4-1 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-4.
James Madison has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 4-1 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last five games.