James Madison (7-2) travels to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, for a Thursday night Sun Belt Conference matchup against Southern Miss (3-5). Kickoff at Carlisle-Faulkner Field at M.M. Roberts Stadium is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. The Dukes enter as 13.5-point road favorites with an over/under of 57.5 points. James Madison is 6-3 against the spread this season, while Southern Miss sits at 4-4 versus the line.
The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every FBS game 10,000 times, projects the total to go over 57.5 points. The model notes that the last two games for Southern Miss and three of the last four have gone over the total, while two of the last three James Madison games have also cleared the number. Overall, the over holds a 10-7 record for the two teams combined this season.
Quarterback JC Evans is projected to throw for 255 yards and 1.7 touchdowns for James Madison, while running back George Pettaway is expected to rush for 124 yards and 1.19 touchdowns. The model forecasts 58 combined points, with the over hitting in more than 50% of simulations. The model also indicates one side of the spread hits in over 50% of simulations, though that specific pick is available only through SportsLine.
