Final James Madison vs Texas State Prediction + Player Props to Bet

• James Madison is a 6.5-point favorite over Texas State in Tuesday Sun Belt action
• The Bobcats rank 28th in EPA per pass and 33rd in EPA per rush
• See my final James Madison vs Texas State prediction, plus which player props to bet

We’ve got Tuesday night college football to sweat tonight courtesy of the Sun Belt. Conference leaders James Madison (6-1, 4-0 Sun Belt) face Texas State (3-4, 0-3 Sun Belt), with the Bobcats still looking for their first league win. Online sportsbooks don’t believe tonight is the night for Texas State, as they’ve pegged the Dukes as big favorites in the latest college football odds.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8pm ET from UFCU Stadium, in San Marcos, TEX, with ESPN2 providing the broadcast coverage.

Here is my final James Madison vs Texas State prediction, and my favorite player props to bet.

Final James Madison vs Texas State Prediction

This game is listed Bobcats +6.5 or +7 at most books, but if you have access to Underdog you can get Texas State +7.5. I’ll gladly take the hook in this contest, but I’m not even sure I’ll need it.

That’s because the Bobcats have the offensive ingredients to challenge the Dukes conference best D. Texas State is incredibly balanced, ranking 28th in EPA/pass and 33rd in EPA/run. They average 36.3 points per game, a top-15 mark in the FBS, while only one school puts up more yards per game.

Texas State Offensive Stats

Dual-threat QB Brad Jackson is a nightmare to defend, accounting for 17 total TD, including eight on the ground. His top RB Lincoln Pare had 9 rushing TD of his own, to go along with a 5.2 yards per carry average, while Beau Sparks and Chris Dawn Jr. have each cleared 500 receiving yards.

The Bobcats will need Jackson and Co. at their best, because the JMU defense is top-11 in the nation in points and yards allowed. The Dukes do an excellent job stuffing the run and generating pressure, but it’s important to note the level of competition hasn’t been stiff.

James Madison has faced only one team ranked inside the top-70, and two ranked in the top-100. Those two programs averaged 27.5 points versus the Dukes, and neither is as efficient offensively as Texas State.

On the other side of the ball, there’s no sugar coating the matchup favors JMU. The Dukes are top-45 in scoring and yards per play, while the Bobcats own the 122nd ranked scoring defense.

Nevertheless, I’m confident Texas State can punch back in this matchup and keep things close. The Bobcats offense is being undervalued in this spot, and I’m hesitant to label JMU’s defense elite until they shut down one of the better offenses in the country.

James Madison vs Texas State Best Odds

If you’re looking to bet the the moneyline or total tonight, be sure to check out the top college football betting apps first. Bet365 has the longest odds on Texas State to pull off the upset, while DraftKings is the place to bet if you want to target the under.

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James Madison vs Texas State Player Props to Bet

If the extra spread value wasn’t enough to sign up at Underdog, maybe their college football player props menu can entice you. They’re offering a 64.5 yard over/under on the rushing prop of Dukes RB Wayne Knight, which is 11 yards lower than some other books.

Knight has at least 74 rushing yards in all but one game this season, and that was against Louisville, who is in the mix in the CFP playoff odds. The junior RB is averaging 6.6 yards per carry so far, and has nine explosive runs already on his 2025 resume.

Knight should have little issues clearing this prop tonight, as the Texas State run defense is underwhelming to say the least. They rank 88th in opponent yards per carry and 94th in rushing yards allowed per game.