James Madison Dukes vs Southern Miss Golden Eagles Prediction, 11/5/2026 College Football Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: James Madison Dukes vs Southern Miss Golden Eagles

Date: Thursday, November 5, 2026

Location: M. M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, MS

TV: ESPN2

Odds/Point Spread: Golden Eagles (+14.5)

Total/Over-Under: 57.5

The James Madison Dukes (7-2) are hitting the road to M. M. Roberts Stadium on Thursday, November 5, 2026 where they will compete against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles (3-5). Southern Miss opens as 14.5-point underdogs from Vegas oddsmakers. The betting total is set at 57.5.

The James Madison Dukes head into this matchup 7-2 for this year. In their last game, the Dukes played the Troy Trojans and ended up losing by a score of 24-21. The James Madison Dukes ended up rushing 42 different times and totaled 161 yards, which earned them an average of 3.8 yards per carry. For the game, they tallied 77 plays for 408 yds. James Madison conceded 15 pass completions on 30 tries for 179 yards, and a completion rate of 50.0%. When it came to stopping the run, the Dukes conceded 170 yards on 45 attempts, which is 3.8 yds per run allowed.

The Dukes have earned 4,058 total yards for the season. When it comes to scoring touchdowns, James Madison has compiled 23 passing touchdowns and 19 rushing touchdowns. They have surrendered the football 11 different times. James Madison has recorded 191 first downs as a unit, and they have been hurt by 70 penalties for 676 yards. Offensively they hold an average of 202.1 yards on the ground giving them a rank of 23rd in college football. Regarding putting the ball in the endzone, the James Madison Dukes hold an average of 39.1 points per game.

When talking about passing yards, the Dukes have given up 2,119 yards which puts them in 125th in the nation. They have conceded 235.4 yards per game via the pass and conceding a completion percentage of 57.1%. In total, they have allowed 352.2 yards/outing putting them 63rd in the country. They have allowed 11 touchdowns by air as well as 7 touchdowns pounding the rock. Opposing teams are running for an average of 3.3 yards per rush on the ground and 116.8 rushing yards per contest for the year. Overall, they have allowed 1,051 running yards through 9 outings. The Dukes rank 29th in the country when it comes to the opposition scoring, conceding 18.9 PPG.

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The Golden Eagles step onto the field holding a record of 3-5 for this season. When they last played, the Golden Eagles took home the win by a final score of 35-21 when they played the UL Monroe Warhawks. Southern Miss ran the ball for 5.9 yards per attempt, finishing with 249 yards on 42 attempts. The Golden Eagles finished the game with a total of 379 yards on 72 plays (5.3 yds per play). The Golden Eagles pass defense allowed a completion rate of 55.9%, relinquishing 202 yards on 19 for 34 passing. Southern Miss gave up 44 rush attempts for 157 yds (3.6 yards per rush).

In terms of putting points on the board, the Golden Eagles are sitting 79th in D-1 averaging 26.9 points per outing. The Southern Miss Golden Eagles are averaging 399.5 yards per outing, ranking them 55th in the country. The Southern Miss offense has compiled 492 penalty yards on 54 violations, ranking them 65th in D-1 in terms of helping out the opposition. They have tossed 9 picks while conceding 2 fumbles and they have tallied 167 1st downs. During the season so far, the Golden Eagles have earned 1,859 passing yards in addition to an average of 232.4 passing yards per game, putting them at 64th in the nation. They maintain an average of 167.1 run yards per game and have run for 1,337 yards in total.

Southern Miss has given up a total of 1,787 yards rushing (223.4 yards per game) as well as 16 touchdowns on the ground on the campaign. They have surrendered 12 touchdowns through the air as well as 209.0 yards/contest, which has them ranked 66th in the country. This year, they have conceded 248 total points. Their defense has compiled 4 fumbles and 6 picks for the season. The Golden Eagles defense has taken the field for 606 plays, which is good for 132nd in Division 1. The Golden Eagles are surrendering 31.0 points per game, which puts them 118th in college football.

Who will win tonight's Dukes/Golden Eagles college football game against the spread?

Tony's Pick: Take the Dukes -14.5

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