James Madison vs. Louisville prediction, odds for 2025 Week 2 CFB picks by expert on 15-5 and 5-0 rolls

The James Madison Dukes battle the Louisville Cardinals in a Week 2 college football matchup on Friday. James Madison is coming off a 45-10 win over Weber State, while Louisville opened its season with a 51-17 win over Eastern Kentucky. The Dukes, who were 9-4 overall last season, were 3-3 on the road a year ago. The Cardinals, who were also 9-4, are 5-2 on their home field since the start of 2024.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium in Louisville, Ky. Louisville won the only meeting with James Madison, 34-10 in 2022. The Cardinals are 14-point favorites in the latest James Madison vs. Louisville odds, while the over-under for total points scored is 55.5. Before making any James Madison vs. Louisville picks, be sure to see what SportsLine expert Mike Tierney has to say. You can also bet James Madison vs. Louisville at DraftKings, where new users get $300 in bonus bets and over $200 off NFL Sunday Ticket. Click here to get started:

A veteran sportswriter whose work appears periodically in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, Mike Tierney had a tremendous 2024 college football season in which he finished 62-41 (plus $1,649 for $100 players). He is also 15-5 (+950) in his last 20 picks involving Louisville, and 5-0 (+1500) in his last five James Madison picks. Anyone following could’ve seen huge returns. 

Now, Tierney has set his sights on James Madison vs. Louisville and just locked in his picks and college football predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several college football odds and college football betting lines for Louisville vs. James Madison:

Why Louisville can win

Senior transfer quarterback Miller Moss powers the Cardinals’ offense. In the big win over Eastern Kentucky, he completed 17 of 25 passes for 223 yards and one touchdown. He was picked off twice, but added an 8-yard scoring run. He spent the past four seasons at USC. He completed 64.4% of his passes last year, throwing for 2,555 yards and 18 touchdowns with nine interceptions.

Sophomore running back Isaac Brown was dominant in the opener, carrying six times for 126 yards and two touchdowns, including a long of 68 yards. Last season in 13 games, he carried 165 times for 1,173 yards (7.1 average) and 11 touchdowns. In a 41-14 win over Kentucky on Nov. 30, he rushed 26 times for 178 yards and two touchdowns. In a 33-21 win at Clemson, he carried 20 times for 151 yards and one touchdown. See which team to back at SportsLine. 

Why James Madison can win

Helping lead the Dukes’ offense is junior quarterback Alonza Barnett III. In the win over Weber State, he completed 14 of 22 passes for 130 yards and one touchdown, while rushing five times for 30 yards and one score. Last season as the team’s starter, he completed 60% of his passes for 2,598 yards and 26 touchdowns with just four interceptions and a 143.4 rating. He also rushed 135 times for 442 yards and seven touchdowns.

Junior running back George Pettaway powers the ground attack. Against Weber State, he rushed 10 times for 99 yards. He led the Dukes in rushing last season, carrying 162 times for 980 yards (6.0 average) and five touchdowns. He also caught 24 passes for 200 yards (8.3 average) and two touchdowns. Pettaway surpassed 100 yards rushing in two games in 2024, including 119 yards on 16 carries in a 32-15 win over Southern Mississippi on Oct. 26. See which team to back at SportsLine, and new users can also check out the latest bet365 bonus code to get $200 in bonus bets after placing a $5 bet:

How to make Louisville vs. James Madison picks

Tierney has analyzed James Madison vs. Louisville from every angle and is leaning Under on the point total. He has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He’s only sharing what it is, and which side to back, at SportsLine.

Who wins James Madison vs. Louisville, and what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Louisville vs. JMU spread you need to jump on, all from the expert who is 15-5 on his last 20 picks involving the Cardinals, and 5-0 in his last five James Madison picks, and find out.