Week 2 of the college football kicks off with the Louisville Cardinals (1-0) hosting the James Madison Dukes (1-0) on Friday. The Cardinals (9-4, 5-3 in ACC in 2024) head into their second home game of the season after dominating Eastern Kentucky 51-17 to kick off the 2025 season. They welcome Sun Belt competitor James Madison (9-4, 4-4 in 2024), who defeated Weber State 45-10 in their season debut.
Kickoff from L&N Stadium in Louisville is set for 7 p.m. ET. The Cardinals are 14.5-point favorites in the latest James Madison vs. Louisville odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 55.5. Before making any Louisville vs. James Madison picks, make sure you check out the college football picks from the SportsLine projection model. New users at bet365 can get $300 in bonus bets instantly with the latest bet365 bonus code for Friday’s game:
The model simulates every FBS game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a betting profit of well over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college spread football picks, and was a profitable 27-16 combined on money-line and over/under college football picks in 2024. Anybody following its college football betting picks at sportsbooks and on betting sites could have seen strong returns.
Here are SportsLine model’s best bets for James Madison vs. Louisville on Friday:
- James Madison +14.5
- Over 55.5 points
James Madison +14.5
Louisville might have made easy work of Eastern Kentucky, but turnovers can make the Cardinals vulnerable against a formidable opponent. James Madison, meanwhile, likes to limit the opposition’s explosiveness and topped the Sun Belt last season with 321.8 yards allowed per game. The Dukes were also stealthy against the rush, which could slow down Cardinals running back Isaac Brown. Louisville also failed to cover in Week 1, despite scoring over 50 points. The SportsLine Projection Model has James Madison covering the spread in well over 50% of simulations.
Over 55.5 points
Cardinals quarterback Miller Moss threw two interceptions in Week 1 but still racked up 223 yards with a touchdown as Louisville easily hit the Over in Week 1. The Dukes only hit the Over in five games last season, but easily hit it as they put up 45 points in their season-opener. James Madison’s Alonza Barnett only threw for 130 yards in Week 1, but was complemented by a run game that racked up 313 yards and contributed four touchdowns. The Over is hitting in well over 50% of simulations by the SportsLine projection model.
Want more college football picks for Week 2?
You’ve seen the model’s top James Madison vs. Louisville picks for Week 2. Now, get against the spread, total and money-line picks for every Week 2 CFB game here, all from the model that’s simulated every game 10,000 times.
Want more from SportsLine? See the top Week 2 college football picks from college football expert Bruce Marshall, who is on a 56-34-3 roll (+1833) on his last 93 CFB ATS picks.
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