The James Madison Dukes will visit the Louisville Cardinals on Friday night to kick off Week 2 in college football. Both of these teams destroyed FCS opponents in their first games. We should learn a lot more about both teams this week as they face their first FBS foes of the year. Before these teams kick things off from Louisville, continue reading to get my analysis for this game and to get my James Madison vs Louisville prediction.
Our James Madison vs Louisville Pick
- Pick: Over 57.5
- Confidence: 2/5
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Game Snapshot
- Matchup: James Madison Dukes at Louisville Cardinals
- Date & Time: Friday, September 5, 2025, 7:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium, Louisville, KY
- Broadcast: ESPN2
James Madison vs Louisville Odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville –12.5 | Louisville –600 / JMU +400 | 57.5 |
Key Storylines
- Louisville is coming off a 51-17 season-opening win against Eastern Kentucky. Head coach Jeff Brohm will look for a similar result in a tougher non-conference test this week.
- James Madison beat up on Weber State in their season opener last week. These games against FCS opponents tell us so little about teams because of the physical advantages that FBS teams have in them. This game will tell us a lot about the new-look offense for the Dukes.
- This will be Miller Moss’ first test as the Louisville starting quarterback against an FBS team. Moss had one touchdown pass and two interceptions against EKU last week and will need to be more precise with the ball against a better opponent.
Quarterback Play
- Louisville – Miller Moss: Moss completed 17 of 25 pass attempts for 223 yards. He had one passing TD, two interceptions, and a rushing touchdown. Moss has some questions to answer here after his turnover-prone performance in Week 1.
- James Madison – Alonza Barnett III: Barnett completed 14 of 22 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown in his return from an ACL injury. His ability to keep plays alive with his legs will be key against Louisville’s defensive front.
Betting Trends & H2H
- James Madison covered the spread in their first game of the season.
- Louisville failed to cover the number in their 34-point win over Eastern Kentucky.
- These teams have played each other once all-time. Louisville won that game by a score of 34-10 in November of 2022.
James Madison vs Louisville Model Projection
Score Projection: Louisville 38 – James Madison 24
Win Probability: Louisville 78%, James Madison 22%
Final Thoughts
Louisville should have the edge in this matchup against James Madison. But for that to be the case, Miller Moss has to be more careful and avoid putting the ball in harm’s way. I think Moss will do a good enough job of that and the Cardinals will win the game. My best bet is the over, though, as both teams should do a fair bit of scoring against defense that haven’t had to prove anything yet this season.
