James Madison hosts Coastal Carolina in a crucial Sun Belt matchup on Thursday night in Week 7 of the 2024 college football season. The Dukes and Chanticleers are the early frontrunners in the Sun Belt's East Division, so this contest could be crucial to positioning in the conference race and a spot in the league's title game.
Despite significant personnel turnover and a coaching change, James Madison is one of the Sun Belt's top teams again in 2024. New coach Bob Chesney has guided the Dukes to a 4-1 start, which included a 70-50 win at North Carolina. James Madison dropped its first game of the season at ULM last week, losing 21-19 despite outgaining the Warhawks 399 to 257.
After an 8-5 mark in his debut last year, Coastal Carolina coach Tim Beck has this program back in the mix for an East Division crown in '24. The Chanticleers crushed Jacksonville State 55-27 in Week 1, followed by wins over William & Mary (40-21) and Temple (28-20) before a 43-24 loss to Virginia. However, Beck's team rebounded from that defeat to beat Old Dominion 45-37 last Saturday.
James Madison holds a 3-1 series edge over Coastal Carolina. The Dukes have won each of the last two meetings by at least 40 points.
Coastal Carolina at James Madison
Location: Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, Va.
Kickoff: Thursday, Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2
Spread: James Madison -9.5
Over/Under: 60.5
Announcers: Matt Barrie, Dan Mullen, and Harry Lyles Jr.
Why Coastal Carolina Will Win
Coastal Carolina has the offense to keep pace with James Madison. The Dukes lead the Sun Belt in scoring (39 points a game), while the Chanticleers (38.4) rank second headed into Thursday night's matchup. Outside of the Sept. 14 game against Temple, Beck's offense has averaged at least six yards a play in every matchup this year.
Quarterback Ethan Vasko is off to a good start in his first full season as the team's starter, throwing for 1,101 yards and seven touchdowns and adding 220 yards and two scores on the ground so far. Vasko is coming off his best effort of the year (367 passing yards versus Old Dominion) and leads all Sun Belt signal-callers with seven completions of 40-plus yards.
Vasko's supporting cast is strong. Coastal Carolina has allowed only two sacks through five games, with Christian Washington (313 yards) and Braydon Bennett (220) powering the ground attack. Jameson Tucker (13 catches for 259 yards), Cameron Wright (12), and Tray Taylor (12) are the primary targets in the receiving corps.
It's a good thing Coastal Carolina's offense is capable of winning a high-scoring affair since that's probably the best option for Beck's team on Thursday night. The Chanticleers have struggled on defense so far, ranking 11th in the Sun Belt against the run and surrendering 29.6 points a contest.
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Why James Madison Will Win
On paper, James Madison the better team and certainly more balanced. The Dukes not only lead the Sun Belt in scoring, but the defense also ranks first in the conference in fewest points a game allowed (18.2). That balance allows Chesney's team to slow Coastal Carolina's offense or keep pace if it's a high-scoring affair.
Quarterback Alonza Barnett III ranks second in the Sun Belt in total offense (313.8 yards a game) and is the catalyst for this attack. Barnett has made strides in his development since a slow start to the '24 season and has accounted for 16 of the team's 25 offensive touchdowns.
Similar to Vasko, Barnett III has plenty of help at the skill spots. North Carolina transfer George Pettaway (298 yards) leads the ground attack, and there's plenty of depth at receiver with Omarion Dollison (12 catches for 299 yards), Cam Ross (17), and Yamir Knight (16). Additionally, look for tight end Taylor Thompson to be prominently involved (17 catches this year).
Defense is one of the biggest differences between these two programs. The Dukes are holding teams to 4.9 yards a snap, rank first in the Sun Belt in rush defense, and have generated 15 takeaways through five games. Chesney's squad also leads the Sun Belt in red zone defense and ranks second in the conference in third-down defense. The pieces are in place for JMU to slow Vasko and Coastal Carolina's high-powered offense.
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Final Analysis
After last week's loss to ULM, getting back on track and earning a victory over key East Division opponent is critical for James Madison. On the other sideline, Coastal Carolina has a chance to move to 2-0 in Sun Belt play and deal an early setback to JMU's hopes of a division crown. Both teams have the firepower to move the ball on offense, but the Dukes are better on defense and that should be the difference in this one.
Prediction: James Madison 34, Coastal Carolina 24
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