Armed Forces Bowl: James Madison vs Air Force Odds, and Picks (Dec 23)

• James Madison surged to 11-1 this season, and claimed their first bowl game bid.
• Air Force collapsed down the stretch, and enters this game with 4 straight losses.
• This will be the very first time in program history that these two teams match up.

College football has made it to bowl game season! Let’s preview the upcoming 2023 Armed Forces Bowl between the James Madison Dukes and the Air Force Falcons. They’ll aim to end a solid season with a win.

How to Watch

• ABC

Preview

James Madison had another impressive result in their 2nd year competing in the FBS. They finished 11-1, and currently rank #24 in the AP Top 25. They reached as high as #18 after a 10-0 start. Unfortunately, the Dukes were ineligible for the CFP Rankings and the Sun Belt Championship Game due to NCAA transition rules. Fortunately, their bowl ineligibility was undone as a result of their being too few other eligible teams.

Air Force started the season out 8-0, climbing to #22 in the AP Top 25 and #25 in the CFP rankings. Unfortunately, they went on to lose four straight games down the stretch, and now enter this game at 8-4. The Falcons will have an uphill battle to bounce back against a dominant James Madison team. They’ll be relying on both their running game and defense to aid an almost nonexistent passing game in this bowl.

Prediction

I’m surprised to see such a narrow spread for this game. While the transfer portal has made an impact on both of these teams, the Dukes should be the clearly better team in this matchup. Air Force is certainly capable, but their run-heavy offense and losing streak are big red flags here. James Madison will enter this game highly motivated to win their first bowl game in the FBS as well. I see them winning this one easily.

NCAAF Picks:

• James Madison 34, Air Force 20 ()