No. 23 James Madison takes 11-game winning streak into meeting vs. Georgia State
No. 23 James Madison (8-0, 5-0 Sun Belt Conference) at Georgia State (6-2, 3-2), 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2).
Line: James Madison by 5 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: James Madison leads 2-0, including a 42-40 victory last year at Harrisonburg, Virginia.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
James Madison is playing for a perfect regular season, which is likely the best the Dukes can do in the second year of their transition from FCS to FBS. Under NCAA rules, they are ineligible for a bowl game and can’t play in the Sun Belt Conference championship game. With a victory, Georgia State would match the school record for most regular-season victories. The Panthers also have an outside shot at reaching the Sun Belt title game, though a 44-27 loss to Georgia Southern dealt a major blow to those hopes.
KEY MATCHUP
James Madison’s defensive front vs. Georgia State RB Marcus Carroll. The Dukes aren’t counted in the NCAA’s official FBS stats, but there’s no missing how dominant they have been on defense this season. James Madison has allowed fewer rushing yards (48.9 per game) than any other FBS team, and also has the top averages in sacks (4.88) and tackles for losses (10.25). Georgia State will look to pierce those impressive numbers with a rushing attack that ranks among the top 25 nationally at 191.1 yards per game. Carroll is coming off a career-best 208 yards against Georgia Southern, which pushed him to 1,060 yards for the season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
James Madison: DE Jalen Green leads the nation with 15.5 sacks and 21 tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
Georgia State: QB Darren Grainger averages 279.6 yards per game in total offense. He has completed 67 percent of his passes for 1,789 yards, with 12 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also has rushed for 448 yards and five TDs.
FACTS & FIGURES
James Madison’s streak of 10 straight games without allowing more than 100 net yards rushing ended last week in a 30-27 victory over Old Dominion, which ran for 138 yards. … The Dukes have won 11 straight games overall. … Carroll is just the second player in Georgia State history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. … Panthers WR Robert Lewis has set school records this season for receptions (12 vs. Georgia Southern) and receiving yards (220 vs. Charlotte). … This is James Madison’s first visit to Atlanta. Both previous meetings were held in Harrisonburg, including a 2012 game when these schools were members of the FBS Colonial Athletic Association. … Curt Cignetti has a 49-8 record in five seasons as James Madison’s coach.
___
Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here:
___
AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
Credit: No. 23 James Madison takes 11-game winning streak into meeting vs. Georgia State
