Washington State Cougars

Washington State Cougars vs James Madison Dukes Prediction, Odds and Picks for Today, 11/22/25

Bridgeforth StadiumESPN+
Washington State
5-5
Washington State
Today
James Madison
9-1
James Madison
James Madison Dukes
Google News

Washington State vs James Madison Pickswise Expert Predictions

Point Spread Pick
Washington State +13.5(-105)

James Madison enters this matchup riding a wave of momentum and national recognition. At 9–1 overall and perfect at home, the Dukes have put themselves squarely in position to become the potential Group of Five representative in the College Football Playoff if the AAC continues cannibalizing itself. They’re 7–3 against the spread, consistent, efficient, and well-coached—everything you want from a team pushing for a major postseason berth. But that success brings pressure, and this is the part of the season where teams in JMU’s position can tighten up. With their division already clinched and a season-ending showdown with Coastal Carolina on deck, the mental landscape becomes complicated.

Washington State, meanwhile, is the classic volatility team. Its ceiling is high, and its floor is bottomless. The Cougars lost to an Oregon State team that hadn’t beaten an FBS opponent all year. They gave up 59 to North Texas, and they narrowly avoided disaster against Idaho. On the other hand, they also pushed Ole Miss to the brink in Oxford, nearly won at Virginia, and blasted San Diego State 36–13. You never know which version is showing up, but when the Cougars are engaged, they’re a genuine threat. The number offered here suggests the dangerous iteration of the Cougs show up. Upset potential is high here, grab the points.

Washington State vs James Madison prediction: Washington State Cougars +13.5 (-105) available at time of publishing. Playable to +13.

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Game Totals Pick
Under 42.0(-110)

The total ties directly into the side. If Washington State covers, it likely happens because they dictate pace and keep James Madison from pulling the game into the high-scoring range. WSU’s competitive outings typically land in the low-40s. We’ve already seen James Madison get pulled into grind-it-out games, such as the rock fight with Georgia State that finished 14-7. If this becomes a possession-by-possession battle—which is the exact script WSU needs to be a problem for the Dukes —then the under 42 makes sense.

Matching the side and total gives a clear correlated angle: a tight, controlled, lower-tempo game that keeps the Cougars within reach and keeps the scoreboard constrained. These 2 plays can be combined at certain outfits as a correlated parlay and that would be recommended. Under is the move here.

Washington State vs James Madison prediction: Under 42 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to the number.

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Napier Montgomery

College football handicapper for Pickswise, specializing in college football, soccer and college basketball. Much prefer betting on the smaller/forgotten games than the big matchups, where the lines are a lot more vulnerable. PhD in Victorian Literature, putting my skills of the written word to the test with betting analysis.
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