College Football Week 5 Odds Pick & Prediction: Texas State vs. James Madison (2022)

Let’s take a look at the College Football Week 5 odds, picks, and predictions for this week’s game: Texas State vs. James Madison.

Check out our other best college football bets for Week 5:

Check out Thor Nystrom’s Week 5 College Football Power Rankings >>

College Football Week 5 Early Odds, Picks & Prediction: Texas State vs. James Madison

James Madison's 32-28 upset win at Appalachian State - and 3-0 start - has opened a value window of opportunity. In fact, my system believes we're getting an incredible 10-points of line value on the underdog!

This situation also sets the stage for a classic letdown spot. Appy State was a matchup James Madison had circled on the schedule over the summer. Beating the Sun Belt's old guard was enormous for the FBS newcomer.

Will the Dukes give another spirited effort with a lowly opponent coming to town? If they play down at all, Texas State is equipped to stay within this number.

The Bobcats run a breakneck tempo on offense and do a great job of taking away explosive plays on defense (No. 7). That's partly because Texas State is No. 17 in tackling, per PFF. TSU also might give JMU's passing attack more issues than anticipated. Incredibly, to this point, TSU ranks No. 3 in PFF pass-rush grade and No. 1 in the nation in PFF coverage grade.

This is the type of bad opponent that can give a team in a hangover spot problems.

Pick: Texas State +22.5

What is Betting Against the Spread?

Betting "against the spread" refers to the act of choosing the winning team based on a numeric handicap placed on the team that oddsmakers believe is superior, rather than picking the outright winner. For example, if the Rams face the Bengals, and oddsmakers set the spread at Rams -3.5, you would need Los Angeles to win by 4 or more points in order to cash your Rams bet.

What is an Over/Under Bet?

Over/Under is a wager based on how many points you think will be scored in a specific game. Oddsmakers set the total, and bettors decide whether the final score will be higher or lower than that number. If an Over/Under is set at 44.5 points and you bet Over, you will need the combined score of both teams to be 45 points or higher to win your bet.

What is a Moneyline Bet?

A moneyline bet involves choosing which team you believe will win a specific matchup. The moneyline favorite carries a minus designation, like -130. This means that you need to wager $130 to earn a $100 profit. Conversely, the underdog carries a plus designation, like +110. This means that you win $110 in profit on a $100 bet.

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