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Posted at 9:45 AM EST. Odds subject to change.

Charlotte +8 over James Madison

Jerry Richardson Stadium, Charlotte, NC

Streaming: ESPNU

8:00 PM EST. James Madison won the Sun Belt East in each of its first two seasons at the FBS level but was unable to compete in the conference title game because of its ineligibility to do so. Now James Madison is finally eligible for that opportunity, but the program has been gutted from the head coach on down. Out it is Curt Cignetti, who bolted for Indiana, and in is Bob Chesney, who comes over from Holy Cross. Chesney went 44-21 with four playoff appearances in six years with the Crusaders. Before his time at Holy Cross, he went 23-9 at Salve Regina and 44-16 at Assumption.

The Dukes lost six starters on defense, as they followed Chesney to Indiana, as did running back Kaelon Black and WR Elijah Sarrat. Meanwhile, QB Jordan McCloud transferred to Texas State while Reggie Brown, Jalen Green, and Jamree Kromah left for the NFL. There is nothing left here that resembles the quality the Dukes displayed the last two seasons. The Dukes added pivot Dylan Morris, who transferred in from Washington after four seasons with the Huskies. He was the starter in 2021 before losing his job to Michael Penix Junior.

The 49ers are coming off a disappointing 3-9 season, but they enter year two under Biff Poggi with some hope. Poggi has done a great job bringing in pieces from the transfer portal, especially run-offs from Power 4 teams. The Niners turned to the portal for a solution, nabbing Florida transfer Max Brown. Brown saw action in six games as a backup for the Gators. Brown's first collegiate start came against top-ranked Florida State, where he showed potential. He is known for his strong arm and ability to make plays both in the air and on the ground, but it's his athleticism and competitive nature that make him a valuable asset for Charlotte's offense. Dude is a massive upgrade over what the 49ers had last year. He wasn’t the only portal addition, as Charlotte also grabbed tackles from Texas A&M, Florida, and Clemson, a guard from Tennessee, and running backs from Iowa State and Michigan. The 49ers return top receivers Jairus Mack and Jack Hestera who figure to catch more passes with the upgrade at quarterback.

Despite that misleading 3-9 record last year, the 49ers showed competitiveness against ranked teams like Florida, SMU and Memphis. Charlotte’s stock is non-existent. James Madison’s stock is not. Under no circumstance should a vulnerable team like the Dukes, that is essentially starting from scratch, be a road favorite priced in this range. Upset possibility is big here.

Sherwood

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