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Preview: JMU Football looks for win #7 with Georgia State in town on Saturday

Roger Gonzalez
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(© Steve Heap – shutterstock)

The James Madison football team is hoping to string together back-to-back wins on Saturday when the Dukes host Georgia State in Sun Belt play.

JMU ended its three-game skid last Saturday, beating Old Dominion 37-3 as quarterback Todd Centeio got back on track after a rough patch with an injury.

Where to watch?

The game kicks off at 2 p.m. ET, and it will air on streaming service ESPN+.

What to know about JMU

The Dukes got back on track and are feeling good entering this game despite maybe not the most prolific performance from Centeio, but it was surely improved. The production wasn’t there in terms of touchdowns thrown, but he did complete 18-of-21 passes for 304 yards. That should give them confidence in a game against a team that can be torn apart in the air at times. But do expect the Dukes to establish the run early and then take some shots down the field. The key to the game will be limited turnovers, as we’ve seen how big of an issue that has been for JMU in recent weeks. If they can get back to assignment football, this one should see JMU win somewhat comfortably.

What to know about Georgia State

They’ve won four of their last six games but are coming off a 31-28 loss to LA-Monroe. They have averaged over 30 points per game in their last three, and they like to sling it with quarterback Darren Grainger, who had 349 yards last week. Wide receiver Jamari Thrash is one to watch, pulling down nine catches for 164 yards last week. He had 213 receiving yards in a game earlier this season and can really stretch the field big time. The Dukes will need to keep him in front of them.

Prediction

JMU 27, Georgia State 20

Roger Gonzalez

Roger Gonzalez

Roger Gonzalez is freelancer for Augusta Free Press. A native of Connecticut that grew up in Charlottesville, he is a graduate of Virginia Tech. He currently is a sportswriter with CBS Sports and has written for The Daily Progress, The Roanoke Times and other newspapers before getting into the digital sports journalism world.