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The changes made in the off season are going to make things very interesting this year.

Firstly, it will be fun to see some new teams taking part in the playoffs now that it has been expanded to 12 teams.

My Analysis

It is also going to be interesting to see how teams adapt to life playing in a new conference, especially with so many making that leap in the off season.

Will those teams fit right in and battle for a conference title, or will there be an adjustment period as they try to settle into their new surroundings?

One team we can possibly look at for a clue to that question is the James Madison Dukes, who made the move to Division 1 football in the Sun Belt a couple of seasons back.

They have been successful, but will that continue in 2024?

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MyBookie James Madison Football Lines to Win

James Madison Regular Season, Conference, and Win Total

While they will once again be doing business in the Sun Belt Conference, this will still be a season of change for the Dukes.

Coach Curt Cignetti has left the team to take the job in Indiana, making way for James Chesney, who is a very good coach.

The problem that the new coach has is that James Madison has lost a food deal of talent this off season, which could mean something of an uphill struggle for this team.

The expectation with the bookies is that we might see a drop off this season, with the win total set at 8 ½ after winning 11 games last year.

One of the biggest problems that the Dukes are going to face this season is on the offensive side of the football, with the vast majority of their starters from last season either graduating or entering the portal.

This is essentially a rebuild from the ground up on the offense, but you do have to say that Chesney has been busy in recruiting and dipping into the transfer portal.

As well as he may have done in rebuilding the offense, it may still take time for everything to gel.

It is a very similar story for the defense, with younger players and transfers making up the majority of the starting squad this coming season.

This is a team that was about as good as it gets against the run last year, and if this group can get close to what they delivered in 2023, they could well take some of the pressure off the offense.

As it stands at the moment, the Dukes are sitting at +750 to win the Sun Belt.

I think a lot would need to go right for that to happen, so I would be reluctant to take on that bet.

James Madison Postseason Odds

If truth be told, I believe that this will be something of a transition season for the Dukes.

I think that 8 wins seems to be a reasonable prediction for this team. The playoffs seem like a pipe dream, but a bowl game will be a must.

The Dukes have lost 6 straight bowl games, so maybe becoming eligible and snapping that streak might be seen as a sign that James Madison is heading in the right direction under a new head coach.

James Madison to Win Championship: +50000