The 2023 Armed Forces Bowl features the 11-1 James Madison Dukes against the 8-4 Air Force Falcons. Here is the 2023 Armed Forces Bowl Preview.
James Madison won 11 games to make their first FBS bowl game in history. They defeated eight bowl-eligible teams this season. Their lone loss was to Appalachian State, who made a bowl game.
The Dukes score 35.2 points per game, which ranks them 18th in the country. They pass for 287.1 yards (ranked 18th) and rush for 143.2 yards per game (ranked 85th).
Jordan McCloud was the starting quarterback for the Dukes, but he is in the transfer portal. No other quarterback on the roster has more than 16 passing yards this season. Five players have at least 200 receiving yards on the season. The two standouts are Elijah Sarratt and Reggie Brown who have 1,076 and 1,010 receiving yards respectively.
Two running backs have done most of the work for the Dukes. Kaelon Black has rushed for 594 yards and one touchdown. Ty’Son Lawton has done well too with 568 yards and five touchdowns.
The defense allows just 18.5 points per game, which ranks them 18th in the country. Linebacker Aiden Fisher leads the team with 91 total tackles. Jalen Green has been one of the best pass rushers in the country with 15.5 sacks. Cornerback D’Angelo Ponds has had a nice season with 12 passes defended and two interceptions.
Air Force won their first eight games of the season to qualify for their third straight bowl game. They defeated three bowl-eligible teams: Utah State, San Jose State and Wyoming. Only two of their losses were to bowl-eligible teams.
The Falcons score 27.8 points per game, ranking them 63rd in the FBS. They pass for 88.3 yards (ranked 133rd) and rush for 275.8 yards per game (ranked second).
Offensively, the Falcons don’t throw much and have rotated quarterbacks. None of them have passed for over 1,000 yards. One receiver has over 300 yards on the season. Jared Roznos leads the team with 11 catches for 332 yards and two touchdowns.
Six players have rushed for over 200 yards this season for the Falcons. Emmanuel Michel leads the team with 747 yards and nine touchdowns. John Lee Eldridge III, Dylan Carson and Owen Burk have impressed at running back as well with 521, 479 and 431 yards respectively. The quarterback position is key in the running game as well, with over 800 rushing yards from the position this year.
Defensively, the Falcons have given up 17.9 points per game, which ranks them 14th in the FBS. They concede 96.2 rushing yards (ranked ninth) and 181 passing yards per game (ranked 13th). Alec Mock and Johnathan Youngblood have paced the team with over 80 tackles each. PJ Ramsey leads the team in sacks with 7.5. Trey Taylor has made plays in the secondary with four passes defended and three interceptions.
James Madison doesn’t have their coach or quarterback, which makes things difficult. They are more than that though, as they beat so many bowl-eligible teams. The Dukes have a while to prepare for the Falcons’ option attack and their own offense can score enough points to win.
James Madison Dukes 21 Air Force Falcons 13
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