HARRISONBURG, VA (WTKR)- In just its fourth season of competing at the FBS level, James Madison football is getting its shot at a national championship.
The Dukes earned the No. 12 seed in the College Football Playoff bracket, released Sunday afternoon, and will visit No. 5 Oregon on December 20 for first round action. JMU picked up the final at-large bid in the field.
The program rolled through the 2025 season, finishing 12-1 and topping Troy this past Friday to claim the Sun Belt Championship. The Dukes' only setback this season was a 28-14 loss at Louisville in the second game of the season. They ran the table in the league and enter the postseason on an 11-game winning streak.
JMU will head into the playoffs ranking tenth nationally in scoring offense (37.3 ppg) and scoring defense (15.85 ppg). The team only allows 247 yards per game to opponents, good enough for second in the country.
Since making the jump to the FBS ranks, James Madison has had no issue making the transition. The Dukes are 40-10 since the start of the 2022 season, their first as an FBS program.
Head coach Bob Chesney will coach JMU in the playoffs before departing to become the head coach at UCLA.
