Dukes Rank Second in Selection Committee’s In-Season Top 10

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Entering the final three weekends of the regular season, James Madison was ranked No. 2 by the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Selection Committee, as the group unveiled its current top-10 ranking on Wednesday night on ESPN2.

This is the committee's only in-season ranking it will release ahead of Selection Sunday, which takes place on Nov. 18 at 12:30 p.m. on ESPNU.

The Dukes are 6-2 on the year, including a 4-1 mark in Colonial Athletic Association play.

JMU ranks in the top five nationally in nine statistical categories, which includes leading the FCS in punt-return average (25.63). The Dukes are also second in both defensive touchdowns (4) and fewest penalties (3.75), third in scoring defense (9.8), completion percentage (68.7%), first-down defense (107), fourth in third-down defense (25.9%) and fifth in both total defense (259.1) and fewest penalty yards (34.13).

They also rank in the top 10 in passing defense (7th – 161.5), kick-return defense (7th - 15.52), rushing defense (10th - 97.6), third-down offense (10th - 46.7%) and kick-return offense (10th - 25.17).

The Dukes were one of three CAA schools to be ranked in the top 10, as they were joined by No. 5 Elon and No. 10 Delaware.

North Dakota State (7-0) leads the field with the top ranking. Following JMU are No. 3 UC Davis (7-1), No. 4 Weber State (6-2) and No. 5 Elon (5-2) to round out the top five. Coming in at No. 6 is Kennesaw State (7-1), followed by No. 7 South Dakota State (5-2), No. 8 Wofford (6-2), No. 9 Eastern Washington (6-2) and No. 10 Delaware (6-2).

The CAA and Big Sky each boast three teams in the top 10, while the Missouri Valley has two squads. The Southern Conference and Big South also have one team apiece.

The 2018 championship field consists of 10 automatic qualifiers and 14 at-large qualifiers. The top-eight teams will be seeded, receive first-round byes and host second-round games. The 16 other teams will bid to host first-round games, which will take place Saturday, Nov. 24. The NCAA Division I Championship game will be at noon Eastern on Saturday, Jan. 5, in Frisco, Texas, and will be broadcast on ESPN2.

Tickets for the playoffs will go on sale after the selection show on Nov. 18. More information will follow later from the JMU Athletics Ticket Office.

The Dukes hit the road this Saturday, Nov. 3 to face New Hampshire. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. from Wildcat Stadium.

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