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Dukes Rank Second in Athlon Sports Preseason Top 25
6/5/2018 3:46:00 PM | Football
HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison, which is less than three months away from the 2018 football season, was ranked No. 2 in the Athlon Sports Preseason Top 25 Poll for the Football Championship Subdivision, the organization announced Tuesday.
Under the leadership of Head Coach Mike Houston, JMU reached the NCAA Division I Football Championship game for the second straight season, finishing with a 14-1 overall record. The Dukes turned in their first undefeated and untied regular season, going 11-0 to earn the top seed for the FCS Playoffs. JMU claimed its third straight Colonial Athletic Association title and the second outright championship in a row.
JMU had won a program- and CAA-record 26 straight games between the 2016 and 2017 seasons, which ranks second all-time in FCS history. The Dukes led the country in scoring defense, holding teams to just 11.1 points per game. They also paced the FCS in interceptions (31), takeaways (44) and team pass efficiency defense (83.12 rating) and ranked in the top 10 in 14 different categories.
The Dukes return 10 starters from last year's squad, with six on offense and four on defense.
The CAA led all conferences with six top-25 programs. Following JMU were No. 3 New Hampshire, No. 10 Elon, No. 11 Villanova, No. 13 Delaware and No. 25 Stony Brook. Defending champion North Dakota State paced the poll, coming in at the top spot.
JMU opens the 2018 season, presented by CarMax, begins on Saturday, Sept. 1 when the Dukes travel to Raleigh, N.C., to play NC State.
To purchase season tickets, visit JMUTickets.com, call 540-568-3853 or visit the JMU athletics ticket office at the Convocation Center. Season-ticket holders may now pick their specific seats by utilizing the interactive seating map at JMUTickets.com. Additionally, single-game tickets will go on sale on July 1.
Athlon Sports FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll
Under the leadership of Head Coach Mike Houston, JMU reached the NCAA Division I Football Championship game for the second straight season, finishing with a 14-1 overall record. The Dukes turned in their first undefeated and untied regular season, going 11-0 to earn the top seed for the FCS Playoffs. JMU claimed its third straight Colonial Athletic Association title and the second outright championship in a row.
JMU had won a program- and CAA-record 26 straight games between the 2016 and 2017 seasons, which ranks second all-time in FCS history. The Dukes led the country in scoring defense, holding teams to just 11.1 points per game. They also paced the FCS in interceptions (31), takeaways (44) and team pass efficiency defense (83.12 rating) and ranked in the top 10 in 14 different categories.
The Dukes return 10 starters from last year's squad, with six on offense and four on defense.
The CAA led all conferences with six top-25 programs. Following JMU were No. 3 New Hampshire, No. 10 Elon, No. 11 Villanova, No. 13 Delaware and No. 25 Stony Brook. Defending champion North Dakota State paced the poll, coming in at the top spot.
JMU opens the 2018 season, presented by CarMax, begins on Saturday, Sept. 1 when the Dukes travel to Raleigh, N.C., to play NC State.
To purchase season tickets, visit JMUTickets.com, call 540-568-3853 or visit the JMU athletics ticket office at the Convocation Center. Season-ticket holders may now pick their specific seats by utilizing the interactive seating map at JMUTickets.com. Additionally, single-game tickets will go on sale on July 1.
Athlon Sports FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll
- North Dakota State
- James Madison
- New Hampshire
- South Dakota State
- Kennesaw State
- Eastern Washington
- Sam Houston State
- Jacksonville State
- Weber State
- Elon
- Villanova
- Samford
- Delaware
- Illinois State
- Nicholls
- Wofford
- McNeese
- Montana
- UNI
- North Carolina A&T
- Youngstown State
- Austin Peay
- Sacramento State
- Central Arkansas
- Stony Brook
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