Dukes Close Regular Season Ranking #2 in Both Major Polls

CHICAGO, Ill. – After capping off the regular season with its 11th straight win, James Madison was ranked #2 in both the STATS FCS Top 25 and AFCA FCS Coaches' Poll.

The Dukes were ranked second in both polls all season long, while also receiving the No. 2 overall seed and a first-round bye for the 2019 FCS Playoffs.

North Dakota remained #1 in the poll, earning all 152 first-place votes. Following the Bison and Dukes in the top five were #3 Sacramento State, #4 Weber State and #5 Montana State. For the playoffs, Weber and Sac State were the No. 3 and 4 seeds, while MSU rounded out the top five.

Three CAA teams were ranked in the final regular-season poll, as Villanova was eighth and Albany was 25th. Two others received votes in Towson and New Hampshire.

The second-ranked Dukes are off this week and open FCS Playoffs play on Saturday Dec. 7 against the winner of #12 Monmouth vs. Holy Cross. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Bridgeforth Stadium and will be streamed on ESPN3 and the Watch ESPN app.

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