Dukes Close Regular Season at #19 in Both Major Football Polls

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison closed the regular season with a #19 ranking in both major college football polls, moving one spot in the AP Top 25 and two in the US LBM Coaches Poll.

The Dukes capped off a perfect Sun Belt Conference season, going 8-0 in league play for the first time and finishing the regular season with an 11-1 overall record after its 10th straight victory on Saturday at Coastal Carolina.

JMU is just the third SBC team to go unbeaten in league play in the championship era, and the Dukes went 8-0 in conference games for the first time since 2019.

JMU enters the postseason as the top-ranked Group of Six program in either poll, as it was joined by North Texas (#20/#20), Tulane (#21/#21) and Navy (#23/#25).

Since joining the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2022, JMU has now been nationally ranked in the AP Top 25 in 12 polls, as the #19 AP Top 25 ranking is one shy of a program high while the #19 spot in the Coaches Poll is the best ranking ever in that poll.

The Dukes, who claimed their first Sun Belt East Division title, will host Troy in the 2025 Credit Union 1 Sun Belt Football Championship presented by Visit Pensacola on Friday, Dec. 5. Kickoff from Bridgeforth Stadium is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN.

They will host the Sun Belt title game on Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

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