HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison heads again to Harrisonburg following its 31-13 victory at Liberty to open Sun Belt Conference play, because it hosts Georgia Southern for a sold-out Family Weekend crowd on Saturday, Sept. 27.
Kickoff is about for 1:30 p.m. at Bridgeforth Stadium, and the sport might be streamed on ESPN+.
JMU’s contest towards Georgia Southern is offered by University Outpost, and the 2025 season is sponsored by CarMax.
BREAKING DOWN THE SERIES
- Saturday marks the twelfth all-time assembly between the groups with Georgia Southern main, 9-2.
- Since JMU joined the Sun Belt, the house group has received every of the three conferences within the collection, as JMU claimed the 2023 matchup whereas GS received the 2022 and 2024 bouts.
- JMU is 2-3 towards the Eagles at residence, having additionally received the inaugural assembly in 1985.
- Last time the groups met, Georgia Southern claimed a 28-14 win on Oct. 19, 2024 in Statesboro, Ga.
- In the historical past of the collection, solely three video games have been separated by a single rating (1991, 1992, 2022).
- JMU’s Oct. 14, 2023 win, a 41-13 victory, was the most important margin of victory within the collection.
JMU IN LEAGUE OPENERS
- This weekend would be the thirty third convention opener for the Dukes since they joined a league again in 1993.
- JMU is 23-9 in league openers, because it seems to be to rebound from an 0-1 begin final season.
- That setback snapped a nine-game conference-opening win streak, which spanned the 2015 and 2023 seasons between the Colonial Athletic Association and the Sun Belt Conference.
- Before 2025, JMU opened convention play on the street in 5 of the final six seasons, as Saturday’s matchup is JMU’s first residence convention opener since 2021, which was its ultimate yr earlier than making the FBS leap.
- Since becoming a member of the Sun Belt, JMU is 2-1 in league openers, with wins at App State (32-28) and Troy (16-14) and a loss at ULM (19-21). In its first SBC sport in 2022, JMU trailed 28-3 earlier than storming again for the win.
- JMU convention openers by league: 2-1 in Sun Belt (0-0 residence, 2-1 street); 21-8 in CAA (11-3 residence, 10-5 street)
KINGS OF THE COMMONWEALTH
- Last week, JMU scored 21 unanswered within the second half to down Liberty on the street, 31-13, for its twenty first consecutive victory towards Virginia groups and its a centesimal all-time victory versus a Commonwealth foe.
- The win at Liberty improved JMU to 100-61 (.621) towards state groups, courting again to 1972.
- Since becoming a member of the Sun Belt, JMU has received all three matchups with Old Dominion and is now 6-0 over Virginia groups since shifting as much as FBS, including in a 2023 win at Virginia and a 2022 residence victory versus Norfolk State.
- William & Mary was the final state group to beat JMU in a 44-41 resolution on Oct. 31, 2015, in Williamsburg
LAST TIME JMU & SOUTHERN MET
- Back on Oct. 19, 2024, Georgia Southern jumped out to an early 21-0 lead en path to taking down JMU, 28-14, at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro.
- Despite throwing three interceptions, GS nonetheless managed to out-gain JMU by a 405-253 margin, which included 190-67 within the run sport.
- JMU obtained a pick-six from DJ Barksdale within the third quarter to make it a 21-7 rating, however the Eagles answered with a landing to stretch the lead again to a few touchdowns.
- The Dukes obtained inside 28-14 on an Omarion Dollison 35-yard landing however was unable to supply any extra scores within the ultimate stanza.
- GS was 9-of-13 on third down, versus JMU’s 7-of-18.
- The 21-0 halftime deficit was JMU’s largest since becoming a member of the FBS in 2022.
DUKES TAKE BATTLE OF THE BLUE RIDGE
- Down 13-10 in the midst of the third quarter, JMU responded with three straight landing drives to upend Liberty, 31-13, in Lynchburg.
- The Dukes out-gained Liberty by a 440-233 margin, which included holding the Flames to only 89 whole yards within the second half.
- JMU rushed for 231 yards, led by Wayne Knight’s 89 yards and a landing and Ayo Adeyi’s 87.
- Alonza Barnett III accounted for 3 scores, passing for 213 yards and a landing whereas dashing for 45 yards and a pair of scores.
- In the second half, Liberty managed simply three factors, as JMU’s protection restricted LU to 6 first downs. After taking the 13-10 lead, Liberty solely had two extra first downs the remainder of the best way.
- JMU’s protection held Liberty to 75 passing yards and three.6 yards per go try whereas making three sacks, led by Aiden Gobaira’s two.
- JMU managed 6.6 yards per snap, whereas Liberty was solely at 3.7 for the sport.
NATIONAL LEADERS ON DEFENSE
- JMU’s protection is among the many nation’s greatest by means of three video games, which incorporates rating second towards the go.
- JMU is No. 2 within the FBS in passing protection, permitting 103.3 yards by means of the air on common.
- It’s additionally third in go effectivity protection (80.91), sixth in whole protection (215.0), ninth in fewest first downs (12.67) and nineteenth on third down (.262).
- JMU hasn’t allowed greater than 151 passing yards to any opponent this season, because the three opponents have mixed 30-of-70 passing.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR JMU
- JMU heads again out on the street on Saturday, Oct. 4 when it flies to Atlanta to face Georgia State in a 3:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN+.
- It would be the fifth assembly all-time between the groups, as JMU owns a 4-0 report.
- The Dukes make their second trek to Atlanta, as they received the primary street matchup, 42-14.
- JMU can be 3-0 in residence matchups, which features a 38-7 triumph final yr.
- In the historical past of the collection, JMU outscores GSU by a 37.5 to twenty.5 margin.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Online: Watch ESPN (Subscription required)
Listen: Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network
On the radio – WSVA 92.1 FM/550 AM
Online: The Varsity Network
Broadcast Talent
ESPN+: Curt Dudley (pxp), Delvin Joyce (analyst), David Hulvey (sideline)
Radio: Dave Riggert (pxp), Que Reid (analyst), Cole Potts (analyst)