2023 James Madison Dukes football team
The 2023 James Madison Dukes football team represented James Madison University as a member of the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Curt Cignetti, the Dukes played home games at Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, Virginia as members of the East division of the Sun Belt Conference.
| 2023 James Madison Dukes football | |
|---|---|
Sun Belt East Division champion[lower-alpha 1] | |
Armed Forces Bowl, L 21–31 vs. Air Force | |
| Conference | Sun Belt Conference |
| East Division | |
| Record | 11–2 (7–1 Sun Belt) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Mike Shanahan (3rd season) |
| Offensive scheme | Spread |
| Defensive coordinator | Bryant Haines (2nd season) |
| Base defense | 4–2–5 |
| Home stadium | Bridgeforth Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| East Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| James Madison* x | 7 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appalachian State y | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coastal Carolina | 5 | – | 3 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Old Dominion | 5 | – | 3 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia State | 3 | – | 5 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Marshall | 3 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia Southern | 3 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Troy xy$ | 7 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas State | 4 | – | 4 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arkansas State | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Alabama | 4 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Louisiana | 3 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southern Miss | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Louisiana–Monroe | 0 | – | 8 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship: Troy 49, Appalachian State 23 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The season was the final year of a two-year transition from the Football Championship Subdivision. The team was not originally eligible for a bowl game;[1] a request for a waiver was denied by the NCAA in August,[2] and a waiver for relief was also denied in November.[3] However, as there were not enough bowl eligible teams, they were given a berth. JMU was selected to play in the Armed Forces Bowl.[4]
Preseason
Media poll
In the Sun Belt preseason coaches' poll, the Dukes were picked to finish in first place in the East division.[5]
| Media poll (East division) | ||
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Madison | 78 (4) |
| 2 | Appalachian State | 75 (4) |
| 3 | Coastal Carolina | 71 (1) |
| 4 | Marshall | 68 (1) |
| 5 | Georgia Southern | 52 (1) |
| 6 | Georgia State | 31 |
| 7 | Old Dominion | 17 |
Offensive lineman Nick Kidwell, defensive lineman James Carpenter, and punter Ryan Hanson were named to the preseason All-Sun Belt first team. Linebacker Taurus Jones was named to the second team.[5]
Schedule
The football schedule was announced February 24, 2023.[6]
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2 | 6:00 p.m. | Bucknell* | ESPN+ | W 38–3 | 23,756 | ||
| September 9 | 12:00 p.m. | at Virginia* | ESPNU | W 36–35 | 56,508 | ||
| September 16 | 7:00 p.m. | at Troy | NFLN | W 16–14 | 26,634 | ||
| September 23 | 8:00 p.m. | at Utah State* | MW Network | W 45–38 | 19,994 | ||
| September 30 | 12:00 p.m. | South Alabama |
| ESPNU | W 31–23 | 26,064 | |
| October 14 | 12:00 p.m. | Georgia Southern |
| ESPN2 | W 41–13 | 25,097 | |
| October 19 | 7:00 p.m. | at Marshall | ESPN | W 20–9 | 22,109 | ||
| October 28 | 8:00 p.m. | Old Dominion | No. 25 |
| ESPNU | W 30–27 | 26,239 |
| November 4 | 3:30 p.m. | at Georgia State | ESPN2 | W 42–14 | 15,320 | ||
| November 11 | 2:00 p.m. | UConn* |
| ESPN+ | W 44–6 | 25,240 | |
| November 18 | 2:00 p.m. | Appalachian State |
| ESPN+ | L 23–26 OT | 25,838 | |
| November 25 | 3:30 p.m. | at Coastal Carolina | ESPN2 | W 56–14 | 16,196 | ||
| December 23 | 3:30 p.m. | vs. Air Force* | ABC | L 21–31 | 30,828 | ||
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Roster
| 2023 James Madison Dukes football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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Roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Game summaries
vs Bucknell
at Virginia
at Troy
at Utah State
vs South Alabama
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaguars | 0 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 23 |
| Dukes | 14 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 31 |
at Bridgeforth Stadium, Harrisonburg, VA
- Date: September 30, 2023
- Game time: 11:00 a.m. CDT
- Game weather: Sunny
- Game attendance: 26,064
- Referee: Trennis Livingston
- TV: ESPNU
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| Statistics | USA | JMU |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 20 | 15 |
| Total yards | 326 | 377 |
| Rushing yards | 3 | 7 |
| Passing yards | 12 | 6 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 28–50–2 | 12–22–1 |
| Time of possession | 28:46 | 31:14 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Alabama | Passing | Carter Bradley | 28/50, 299 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | La'Damian Webb | 12 carries, 36 yards, TD | |
| Receiving | Caullin Lacy | 6 receptions, 132 yards | |
| James Madison | Passing | Jordan McCloud | 12/22, 241 yards, 3 TD, INT |
| Rushing | Jordan McCloud | 10 carries, 61 yards | |
| Receiving | Zach Horton | 3 receptions, 116 yards, 2 TD |
vs Georgia Southern
at Marshall
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dukes | 0 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 20 |
| Thundering Herd | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 9 |
at Joan C. Edwards Stadium • Huntington, West Virginia
- Date: Thursday, October 19, 2023
- Game time: 7:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Sunny
- Game attendance: 22,109
- Referee: Wayne Winkler
- TV announcers (ESPN): Matt Barrie (play-by-play), Roddy Jones (analyst), Harry Lyles Jr. (sideline)
- Pregame line: James Madison –3.5
| Game information |
|---|
|
| Statistics | JMU | MRSH |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 19 | 10 |
| Plays–yards | 69–405 | 62–169 |
| Rushes–yards | 36–131 | 32–-4 |
| Passing yards | 274 | 173 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 22–33–1 | 17–30–1 |
| Time of possession | 33:49 | 26:11 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Madison | Passing | Jordan McCloud | 21/31, 264 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Jordan McCloud | 6 carries, 69 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Reggie Brown | 6 receptions, 126 yards, 1 TD | |
| Marshall | Passing | Cam Fancher | 17/30, 173 yards, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Ethan Payne | 20 carries, 62 yards | |
| Receiving | Jayden Harrison | 4 receptions, 40 yards |
vs Old Dominion
at Georgia State
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dukes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Panthers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| Statistics | JMU | GSU |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | ||
| Total yards | ||
| Rushing yards | ||
| Passing yards | ||
| Turnovers | ||
| Time of possession | ||
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Madison | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving | |||
| Georgia State | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving |
vs UConn
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huskies | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Dukes | 3 | 10 | 17 | 14 | 44 |
| Game information |
|---|
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
|
Statistics
| Statistics | CONN | JMU |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 15 | 23 |
| Total yards | 319 | 503 |
| Rushing yards | 79 | 46 |
| Passing yards | 240 | 457 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 29:08 | 30:52 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| UConn | Passing | Ta'Quan Roberson | 20/36, 207 yds |
| Rushing | Cam Edwards | 12 att, 43 yds | |
| Receiving | Cameron Ross | 4 rec, 91 yds | |
| James Madison | Passing | Jordan McCloud | 33/37, 457 yds, 4 TDs |
| Rushing | Kaelon Black | 4 att, 38 yds | |
| Receiving | Reggie Brown | 9 rec, 202 yds, 2 TDs |
vs Appalachian State
at Coastal Carolina
Rankings
| Week | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final |
| AP | RV | RV | RV | — | — | RV | RV | RV | 25 | 23 | 21 | 18 | 24 | 24 | 24 | RV |
| Coaches | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 25 | 24 | 21 | 21 | RV | 25 | 25 | RV |
| CFP | Not released | — | — | — | — | — | — | Not released | ||||||||
Notes
- James Madison was ineligible to participate in the conference championship game due to FCS-to-FBS transition rules.[lower-alpha 2]
- Frankenberry, Jami (October 19, 2023). "Unbeaten JMU leads Sun Belt, but despite pleas NCAA rules keep Dukes from a bowl, conference title game". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
References
- News-Record, NOAH FLEISCHMAN Daily (May 2, 2023). "How Likely Is a Bowl Game For JMU In 2023?". Daily News-Record. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- "NCAA denies James Madison's bid for waiver to gain bowl eligibility". The Virginian-Pilot. April 27, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- Salerno, Cameron (November 16, 2023). "NCAA denies postseason eligibility waiver for James Madison, Dukes must hope for dearth of bowl-eligible teams". CBS Sports. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
- Murray, Jack (November 25, 2023). "James Madison Guaranteed CFB Bowl Berth Due to Lack of 6-Win Teams". Bleacher Report. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
- "Sun Belt Announces Football Preseason Awards & Poll". sunbeltsports.org. July 24, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- "2023 James Madison Football Schedule". FBSchedules. Retrieved April 22, 2023.