James Madison wins Sun Belt: How result impacts College Football Playoff race
On Friday, James Madison defeated Troy 31-14 to secure its first Sun Belt championship in program history. With the win, the Dukes improved to 12-1 this season. It’s the first time the program has won 12 games in a season since joining the FBS in 2022.
Moreover, the victory kept James Madison’s College Football Playoff hopes alive. The Dukes landed at No. 25 in the latest CFP rankings. They were the third highest-ranked Group-of-Five team, trailing North Texas (No. 24) and Tulane (No. 20).
While James Madison isn’t expected to steal a spot from the winner of the American Championship, it could sneak into the CFP if Duke defeats Virginia in the ACC Championship. At that point, the CFP selection committee would likely be forced to choose between JMU and the Miami Hurricanes, who are 10-2.
According to The Athletic‘s playoff model, JMU would have an 85% chance to make the 12-team field with a Blue Devil victory over Virginia. James Madison’s only loss this season was a 28-14 defeat at the hands of Louisville.
In their win over Troy on Friday, the Dukes’ defense was stellar, holding the Trojans to 177 total yards of offense. It’s nothing new for James Madison. The team entered the conference championship allowing the fifth-least yards per game in the country.
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JMU’s defensive performance reached a crescendo with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter when linebacker Drew Spinogatti scooped up a Troy fumble and returned it for a touchdown to give the Dukes a 31-14 lead. JMU’s defense wasn’t its only unit that shined.
The Dukes’ offense amassed 412 total yards of offense in the triumph. Nobody outshined JMU running back Wayne Knight, who exploded for 212 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Alonza Barnett added 85 yards and a score in the ground game as well.
Now, JMU can do nothing but await its fate. The College Football Playoff selection show will air live Sunday at noon ET on ESPN. JMU’s postseason path will have a significant effect on head coach Bob Chesney.
Chesney is moving on from the Dukes after this season to become UCLA’s next head coach. Alas, he said he’ll stay with JMU through the postseason if the team earns a CFP bid. Dukes fans will undoubtedly be holding their breath on Sunday.