NEW ORLEANS — Coming off the first Sun Belt championship in program history and the first College Football Playoff appearance in conference history, James Madison will kick off its 2026 campaign on Saturday, Sept. 5, when it hosts in-state rival Liberty at 12:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. CT on ESPNU.
The Dukes are 13-6 all-time against the Flames, including a 1-0 mark at the FBS level. James Madison defeated Liberty 31-13 in Lynchburg, Virginia, to begin a 10-game winning streak that closed the 2025 regular season and carried the Dukes to a Sun Belt championship and College Football Playoff berth.
A Challenging 2026 Schedule
James Madison’s non-conference schedule includes a home date with Wagner on Sept. 12 and a trip to San Diego State on Sept. 19, ahead of a late-season visit to UConn on Nov. 14.
In addition to annual dates with their East Division opponents, the Dukes will host Sun Belt West Division favorite Troy on Oct. 29 in a rematch of the 2025 Sun Belt Football Championship Game. James Madison will then visit Southern Miss on Nov. 5. Both matchups will be nationally televised Thursday night contests.
The Dukes were picked to finish atop the Sun Belt East Division and earn the opportunity to defend their title in the Sun Belt Football Championship Game. James Madison received 11 of 14 first-place votes in the 2026 Sun Belt Conference Football Preseason Coaches Poll.
2026 James Madison Football Schedule
Billy Napier Takes the Helm
First-year head coach Billy Napier will guide a roster that returns two All-Sun Belt selections from 2025 and placed three players on the 2026 Preseason All-Sun Belt Teams. Napier previously led Louisiana to four straight Sun Belt West Division titles and four consecutive appearances in the conference championship game before spending four seasons as Florida’s head coach.
James Madison finished 12-2 in 2025, with both losses coming against autonomy-conference opponents. The Dukes fell 28-14 at Louisville during the regular season and 51-34 at Oregon in the College Football Playoff First Round.
The Dukes were part of the Sun Belt’s 10-team bowl contingent, which paced the non-autonomy conferences for the fourth straight year. The appearance was James Madison’s third consecutive bowl game.
James Madison is 40-11 through four FBS seasons and has earned at least eight victories in every campaign. In 2025, the Dukes became only the second team in conference history to complete an undefeated run through the Sun Belt regular season and win the championship game, joining Napier’s 2021 Louisiana team.
To hear comments from Napier, Greenberg and Thomas at the 2026 Sun Belt Football Media Days, visit the Sun Belt Conference YouTube channel.