JAMES MADISON DUKES FOOTBALL

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Billy Napier took over the James Madison football program in 2022, inheriting a roster of 100 players at the Harrisonburg, Virginia institution established in 1908. The Dukes made their transition to FBS football as members of the Sun Belt Conference, stepping up from their successful FCS tenure where they captured a national championship in 2016. Napier arrived with significant Power Five experience, having previously served as head coach at Louisiana and holding coordinator roles at major programs, bringing proven credibility to JMU's climb into college football's upper tier.

James Madison's enrollment of 22,224 students provides a solid foundation for athletic development in the Mid-Atlantic region. The program competes in the Sun Belt alongside established FBS programs while managing the infrastructure demands of the transition, which required building competitive depth across all positions. Napier's staff has focused on recruiting depth and developing players capable of competing immediately at the FBS level, emphasizing both offensive firepower and defensive consistency in conference play.

KEY FACTS

ROSTER (2025-26)

OTHER SPORTS AT JAMES MADISON

SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PROGRAMS

• Appalachian State Mountaineers
• Arkansas State Red Wolves
• Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
• Georgia Southern Eagles
• Georgia State Panthers
• Marshall Thundering Herd
• Old Dominion Monarchs
• Texas State Bobcats
• Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles
• Troy Trojans
• Louisiana at Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns
• Louisiana Monroe Warhawks
• South Alabama Jaguars

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