2022 James Madison Dukes football team

2022 James Madison Dukes football
Sun Belt East Division co-champion
ConferenceSun Belt
DivisionEast Division
Record8–3 (6–2 Sun Belt)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorMike Shanahan (2nd season)
Offensive schemeSpread
Defensive coordinatorBryant Haines (1st season)
Base defense4–2–5
Home stadiumBridgeforth Stadium
Seasons
← 2021
2023 →
2022 Sun Belt Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
Coastal Carolina xy   6 2     9 4  
James Madison* x   6 2     8 3  
Marshall   5 3     9 4  
Georgia Southern   3 5     6 7  
Appalachian State   3 5     6 6  
Georgia State   3 5     4 8  
Old Dominion   2 6     3 9  
West Division
No. 19 Troy xy$   7 1     12 2  
South Alabama x   7 1     10 3  
Southern Miss   4 4     7 6  
Louisiana   4 4     6 7  
Louisiana–Monroe   3 5     4 8  
Texas State   2 6     4 8  
Arkansas State   1 7     3 9  
Championship: Troy 45, Coastal Carolina 26
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • * – Ineligible for postseason play due to FCS-to-FBS transition rules
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2022 James Madison Dukes football team represented James Madison University in the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by fourth-year head coach Curt Cignetti. The Dukes played their home games at Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, Virginia as members of the East division of the Sun Belt Conference. The Dukes finished the season 8–3, 6–2 in Sun Belt play to finish in a tie for first place in the East division.

The season marked the Dukes' first year in the Sun Belt and the first of a two-year transition period from the Football Championship Subdivision.[1] They were not eligible for a bowl game due to the transition period. Ordinarily, the first year of an FCS to FBS transition is spent as an FCS team with a mixed schedule of FCS and FBS opponents, while a schedule more closely resembling that of a typical FBS team is played in the second year. However, the Dukes had 10 FBS teams on their 11-game 2022 schedule, including five home games against FBS teams, which allowed their opponents to count James Madison as an FBS team in determining their own bowl eligibility.[2] The Dukes filed an application with the NCAA requesting a waiver that would count the 2022 season as the second year of the two-year transition period.[3] On April 27, 2023, the NCAA denied the waiver.[4]

On October 9, 2022, the Dukes were ranked No. 25 in the AP poll, a first for the school.[5]

  1. ^ "James Madison to Compete in Sun Belt Conference in 2022–2023". James Madison University. February 2, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  2. ^ Mettlen, Shane (September 21, 2022). "Big Payday Awaits JMU for Future Road Game". Daily News-Record. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  3. ^ Mettlen, Shane (October 4, 2022). "There's a Reason for JMU's Bowl Ban, but the Rule Doesn't Work". Daily News-Record. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  4. ^ "NCAA denies James Madison's bid for waiver to gain bowl eligibility". The Virginian-Pilot. April 27, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  5. ^ "JMU football ranked on AP Top 25 for first time ever". www.cbs19news.com. Retrieved August 8, 2023.