HARRISONBURG, Va. (WAVY) — JMU football will also be joining the Sun Belt Conference in 2022 and play a full FBS schedule in an expedited transition from the FCS level.
The Dukes made the official announcement in a press conference on Wednesday with Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill.
JMU’s other sports were already set to compete in the sports the Sun Belt sponsors starting in 2022 (conferences for field hockey, lacrosse, men’s soccer and swimming & diving are still be finalized) but the football team’s transition to FBS wasn’t clear when the Dukes announced the move to the Sun Belt in November.
Traditionally, transitioning FCS teams play a mix of FCS and FBS teams in their first year, and then play what’s considered a full FBS schedule in the second year of the transition.
JMU will instead speed up that process with the full FBS schedule in year one. So far the Dukes have FBS games at Louisville (Nov. 5), at home against Middle Tennessee (the 2022 Sept. 3 home opener announced Tuesday) and another game against FCS Norfolk State. The other eight games (four home and four away) will be with Sun Belt members. It’s unclear which Sun Belt teams they’ll be, but the schedule is set to be released March 1.
Gill said nothing has changed for the additions of Marshall, Southern Miss and ODU. They’ll join in 2023 at the latest, but the Sun Belt is still trying to get them in in 2022. Expect that to be finalized before March 1.
In total, JMU will play six home games and five away, and the Dukes will not be eligible for the SBC title game or for a bowl game in year one. Head coach Curt Cignetti says to expect the Dukes to have close to 85 scholarship players for 2022.
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