JMU Hosts Weber State Saturday in 2025 Season Opener

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison opens its 54th football season on Saturday, Aug. 30 when it hosts Weber State out of the Big Sky Conference at Bridgeforth Stadium.

Kickoff is set for 6 p.m., and the game will be streamed on ESPN+. Pregame radio coverage on the Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network will begin at 4 p.m.

This will be the 34th time JMU has opened a season at home, holding a 25-8 overall record in season openers in Harrisonburg. That includes winning 13 straight dating back to 2003.

Saturday's season opener is sponsored by Pepsi and the 2025 JMU football season is presented by CarMax.

Weber State (0-0) at James Madison (0-0)
Saturday, August 30, 2025
Kickoff: 6 PM
Harrisonburg, Va. | Bridgeforth Stadium

Game Information
Online: ESPN+ (subscription required)
Radio: WSVA 92.1 FM/550 AM
Listen: Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network
Live Stats
JMU Game Notes

JMU'S HISTORY IN SEASON & HOME OPENERS

Dating back to its inaugural season in 1972, JMU holds a 30-22-1 record in season openers.
JMU has won five straight season openers (since 2020) and has won those matchups by an average margin of 46.4 to 5.4. Since 2020, no team has scored more than 10 points in an opener against the Dukes, and the JMU defense has conceded three total touchdowns over the past five openers.
This stretch includes a 44-7 victory in the 2022 home opener against Middle Tennessee, which was JMU's first game as an FBS member and first time hosting an FBS foe.
The Dukes are also 42-11 all-time in home openers, having won 22 straight openers at Bridgeforth Stadium. During the 22-game streak, JMU posts wins by an average of 47.3 to 8.5. Over the past 10 home openers, no team has scored more than 10 against the Dukes.
JMU has produced north of 40 points in 16 of the 22 wins, which includes a JMU season-opening school record 80 points in 2016 against Morehead State.
The last team to win in a JMU home opener was Hampton, which won 31-28 on Aug. 31, 2002.

YEAR TWO FOR CHESNEY

Bob Chesney, the ninth head coach in JMU history, enters season two at the helm of the Dukes.
In his first season, he guided JMU to a 9-4 overall record and a win in the 2024 Boca Raton Bowl, which marked JMU's first bowl championship in just its second attempt.
Following the year, he was named Virginia Sports Information Directors State Coach of the Year.
Chesney is also in his 16th year as a head coach and holds a career 120-50 overall record, having had previous head-coaching stops at Holy Cross (2018-23), Assumption (2013-17) and Salve Regina (2010-12).

A FAMILIAR FOE

JMU's season-opening opponent is no stranger to the Dukes and to Harrisonburg, as JMU and Weber State meet for the fourth time.
JMU is 3-0 all-time against the Wildcats, having won a pair of FCS playoff games at home and capturing a win in its furthest west road trip.
The Dukes first beat Weber, 31-28, on Dec. 8, 2017, in the FCS Quarterfinals with an Ethan Ratke 46-yard, walk-off field goal as time expired.
Two years later, JMU defeated WSU, 30-14, at home in the FCS Semifinals, to advance to the FCS title game for the final time before moving to the Football Bowl Subdivision.
In JMU's final FCS season, it traveled to Ogden, Utah, where it claimed a two-touchdown triumph at Weber State.

THE SIX OG'S

Of JMU's seniors who are about to start their final collegiate season, only six will leave JMU having played for the Dukes for their entire careers.
They include fifth-year seniors Brett Davis (OL), Brandon Fique (LB), Kye Holmes (S) and Josh Toner (OL) and true seniors Trent Hendrick (LB) and Jacob Thomas (S).
Of the four who were true freshmen in 2021, only one played against Weber State in Ogden, as Kye Holmes made a solo tackle.
Both Hendrick and Thomas were part of JMU's initial FBS signing class and began their careers in 2022 and have combined for 43 starts between the two of them.

SUN BELT EAST FAVORITES

JMU is the preseason pick to win the Sun Belt East Division title in 2025, as it garnered 11 of 14 first-place votes to tally 94 points in the Preseason Coaches Poll.
Georgia Southern followed in second place with one first-place vote and 76 points, followed by App State in third with 60 points.
Opposite to JMU, the West Division's top-two favorites both reside on the Dukes' 2025 schedule at Louisiana and Texas State each took six first-place votes, finishing with 86 and 76 points, respectively.
JMU finished atop the East Division in both 2022 and 2023 but was unable to compete in the Sun Belt Football Championship due to FCS-to-FBS reclassification rules.

UP NEXT

JMU has a short week to prepare for game two, as it travels to Louisville, Ky., to battle Louisville on Friday, Sept. 5.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
It will be the second all-time meeting between the teams, with the Cardinals taking a 34-10 win at home back on Nov. 5, 2022.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Online: ESPN+ (Subscription required)
Listen: Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network
On the radio – WSVA 92.1 FM/550 AM
Online: The Varsity Network

Broadcast Talent
ESPN+: Curt Dudley (pxp), Delvin Joyce (analyst), David Hulvey (sideline)
Radio: Dave Riggert (pxp), Que Reid (analyst), Cole Potts (analyst)

Calendar

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Brett Davis

Brandon Fique

Trent Hendrick

Kye Holmes

Cole Potts

Jacob Thomas

Josh Toner

JMU Footer

Scoreboard

Calendar

Completed Event: Football versus Weber State on August 30, 2025 , Win , 45, to, 10

Completed Event: Football at Louisville on September 5, 2025 , Loss , 14, to, 28

Upcoming Event: Football at Liberty on September 20, 2025 at 3:30 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Football versus Georgia Southern on September 27, 2025

Upcoming Event: Football at Georgia State on October 4, 2025

Upcoming Event: Football versus Louisiana on October 11, 2025

Upcoming Event: Football versus Old Dominion on October 18, 2025

Upcoming Event: Football at Texas State on October 28, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT)

Upcoming Event: Football at Marshall on November 8, 2025

Upcoming Event: Football versus App State on November 15, 2025

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