James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
Thursday, October 22
Boone, N.C.
7 p.m.
James Madison University
at
App State
10/20/2026 10:40:00 AM | Football
HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison hits the road for a quick turnaround at App State on Thursday, Oct. 22. Kickoff at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, North Carolina, is set for 7 p.m. ET, and the game will be aired live on ESPNU.
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The Dukes enter the matchup as the nation's lone 7-0 program. JMU is one of six remaining unbeaten FBS teams, including the only Group of Six squad.
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JMU is 7-0 for just the fifth time in program history and the first since 2023. It also enters Thursday's matchup with a 4-0 mark in Sun Belt Conference play.
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The Dukes are coming off a 49-22 win over Georgia State on Homecoming at Bridgeforth Stadium last weekend. JMU collected 515 yards of total offense, including 303 in the first half en route to its 11th straight home victory.
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Quarterbacks Camden Coleman and JC Evans combined to throw three touchdown passes and run for two more to lead the offense. Meanwhile, running back George Pettaway registered his fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing performance – a Duke first since 2016 – with 14 carries, 119 yards and a score on the day.
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Wide receiver Michael Scott finished with 196 all-purpose yards. He logged 120 yards on kickoff returns, which was highlighted by a 76-yarder in the first quarter, caught four passes for 44 yards and a touchdown and recorded a 32-yard rush.
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Defensively, JMU limited the Panthers to just 185 passing yards and recorded multiple takeaways for the sixth straight game. Cornerback DJ Kelly grabbed his Sun Belt-leading fourth interception, while cornerback Roddrey McWilliams had a late fumble recovery.
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Linebacker JT Hooten led the team with tackles, with 10.
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App State is 4-2 this season, including 1-1 in Sun Belt play. The Mountaineers are coming off a 35-32 win at Coastal Carolina last Friday on the road. App State trailed by 10 at halftime before rallying in the second half.
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Head coach Dowell Loggains is in his second season leading the squad.
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Pregame radio coverage of Thursday's game begins at 5 p.m., on the Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network.
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The 2026 JMU football season is presented by CarMax.
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BROADCAST INFO
Watch: ESPNU (Taylor Zarzour – PXP, Jeff Woody – Analyst, Michella Chester – Sideline)
Listen: Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network (Dave Riggert – PXP, Isai Bradshaw – Analyst)
Radio: WSVA 550 AM | 92.1 FM | SiriusXM Channel 263
Online: The Varsity Network
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THE MATCHUP
Thursday marks the 21st meeting between James Madison and App State. In all, the Mountaineers hold a 14-6 edge in the series, including 8-3 at home.
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Last season, JMU earned a 58-10 win over App State in Harrisonburg. Overall, the two squads have split four meetings since JMU joined the Sun Belt in 2022.
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App State is JMU's seventh-most played opponent in program history. The series started in 1980, and the two programs have met twice in I-AA/FCS playoff action over the years.
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ROAD DOGS
JMU boasts some of the most success on the road of any team in the country in recent years. Since 2022, the Dukes have won 20 road games, the most in the nation in that time. They hold a .741-win percentage as the away team in the FBS era, which ranks No. 4 nationally.
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Overall, JMU is 29-7 in Sun Belt games since joining the league, including 14-4 on the road. It has won the most games of any team in the league since 2022, with 47.
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In East Division matchups, the Dukes are 22-6.
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James Madison is 3-0 on the road this season with victories at San Diego State (Sept. 19), Old Dominion (Sept. 26) and Georgia Southern (Oct. 10).
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LEADING THE WAY
The Dukes enter the week as one of eight programs to feature a top-20 scoring offense and defense. JMU ranks No. 3 nationally with 42.9 points per game, as well as No. 19 with 16.0 points allowed per contest.
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On special teams, JMU ranks No. 4 nationally in kick returns (35.43) and No. 8 in punt returns (19.00) due in large part to Scott's success in those areas. The York, Pennsylvania, native is the nation's leader in combined return yardage, with 685. He also is No. 12 in the country in all-purpose yards (138.0).
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Pettaway leads the Sun Belt in rushing by more than 300 yards. He's featured in the nation's No. 14 rushing attack (223.7), with 767 yards and seven touchdowns on the year.
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Defensively, the Dukes have been opportunistic. The squad has forced 12 takeaways this season, leading to a No. 11 national ranking in turnover ratio (+7). JMU ranks No. 17 in both interceptions (7) and fumble recoveries (5).
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Of note, Kelly's four interceptions are tied for No. 5 nationally and lead the Sun Belt.
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In the kicking game, kicker Morgan Suarez is No. 9 in the nation in scoring (10.3).
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IN THE POLLS
This week, JMU earned 80 points in the US LBM Coaches Poll and 52 in the AP Poll, as it continues to march toward the national rankings. The Dukes continue to be the second-highest ranked Group of Six program in both polls, behind only Boise State.
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JMU is up in both polls, as it garnered 33 points in the Coaches Poll and 29 in the AP last week. The Dukes have received votes in every edition of the AP Poll this season and remain the only Sun Belt program to do so at any point in 2026.
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Altogether, James Madison has been ranked in 14 AP Polls since 2022, and has received votes in an additional 28.
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UP NEXT
JMU returns home for its second of three straight Thursday night matchups when it plays host to Troy in a 2025 Sun Belt Championship rematch on Thursday, Oct. 29, at Bridgeforth Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m., with the game airing on either ESPN or ESPN2.
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The Dukes enter the matchup as the nation's lone 7-0 program. JMU is one of six remaining unbeaten FBS teams, including the only Group of Six squad.
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JMU is 7-0 for just the fifth time in program history and the first since 2023. It also enters Thursday's matchup with a 4-0 mark in Sun Belt Conference play.
Â
The Dukes are coming off a 49-22 win over Georgia State on Homecoming at Bridgeforth Stadium last weekend. JMU collected 515 yards of total offense, including 303 in the first half en route to its 11th straight home victory.
Â
Quarterbacks Camden Coleman and JC Evans combined to throw three touchdown passes and run for two more to lead the offense. Meanwhile, running back George Pettaway registered his fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing performance – a Duke first since 2016 – with 14 carries, 119 yards and a score on the day.
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Wide receiver Michael Scott finished with 196 all-purpose yards. He logged 120 yards on kickoff returns, which was highlighted by a 76-yarder in the first quarter, caught four passes for 44 yards and a touchdown and recorded a 32-yard rush.
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Defensively, JMU limited the Panthers to just 185 passing yards and recorded multiple takeaways for the sixth straight game. Cornerback DJ Kelly grabbed his Sun Belt-leading fourth interception, while cornerback Roddrey McWilliams had a late fumble recovery.
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Linebacker JT Hooten led the team with tackles, with 10.
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App State is 4-2 this season, including 1-1 in Sun Belt play. The Mountaineers are coming off a 35-32 win at Coastal Carolina last Friday on the road. App State trailed by 10 at halftime before rallying in the second half.
Â
Head coach Dowell Loggains is in his second season leading the squad.
Â
Pregame radio coverage of Thursday's game begins at 5 p.m., on the Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network.
Â
The 2026 JMU football season is presented by CarMax.
Â
BROADCAST INFO
Watch: ESPNU (Taylor Zarzour – PXP, Jeff Woody – Analyst, Michella Chester – Sideline)
Listen: Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network (Dave Riggert – PXP, Isai Bradshaw – Analyst)
Radio: WSVA 550 AM | 92.1 FM | SiriusXM Channel 263
Online: The Varsity Network
Â
THE MATCHUP
Thursday marks the 21st meeting between James Madison and App State. In all, the Mountaineers hold a 14-6 edge in the series, including 8-3 at home.
Â
Last season, JMU earned a 58-10 win over App State in Harrisonburg. Overall, the two squads have split four meetings since JMU joined the Sun Belt in 2022.
Â
App State is JMU's seventh-most played opponent in program history. The series started in 1980, and the two programs have met twice in I-AA/FCS playoff action over the years.
Â
ROAD DOGS
JMU boasts some of the most success on the road of any team in the country in recent years. Since 2022, the Dukes have won 20 road games, the most in the nation in that time. They hold a .741-win percentage as the away team in the FBS era, which ranks No. 4 nationally.
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Overall, JMU is 29-7 in Sun Belt games since joining the league, including 14-4 on the road. It has won the most games of any team in the league since 2022, with 47.
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In East Division matchups, the Dukes are 22-6.
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James Madison is 3-0 on the road this season with victories at San Diego State (Sept. 19), Old Dominion (Sept. 26) and Georgia Southern (Oct. 10).
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LEADING THE WAY
The Dukes enter the week as one of eight programs to feature a top-20 scoring offense and defense. JMU ranks No. 3 nationally with 42.9 points per game, as well as No. 19 with 16.0 points allowed per contest.
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On special teams, JMU ranks No. 4 nationally in kick returns (35.43) and No. 8 in punt returns (19.00) due in large part to Scott's success in those areas. The York, Pennsylvania, native is the nation's leader in combined return yardage, with 685. He also is No. 12 in the country in all-purpose yards (138.0).
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Pettaway leads the Sun Belt in rushing by more than 300 yards. He's featured in the nation's No. 14 rushing attack (223.7), with 767 yards and seven touchdowns on the year.
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Defensively, the Dukes have been opportunistic. The squad has forced 12 takeaways this season, leading to a No. 11 national ranking in turnover ratio (+7). JMU ranks No. 17 in both interceptions (7) and fumble recoveries (5).
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Of note, Kelly's four interceptions are tied for No. 5 nationally and lead the Sun Belt.
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In the kicking game, kicker Morgan Suarez is No. 9 in the nation in scoring (10.3).
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IN THE POLLS
This week, JMU earned 80 points in the US LBM Coaches Poll and 52 in the AP Poll, as it continues to march toward the national rankings. The Dukes continue to be the second-highest ranked Group of Six program in both polls, behind only Boise State.
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JMU is up in both polls, as it garnered 33 points in the Coaches Poll and 29 in the AP last week. The Dukes have received votes in every edition of the AP Poll this season and remain the only Sun Belt program to do so at any point in 2026.
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Altogether, James Madison has been ranked in 14 AP Polls since 2022, and has received votes in an additional 28.
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UP NEXT
JMU returns home for its second of three straight Thursday night matchups when it plays host to Troy in a 2025 Sun Belt Championship rematch on Thursday, Oct. 29, at Bridgeforth Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m., with the game airing on either ESPN or ESPN2.
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Players Mentioned
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