From JMU sports: James Madison Athletics announced its full 2022 football schedule, which features 10 FBS games and 11 total games in its first year as a member of the Sun Belt Conference.
The Dukes will face three non-conference opponents and eight Sun Belt squads, hosting six home games at Bridgeforth Stadium/Zane Showker Field.
"Seeing this schedule makes all the work of the last few months worth it, not to mention the years of positioning and strategic growth," JMU Director of Athletics Jeff Bourne said. "When you see 10 FBS games, including five in our home venue, and the competition of the Sun Belt, particularly in the East Division, you can see visually why we made this move
As previously announced, JMU begins its first season of transition to full Football Bowl Subdivision status with back-to-back home games, hosting Middle Tennessee out of Conference USA (Sept. 3) followed by FCS foe Norfolk State (Sept. 10).
After a third-week bye, the Dukes begin Sun Belt play with an East Division showdown on Sept. 24, as they travel to Boone, N.C., to face Appalachian State. JMU's first-ever Sun Belt game will feature its most familiar opponent in its new conference as the Dukes and Mountaineers will meet for the 17th time.
The Dukes return home on Oct. 1 for Family Weekend when they welcome Texas State to Harrisonburg. They hit the road the following two weeks, trekking to Jonesboro, Ark., to take on Arkansas State (Oct. 8), followed by a matchup at Georgia Southern (Oct. 15) in Statesboro, Ga.
JMU closes the month on Oct. 22 for its annual Homecoming Game when its hosts Marshall.
After another open week the last weekend of October, the Dukes close non-conference play with a trip to ACC opponent Louisville (Nov. 5).
The next week will keep JMU in the Commonwealth of Virginia, as Sun Belt play resumes in Norfolk at Old Dominion (Nov. 12).
With the road slate complete, JMU concludes its season with consecutive home games against Georgia State (Nov. 19) and Coastal Carolina (Nov. 26).
Kickoff times and networks for the first three weeks of the season will be selected in early June. All other games will fall into the traditional 12-day selection process.
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