If it wasn’t for FBS transition regulations, the James Madison Dukes could have been Sun Belt champions in their first ever season in the conference. Can they repeat the success of last season or is a sophomore slump coming for the Dukes in 2023? Our James Madison season predictions hold the answers.
James Madison Season Predictions: Predicting the Game-By-Game Results
Using groupthink, College Football Network analysts have painstakingly gone through every game for every team in the Sun Belt and across the country.
Find Every Sun Belt Season Prediction per team: App State | Arkansas State | Coastal Carolina | Georgia Southern | Georgia State | JMU | Louisiana | UL-Monroe | Marshall | ODU | South Alabama | Southern Miss | Texas State | Troy
Picking these games straight up with a projected score using the rosters as up-to-date as the last spring practice, the James Madison season predictions are bright for 2023.
Week 1 – James Madison vs. Bucknell: Win, 48-12
There’ll be tougher tests on the JMU 2023 college football schedule than the home opener against FCS opponent Bucknell. While the Bison won the first-ever Orange Bowl against Miami (FL), don’t expect the Bison to stampede over the Dukes.
Week 2 – James Madison at Virginia: Win, 22-18
The Dukes lost to ACC opposition last fall, but taking on Virginia early in the 2023 college football season gives them a good chance of victory. The Cavaliers have just three wins in their last 14 games, and it might be a while until we see them perform at a level they did during the 2019 season.
Week 3 – James Madison at Troy: Loss, 16-20
In their first season in the Sun Belt, JMU managed to avoid the two teams who ended the year with the best records in the conference. Not so lucky this time around, and they kick off their conference schedule on the road at Troy. The Trojans’ defense and home-field advantage may prove to be an insurmountable obstacle in Week 3.
MORE: Sun Belt WR Rankings 2023
Week 4 – James Madison at Utah State: Win, 31-24
Utah State loses their most productive defensive players from last fall, while running back Calvin Tyler Jr. is also no longer with the team. A repeat of the Aggies’ six-win season from last year might be a stretch, especially after being overpowered by the Dukes in Week 4.
Week 5 – James Madison vs. South Alabama: Loss, 24-30
After an out-of-conference sojourn, it’s back to the realities of a difficult Sun Belt schedule as the Dukes welcome South Alabama to Harrisonburg. A triple-headed offensive monster led by Carter Bradley may ultimately prove to be too much for JMU’s defense to cope with. The Jaguars have a multifaceted offense that will be difficult to stop this fall.
Week 7 – James Madison vs. Georgia Southern: Win, 27-24
Georgia Southern dealt JMU their first defeat of the season one year ago, shocking a then-ranked Dukes team in Statesboro. With home-field advantage and the playmakers in the secondary to impact the Eagles’ high-volume passing attack, the Dukes should be well placed to gain revenge in Week 7.
Week 8 – James Madison at Marshall: Win, 29-22
The Dukes were without starting quarterback Todd Centeio when these two teams met a year ago, and a Khalan Laborn-led rushing attack put Cignetti’s team to the sword. You have to imagine that there’ll be an entrenched offensive identity by the time JMU arrives in Huntington and they won’t throw four interceptions this time around.
MORE: Old Dominion Monarchs Coaching Staff 2023
Week 9 – James Madison vs. Old Dominion: Win, 29-19
After losing three games on the bounce last year, the Dukes rebounded with a shellacking of Old Dominion in mid-November.
JMU hosts a Monarchs team that has lost most of the key components of their starting lineup from last year to the transfer portal or the NFL, ensuring a repeat comfortable victory should be the minimum expectation.
Week 10 – James Madison at Georgia State: Win, 22-15
While quarterback Darren Grainger poses a dangerous dual-threat, and Georgia State has the potential to hit seven wins this fall, one of them is unlikely to come in Week 10. JMU has a little too much talent on both sides of the ball to get punched by the Panthers.
Week 11 – James Madison vs. UConn: Win, 27-15
UConn achieved bowl eligibility last fall, only to be thwarted by the Sun Belt in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. While they feature an impressive ground game led by Victor Rosa, the top run defense in the conference from last season should be more than a match as JMU adds another win in the 2023 season.
Week 12 – James Madison vs. Appalachian State: Win, 28-20
JMU kicked off their sensational 2022 Sun Belt season by beating Appalachian State in Boone, and there’s every reason to believe they can get the better of the Mountaineers again in 2023. While there’s offensive uncertainty for both teams, the Dukes bolster their WR room in the transfer portal and are well-equipped to go toe-to-toe with their conference foe.
Week 13 – James Madison at Coastal Carolina: Loss, 29-31
A Grayson McCall-less Chanticleers were obliterated by JMU in the corresponding fixture last fall, as the Dukes ran amok on Coastal Carolina to end the year on a high. Coastal likely won’t be without their mulleted magician this time around, and his impact will be a deciding factor in the result. Nonetheless, it’s a nine-win campaign for the Dukes in 2023.
