“You are what your record says you are”: Dukes solidify winning season in FBS debut

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - James Madison has cemented a winning record in its first season as an FBS team.

The Dukes are coming off a dominant 37-3 win over in-state Sun Belt opponent Old Dominion. This game, dubbed the Royal Rivalry, was the first meeting between these two football teams since 2012.

“I felt very confident going into the game that we were going to play very well,” said James Madison head coach Curt Cignetti. “And we did play well. We didn’t play perfectly, we still have a few injured players.”

JMU quarterback Todd Centeio suffered an oblique injury midway through the season, causing him to miss the Dukes’ homecoming game against Marshall. Last Saturday, Centeio suffered an ankle injury but returned to the field, going 18-of-21 for 304 yards and rushing 12 yards for one touchdown.

Centeio was named the MVP of the 72nd Annual Oyster Bowl. On Monday, he was selected as the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week for the third time this season.

With two weeks left in the regular season, the Dukes have two tough Sun Belt teams left in the schedule. This weekend, JMU returns to Bridgeforth Stadium, where JMU will host Georgia State. This will be the first meeting between these two teams in ten years.

With a win, the Dukes have a chance to go 7-3, including a 5-2 mark in Sun Belt play.

“You are what your record says you are,” said Cignetti. “Our goal is to go 1-0 this weekend and get to 7-3 overall.”

Kickoff against Georgia State is set for 2 p.m. at Bridgeforth Stadium. This game can be streamed live on ESPN+.

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