Duquesne to Face James Madison in 2027

There will be a battle of the Dukes in 2027 when Duquesne (NEC) faces James Madison (Sun Belt) on Saturday, September 11. The two schools haven’t met in football before.

James Madison was a member of the FCS through the 2021 season, before joining the FBS and the Sun Belt Conference in 2022. Duquesne joined the then-I-AA in 1993 and moved to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) the following year. After the MAAC stopped sponsoring football following the 2007 season, Duquesne joined the Northeast Conference beginning in 2008.

Duquesne is set to face at least two FBS teams in each of the next two years. Duquesne will play at Pittsburgh (ACC) and Akron (MAC) in 2025, followed by a Western swing in 2026 with games at Air Force (Mountain West) and Washington State (Pac-12). Duquesne has one win all-time against the FBS, which came against Ohio (MAC) in 2021.

James Madison has three other FCS schools lined up for this decade: Weber State (Big Sky) in 2025, Wagner (NEC) in 2026, and Norfolk State (MEAC) in 2030. JMU has won each of its three games against FCS foes since joining the Sun Belt in 2022.

There are over 420 FCS versus FBS games scheduled over the next decade, including 69 for the 2027 season. A full listing of the future matchups can be found here.

Photo Credit to Duquesne University Athletics