Welcome to the American, Dukes: James Madison Joins the American Conference

10/12/2026 | Snap Count Press |

Welcome to the American, Dukes. On Monday, the American Conference Board of Directors voted unanimously to admit James Madison University as a full member, and JMU will begin competing in the league no later than July 1, 2028 (American Conference announcement). The program that went from FCS champion to the College Football Playoff in four FBS seasons is coming to a league that already includes UTSA, Memphis, Tulane, Army and Navy.

What was announced

According to the conference, JMU submitted a formal written application, and the American then ran a due diligence process covering six areas: institutional and academic alignment; competitive strength and trajectory; institutional investment; financial sustainability and member value; brand, media value and fan engagement; and geography and operational fit. That included a quantitative media-value study (The American).

“The American Conference is a destination, and James Madison University represents everything we value and strengthens our membership,” Commissioner Tim Pernetti said. “The Dukes have rapidly built a nationally recognized brand through a culture of innovation, investment, bold leadership and competitive success. JMU’s trajectory aligns with who we are and where we are going.”

The league said JMU’s membership “has been structured to protect and enhance the value of the conference’s current membership,” that the added media inventory expands its media platform, and that current members’ distributions will be enhanced. It also said JMU “has made a significant financial and commercial commitment” to join. Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported more detail, citing sources: JMU has committed to pay more than $20 million in an entrance fee, annual distributions to current American members will not decrease, and the move comes as the Sun Belt is exploring higher exit fees (Dellenger on X).

JMU’s side was just as excited. “We’re ecstatic for James Madison to take the next step in our university’s growth by joining the American Conference,” Director of Athletics Matt Roan said. “The American offers opportunities for all our sports to thrive, to grow our brand and media exposure, to expand our constituent base, and to continue to elevate the impact of James Madison on college athletics.”

JMU President James Schmidt said the American “is home to member institutions who share our ambitious academic goals,” adding, “Our student-athletes will compete in cities where JMU alumni are already rooted and future Dukes will fill the stands.” Both Schmidt and Roan thanked the Sun Belt, and Board of Visitors Rector Dave Rexrode said the board voted unanimously to authorize the application (JMU Athletics).

The Dukes aren’t strangers to the league. JMU has been an American affiliate in lacrosse since 2022 and has won the last two American lacrosse titles, and swimming and diving joined as an affiliate in 2025-26. JMU sponsors 18 varsity sports, and 17 will compete in the American, with field hockey staying in the MAC (JMU Athletics).

JMU football: from Harrisonburg to the Playoff

JMU started playing football in 1972 under Challace McMillin and moved to Division I-AA (now FCS) in 1979. It won FCS national championships in 2004 under Mickey Matthews (13-2) and 2016 under Mike Houston (14-1), and Houston’s 2017 team went 14-1 and reached the national final again. Curt Cignetti took over in 2019 and reached the FCS final that season, followed by semifinal runs in 2020-21 and 2021 (JMU football year-by-year).

JMU moved to FBS and the Sun Belt in 2022 and went 8-3 in its first season, tying for first in the Sun Belt East. In 2023, the Dukes started 10-0, rose as high as No. 18 in the AP poll and finished the regular season 11-1. Cignetti left for Indiana, and Damian Wroblewski coached JMU in the Armed Forces Bowl. Bob Chesney arrived for 2024, JMU’s first fully reclassified season, and went 9-4 with the program’s first bowl win in the Boca Raton Bowl (year-by-year; JMU Athletics).

Then came 2025. JMU went 12-2, won its first Sun Belt championship and made the College Football Playoff as the No. 12 seed (year-by-year). It was 40-10 in its first four FBS seasons, according to JMU, and Billy Napier is now the head coach (JMU Athletics). In Napier’s first season, the Dukes are off to a 6-0 start, including 3-0 in Sun Belt play. Home games are played at Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, Va.

The Dukes’ best-known football alum is Charles Haley, JMU’s all-time leading tackler (506). The 49ers drafted him in the fourth round in 1986, making him the first JMU player ever drafted. He won five Super Bowls with the 49ers and Cowboys and went into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015 (JMU Athletics).

And it’s not just football. As Sun Belt members, the Dukes won titles in football, men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, women’s soccer and swimming and diving. JMU has also won national titles in lacrosse (2018) and field hockey (1994) (JMU Athletics).

Will we see other additions?

Nothing else has been announced. Just a few weeks ago, the league’s stance was that it wasn’t looking. After On3’s Brett McMurphy and Pete Nakos reported on Sept. 25 that Miami (Ohio), James Madison and UConn had contacted the American, the conference said in a statement, “The American is not proactively seeking additional members. We will continue to evaluate the changing landscape and opportunities that strengthen the conference and support our collective mission” (On3; Front Office Sports).

Here’s what’s been reported about the other two schools. Neither is confirmed. According to On3’s sources, Miami (Ohio) is seeking full membership and made an offer of $30 million to $40 million, while UConn wants a football-only membership so it can keep its other sports in the Big East (On3). UConn left the American for the Big East in 2020 and has played football as an independent since. Whether JMU’s admission makes the league more open to other applicants is speculation for now. The conference hasn’t said anything about either school.

Once JMU arrives, the American will have 14 full members: UAB, Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, North Texas, Rice, South Florida, Temple, UTSA, Tulane, Tulsa, Wichita State (which doesn’t sponsor football) and James Madison. Army and Navy are football-only members, so football will have 15 teams. The league has changed a lot in the last few years. It added UAB, Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, Rice and UTSA in 2023, added Army for football in 2024 and rebranded as the American Conference in 2025 (The American; JMU Athletics; On3).

It is our opinion here at SA Snap Count that we expect to see future additions announced in the near future, purely because playing football with 16 teams makes more sense than going with 15.

What it means for UTSA

For San Antonio, this means a new league opponent and one of the best non-power football brands in the country. The Dukes bring a Playoff appearance and big crowds at Bridgeforth, and adding a CFP team makes the American stronger for every member, UTSA included. Based on the conference’s statement and Dellenger’s reporting, JMU’s entry fee is set up so current members’ payouts aren’t reduced. The Roadrunners will also be adding a trip to Harrisonburg, in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, which will be one of the longest road trips in the league. The 2028 schedule and how JMU fits into it haven’t been announced. For now, UTSA is 5-1 and 2-0 in the American and hosts Navy on Saturday (our Week 6 recap).

Links and sources

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