The Shadow
HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison football announced it has signed a single-game contract to play at Virginia during the 2028 season while moving its originally-scheduled matchup at North Carolina to 2031.
The Dukes will face UVA in Charlottesville on a 2028 date to be determined later. With the addition of the Cavaliers, JMU and UNC have agreed to move its game in Chapel Hill, originally scheduled for Sept. 23, 2028, to Aug. 30, 2031, serving as the season opener that year.
“This game is good for both programs, both of our respective fan bases, and the Commonwealth at large,” Director of Athletics Matt Roan said. “We look forward to playing in Charlottesville in 2028 in front of a great crowd.”
JMU owns victories over both Atlantic Coast Conference programs in its most recent meetings during the 2023 and 2024 campaigns.
Back on Sept. 9, 2023, JMU trailed Virginia by 11 in the fourth before scoring 12 unanswered, including the game-winning touchdown with 55 seconds left, to win 36-35 in Charlottesville. JMU is 2-2 all-time against UVA, having also won in 1982 – which was JMU’s first win ever over an FBS (formerly I-A) opponent.
A year after winning at Virginia, JMU put forth a record-setting performance en route to a 70-50 triumph against the Tar Heels. That day, the Dukes set multiple records, including most points in a game versus an FBS opponent, most points in a half of any game all-time (53), the largest margin of victory over a power-conference program (20) and most points ever scored by an opponent in UNC’s Kenan Stadium. This will be the fifth matchup featuring JMU and UNC, with the Tar Heels leading the series, 3-1.
For a full list of JMU’s confirmed future non-conference games, visit JMUSports.com.
JMU kicks off the 2026 season, presented by CarMax, on Saturday, Sept. 5 at home against Liberty. Game times and TV network designations for JMU’s first three games, as well as its three consecutive Thursday games will be announced soon by the Sun Belt and ESPN.
