The 2016 James Madison Dukes football team represented James Madison University during the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by first year head coach Mike Houston and played their home games at Bridgeforth Stadium and Zane Showker Field. They were a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). They finished the season 14–1 overall with an 8–0 mark in CAA play to win the conference title. They received the automatic bid to the FCS playoffs, where they defeated New Hampshire, Sam Houston State, and five-time defending champions North Dakota State to advance to the National Championship Game, where they defeated Youngstown State. This was their first national championship since 2004.
Previous season
In 2015, the Dukes finished with a record of 9–3, 6–2 in CAA play, to finish in a first-place tie with Richmond and William & Mary. They received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs and hosted Colgate in the second round. The Dukes lost to the Raiders, 44–38, and were eliminated from the playoffs.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|
| September 3 | 6:00 PM | Morehead State* | No. 12 | | MadiZone | W 80–7 | 23,626 |
| September 10 | 4:00 PM | Central Connecticut* | No. 12 | - Bridgeforth Stadium
- Harrisonburg, VA
| MadiZone | W 56–21 | 20,636 |
| September 17 | 3:30 PM | at North Carolina* | No. 11 | | ACCRSN/CSN | L 28–56 | 56,000 |
| September 24 | 12:00 PM | at Maine | No. 11 | | ASN | W 31–20 | 8,786 |
| October 1 | 1:30 PM | Delaware | No. 7 | - Bridgeforth Stadium
- Harrisonburg, VA (Rivalry)
| MadiZone | W 43–20 | 25,236 |
| October 8 | 3:30 PM | William & Mary | No. 7 | - Bridgeforth Stadium
- Harrisonburg, VA (Rivalry)
| CSN | W 31–24 | 20,354 |
| October 15 | 12:00 PM | at New Hampshire | No. 7 | | ASN | W 42–39 | 8,316 |
| October 29 | 3:30 PM | Rhode Island | No. 8 | - Bridgeforth Stadium
- Harrisonburg, VA
| MadiZone | W 84–7 | 23,841 |
| November 5 | 3:30 PM | at No. 6 Richmond | No. 7 | | CSN | W 47–43 | 8,700 |
| November 12 | 1:00 PM | at No. 9 Villanova | No. 6 | | NNAA | W 20–7 | 6,109 |
| November 19 | 1:30 PM | Elon | No. 6 | - Bridgeforth Stadium
- Harrisonburg, VA
| MadiZone | W 63–14 | 16,184 |
| December 3 | 2:00 PM | No. 22 New Hampshire* | No. 5 | | ESPN3 | W 55–22 | 13,231 |
| December 9 | 7:00 PM | No. 1 Sam Houston State* | No. 5 | | ESPN2 | W 65–7 | 15,646 |
| December 16 | 7:00 PM | at No. 4 North Dakota State* | No. 5 | | ESPN2 | W 27–17 | 18,282 |
| January 7, 2017 | 12:00 PM | vs. No. 13 Youngstown State* | No. 5 | | ESPN2 | W 28–14 | 14,423 |
|
[1]
Roster
Game summaries
Morehead State
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
|---|
| Eagles
|
0
|
7
|
0
|
0 |
7 |
| #12 Dukes
|
28
|
24
|
21
|
7 |
80 |
| Overall record
|
Last meeting
|
Result
|
|---|
| 6–2
|
2015
|
W 56–7
|
Central Connecticut
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
|---|
| Blue Devils
|
0
|
7
|
14
|
0 |
21 |
| #12 Dukes
|
21
|
14
|
7
|
14 |
56 |
| Overall record
|
Last meeting
|
Result
|
|---|
| 2–0
|
2013
|
W 38–14
|
at North Carolina
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
|---|
| #11 Dukes
|
21
|
0
|
7
|
0 |
28 |
| Tar Heels
|
14
|
21
|
14
|
7 |
56 |
| Overall record
|
Last meeting
|
Result
|
|---|
| 0–2
|
2011
|
L 10–42
|
at Maine
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
|---|
| #11 Dukes
|
7
|
3
|
7
|
14 |
31 |
| Black Bears
|
0
|
13
|
7
|
0 |
20 |
| Overall record
|
Last meeting
|
Result
|
|---|
| 11–5
|
2012
|
W 31–7
|
Delaware
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
|---|
| Fightin' Blue Hens
|
0
|
7
|
0
|
13 |
20 |
| #7 Dukes
|
7
|
19
|
7
|
10 |
43 |
| Overall record
|
Last meeting
|
Result
|
|---|
| 9–14
|
2015
|
W 24–21
|
William & Mary
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
|---|
| Tribe
|
3
|
7
|
0
|
14 |
24 |
| #7 Dukes
|
10
|
0
|
7
|
14 |
31 |
| Overall record
|
Last meeting
|
Result
|
|---|
| 21–17
|
2015
|
L 41–44
|
at New Hampshire
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
|---|
| #7 Dukes
|
7
|
14
|
7
|
14 |
42 |
| Wildcats
|
0
|
9
|
3
|
27 |
39 |
| Overall record
|
Last meeting
|
Result
|
|---|
| 7–8
|
2013
|
L 17–33
|
Rhode Island
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
|---|
| Rams
|
0
|
7
|
0
|
0 |
7 |
| #8 Dukes
|
28
|
21
|
21
|
14 |
84 |
| Overall record
|
Last meeting
|
Result
|
|---|
| 8–3
|
2012
|
W 32–7
|
at Richmond
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
|---|
| #7 Dukes
|
14
|
10
|
6
|
17 |
47 |
| #6 Spiders
|
10
|
14
|
7
|
12 |
43 |
| Overall record
|
Last meeting
|
Result
|
|---|
| 15–18
|
2015
|
L 49–59
|
at Villanova
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
|---|
| #6 Dukes
|
7
|
0
|
3
|
10 |
20 |
| #9 Wildcats
|
0
|
7
|
0
|
0 |
7 |
| Overall record
|
Last meeting
|
Result
|
|---|
| 12–12
|
2015
|
W 38–29
|
Elon
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
|---|
| Phoenix
|
0
|
7
|
7
|
0 |
14 |
| #6 Dukes
|
17
|
10
|
15
|
21 |
63 |
| Overall record
|
Last meeting
|
Result
|
|---|
| 4–0
|
2015
|
W 51–0
|
FCS Playoffs
Second Round–New Hampshire
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
|---|
| #22 Wildcats
|
7
|
0
|
8
|
7 |
22 |
| #5 Dukes
|
3
|
28
|
21
|
3 |
55 |
| Overall record
|
Last meeting
|
Result
|
|---|
| 8–8
|
10/15/16
|
W 42–39
|
Quarterfinals–Sam Houston State
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
|---|
| #1 Bearkats
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
7 |
7 |
| #5 Dukes
|
21
|
21
|
23
|
0 |
65 |
| Overall record
|
Last meeting
|
Result
|
|---|
| First meeting
|
Semifinals–North Dakota State
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
|---|
| #5 Dukes
|
7
|
10
|
0
|
10 |
27 |
| #4 Bison
|
0
|
7
|
10
|
0 |
17 |
It was this game that ended NDSU's streak of five consecutive FCS titles.
Championship–Youngstown State
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
|---|
| #13 Penguins
|
0
|
7
|
0
|
7 |
14 |
| #5 Dukes
|
14
|
7
|
7
|
0 |
28 |
Ranking movements
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. ( ) = First place votes.
|
Week
|
|---|
| Poll
|
Pre
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
Final
|
|---|
| STATS FCS
|
12
|
12
|
11
|
11
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
8
|
8
|
7
|
6
|
6
|
5 (1)
|
1 (154)
|
|---|
| Coaches
|
11
|
11
|
8
|
7
|
6
|
6
|
6
|
5 (1)
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
5 (1)
|
5
|
1 (26)
|
|---|
| FCS Playoffs
|
Not released
|
5
|
4
|
4
|
Not released
|
|---|
References
