With a Week 13 victory over the Washington State Cougars, the James Madison Dukes are now 10-1 on the year with just one game remaining in the regular season. Can they actually make the 2025-26 College Football Playoff?
What Are the Chances of James Madison Making the College Football Playoff?
According to the PFSN College Football Playoff Meter (FPM), the chances of JMU making the CFP are now at 43.7% after entering the week at 37.6%. A loss to the Cougars would’ve dealt a massive blow, dropping the Dukes’ chances to just 19.0%.
Since falling 28-14 to the Louisville Cardinals in Week 2, James Madison has rattled off nine straight victories, including the nail-biting 24-20 win over Washington State. Of course, they are first in the Sun Belt with just one more game remaining, but we’ll get to that in a little bit.
Entering Week 13, the Dukes ranked eighth in PFSN’s College Offense Impact rating in the Group of Five, but the defense has been arguably more exciting, ranking second. The offense is seventh in the nation in red-zone TD rate (76.0%), while the defense is sixth in yards per play allowed (4.3) and eighth in points per drive allowed (1.26)
So, with one game remaining, what’s the Dukes’ path to the CFP, and how realistic is it?
Remaining James Madison Football Schedule
- at Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
Bob Chesney’s squad has just one game remaining on the regular-season schedule, and it’s a big one: Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers are 6-4 on the year and 5-2 in the conference, meaning even with a victory over the Dukes, they’ll remain second in the Sun Belt East Division.
KEEP READING: College Football Bowl Tracker and Clinching Scenarios in Week 13
Regardless, they’ll want to play spoiler to the Dukes’ CFP hopes, as a loss will most certainly knock them out of the race. Even as things stand, they are not on the official CFP ranking, with the No. 24 Tulane Green Wave the only Group of Five representative.
Currently, the postseason structure features the five highest-ranked conference champions earning automatic bids, with the next seven-highest-ranked teams filling the bracket. As of the first slate in Week 13, those automatic spots belong to No. 1 Ohio State (Big Ten), No. 3 Texas A&M (SEC), No. 5 Texas Tech (Big 12), No. 13 Miami (ACC), and No. 24 Tulane (AAC).
Yet, if Tulane were to stumble down the stretch and JMU wins out, it could be their crown to wear, likely landing as the No. 12 seed.
