BRISTOL, Conn. (JMU Athletics) – For the first time in program history, James Madison is ranked in the College Football Playoff Top 25, as it debuted at #25 in the latest CFP rankings, as announced on ESPN on Tuesday night during the CFP Rankings Show.
The College Football Playoff Selection Committee selects the 12 teams that will compete for the national championship, which features the top five conference champions and the next seven best at-large participants.
The top Group of Six conference champion will be included in the 2025 field. JMU is the third-highest ranked Group of Six team in the rankings, behind the American’s Tulane (#20) and North Texas (#24).
JMU, which hosts Troy on Friday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. in the 2025 Credit Union 1 Sun Belt Football Championship Presented by Visit Pensacola, is ahead of Atlantic Coast Conference Championship participant Duke, which plays 17th-ranked Virginia on Saturday night.
This is just the second season that JMU has been eligible for the Sun Belt Conference Championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff.
The CFP Committee will unveil its final selection for the playoff bracket on Dec. 7 at noon.
2025 College Football Playoff Full Schedule
Dec. 19 – CFP First Round Game – 8 PM (ABC & ESPN)
Dec. 20 – CFP First Round Game – Noon (ABC & ESPN)
Dec. 20 – CFP First Round Game – 3:30 PM (TNT, truTV & HBO Max)
Dec. 20 – CFP First Round Game – 7:30 PM (TNT, truTV & HBO Max)
Dec. 31 – Quarterfinal – Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic – 7:30 PM (ESPN)
Jan. 1 – Quarterfinal – Capital One Orange Bowl – Noon (ESPN)
Jan. 1 – Quarterfinal – Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential – 4 PM (ESPN)
Jan. 1 – Quarterfinal – Allstate Sugar Bowl – 8 PM (ESPN)
Jan. 8 – Semifinal – Vrbo Fiesta Bowl – 7:30 PM (ESPN)
Jan. 8 – Semifinal – Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl – 7:30 PM (ESPN)
Jan. 19 – College Football Playoff National Championship – 7:30 PM (ESPN)
— JMU Athletics —
