The 2017 James Madison Dukes football team represented

James Madison University James Madison University (JMU, Madison, or James Madison) is a public research university in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the institution was renamed Madison Coll ...

during the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by second-year head coach Mike Houston and played their home games at

Bridgeforth Stadium and Zane Showker Field Bridgeforth Stadium is a football stadium located on the campus of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The stadium is home to the James Madison Dukes football team. The playing surface is named Zane Showker Field. With a seatin ...

. They are a member of the

Colonial Athletic Association The Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I whose full members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to South Carolina. Most of its members are public universi ...

(CAA). They finished the season 14–1 overall with an 8–0 mark in CAA play to win the conference title and also finished undefeated in the regular season for the second time in school history (the other being 1975, before the Dukes joined the NCAA). They received an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs, where they defeated Stony Brook,

Weber State Weber State University (pronounced ) is a public university in Ogden, Utah. It was founded in 1889 as Weber Stake Academy. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. History Weber State University was founded ...

, and

South Dakota State South Dakota State University is a public land-grant research university in Brookings, South Dakota. Founded in 1881, it is the state's largest and most comprehensive university and the oldest continually-operating university in South Dakota. The ...

to advance to the National Championship Game for the second straight season, where they were defeated 17–13 by

North Dakota State North Dakota State University (NDSU, formally North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Sciences) is a public land-grant research university in Fargo, North Dakota. It was founded as North Dakota Agricultural College in 1890 as t ...

Previous season

In 2016, the Dukes finished the season with a 14–1 record, including an 8–0 mark in CAA play to win the conference title. They went undefeated in FCS play with their only loss coming to FBS North Carolina. They received an 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.

Schedule

Game summaries

at East Carolina

East Tennessee State

Norfolk State

Maine

at Delaware

Villanova

at William & Mary

New Hampshire

at Rhode Island

Richmond

at Elon

FCS Playoffs

Second Round–Stony Brook

Quarterfinals–Weber State

Semifinals–South Dakota State

National Championship–North Dakota State

Roster

Ranking movements

References

{{2017 Division I FCS playoff navbox

James Madison James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father. He served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for hi ...

James Madison Dukes football seasons Colonial Athletic Association football champion seasons James Madsion

James Madison Dukes football The James Madison Dukes football program represents James Madison University in the sport of American football. The Dukes compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the Sun Belt Conference (SBC), beginning play ...