Overview
- A win over Troy could position No. 25 JMU for one of the five automatic College Football Playoff spots reserved for the highest‑ranked conference champions, with the ACC result pivotal to that calculus.
- Kickoff is set for Friday at 7 p.m. ET at Showker Field at Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, Virginia, with television coverage on ESPN.
- Sportsbooks list JMU around a 23.5‑point favorite, and SportsLine’s model projects the game to go over the 47.5 total with a heavy Dukes scoring output.
- Coach Bob Chesney is set to take the UCLA job but is expected to coach the Sun Belt Championship and any CFP games for JMU.
- Reports indicate former Florida and Louisiana coach Billy Napier is finalizing a five‑year deal to become JMU’s next head coach, with a formal announcement expected as soon as Saturday.