We continue our series of an early look ahead to the teams on Liberty’s 2025 schedule. We will give a quick preview of all 12 teams that stand in the Flames’ way of another bowl trip and potentially a second CUSA championship as third-year head coach Jamey Chadwell prepares his team for the upcoming season.
Today, we look at Week 4 on the schedule as the Flames return home to Williams Stadium following two early season road trips, welcoming James Madison to Lynchburg.
James Madison
• When: Saturday, Sep. 20 at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg (6 p.m., ESPN Platform TBD)
• Last year’s record: 9-4, 4-4 Sun Belt (t-3rd East)
• Coach: Bob Chesney, second year at JMU
• 2025 SP+ ranking: 49
• Series History: JMU leads, 12-6
Last Meeting: Nov. 29, 2014: Liberty 26, JMU 21
It’s been over a decade since these two programs last met as they have each taken different paths during that time to the FBS. This meeting happened in Harrisonburg at Bridgeforth Stadium in the first round of the FCS Playoffs. Backup quarterback and holder Javan Shashaty picked up a key first down on a fake field goal attempt that led to a DJ Abnar touchdown run as the Flames cut their deficit to 21-17 in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Liberty pieced together a 17-play, 85-yard drive that ate up over 11 minutes of the game clock to give the Flames’ the lead.
Program History:
National Championships: 0
Conference Championships: 0
Bowl Record: 1-1
Last Bowl Appearance: 2024: W, 27-17 vs Western Kentucky in the Boca Raton Bowl
James Madison is a proven winner regardless of coach or conference affiliation. That much has been proven over time as the Dukes have had a very successful transition to the FBS and Sun Belt. After posting an 8-3 mark in their first year at the FBS level in 2022, JMU has gone 11-2 and 9-4 the past two seasons, winning the program’s first ever bowl game last December under first year head coach Bob Chesney. Now, the Dukes have their eyes set on their first ever conference championship at the FBS level.
Like most teams in the current era of college football, there are questions entering the 2025 season for Chesney and James Madison. Alonza Barnett threw for over 2,500 yards last year as well as 26 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He was also third on the team in rushing with 442 yards on the season. However, Barnett tore his ACL in the regular season finale and his status for this fall is currently unknown.
With uncertainty there, Chesney went to the transfer portal and brought in two veteran, proven signal callers in Matthew Sluka (UNLV/Holy Cross) and Camden Coleman (Richmond). Sluka played for Chesney when both were at Holy Cross. In 2023, Sluka had over 1,700 passing yards to go along with over 1,200 yards on the ground before transferring to UNLV and helping the Rebels to a strong start before entering the portal. Sluka also took a visit to Liberty last summer when searching for his next college home. Coleman was 13-1 as a starter at Richmond and threw for over 2,000 yards in 2024. Regardless of who ends up the starter Week 1 and who gets the start against Liberty a few weeks later, it appears the Dukes have several capable arms.
JMU should have one of the best running back groups in the Sun Belt behind George Pettaway who rushed for 980 yards to lead the team last year. Wayne Knight, last year’s RB2, also returns, and the Dukes add Ayo Adeyi who rushed for over 1,000 yards for North Texas in 2023. There are plenty of question marks at receiver after losing their top five receivers from a year ago. This was a position that was heavily targeted in the transfer portal, with JMU bringing in Richmond’s top two receivers as well as Villanova’s top pass catcher.
The Dukes should once again challenge for Sun Belt East Division supremacy as one of the most talented teams in the league. They had the best record in the East Division in both 2022 and 2023 but were ineligible for the conference title game due to their transitioning status from the FCS to the FBS.
What’s at Stake?
Bragging rights and a potential opening for a College Football Playoff path. Liberty and James Madison have not played in over a decade and a lot has changed during that time for both programs as they now meet for the first time at the FBS level. The Flames and Dukes are both expected to compete for their respective conference championship. If they do, the winner of this game will have an argument for inclusion in the CFP discussion as the highest ranked Group of Five champion, assuming they have a strong season the rest of the way.
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