Liberty returns home after a two game road swing to play host to James Madison for a Week 4 non-conference game at Williams Stadium.

Game Overview

  • Matchup: Liberty Flames (1-2, 0-1 CUSA) vs James Madison Dukes (1-1, 0-0 Sun Belt)
  • Date & Time: Saturday, September 20, 2025, at Williams Stadium, Lynchburg, Virginia. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
  • Series History: JMU leads, 12-6. Liberty won the previous matchup, 26-21, on Nov. 29, 2014.

Preview of the Dukes

For the first time in over a decade, Liberty and James Madison will meet on a football field this weekend. The Flames and Dukes have both made the move up to the FBS from the FCS ranks in recent seasons and both have had their share of success. Now, the teams get to decide the game on the field in the Battle of the Blue Ridge as a trophy will be played for. This is the first of 10 scheduled meetings between the two programs over the next 16 seasons.

JMU has won 20 straight games against teams from Virginia as they look to continue their stake as being the most consistent football program in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Since joining the Sun Belt, the Dukes have won all three matchups against Old Dominion and also owns wins against Virginia and Norfolk State.

Bob Chesney is in his second season at the helm for the Dukes. He guided them to a 9-4 season last year and 4-4 mark in the Sun Belt. James Madison defeated Western Kentucky, 27-17, to win the Boca Raton Bowl this past December. So far this season, Chesney and JMU are 1-1 with a win over Weber State (45-10) and loss at Louisville (28-14). They enter this week rested after an open date with 15 days between their previous game and when they take the field in Lynchburg on Saturday. Since 2014, JMU is 11-1 after not playing the week prior, including both of their open weeks in 2024.

Alonza Barnett started 12 games at quarterback for JMU last year before suffering a serious leg injury in the regular season finale. He was one of the top quarterbacks in the Sun Belt, completing 213 of 355 pass attempts (60%) for 2,598 yards and 26 touchdowns with four interceptions. He also had 135 carries for 442 rushing yards and a team-best seven rushing touchdowns. Barnett was expected to miss the first part of the 2025 season as he recovered from his injury, but he had a remarkable recovery and has returned to the field these past two games, completing 29 of 47 passes (61.7%) for 232 yards and two touchdowns. He has 12 carries for 40 yards and a touchdown.

Due largely to Barnett’s injury, Chesney and the Dukes went to the transfer portal where they brought in Matthew Sluka, someone who Liberty also courted out of the transfer portal in December. Sluka has some history with Chesney, playing for him at Holy Cross before transferring to UNLV last year. Sluka has played in the first two games, completing 6 of 9 passes for 50 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions. He also leads the team with 27 rushing attempts for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns. Chesney has rotated Barnett and Sluka frequently and even during possessions. Sluka has certainly be used more running the ball when he’s on the field, but he does have some potential in the passing game.

When it’s not Sluka or Barnett running the ball, George Pettaway and Wayne Knight get chances. Those two have combined for 27 rushing attempts for 221 yards and a touchdown this season. Including both Pettaway and Knight, the Dukes have eight different players with at least three receptions this season. Knight leads the team with 6 receptions while Landon Ellis leads the team with 75 yards receiving.

JMU is averaging 219.5 yards rushing per game through the team’s first two games while passing for 141 yards.

Defense may be JMU’s calling card, especially early in the season as they sort through their quarterback rotation. Colin Hitschler is in his first year as Madison’s defensive coordinator. Most recently, Hitschler was the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Alabama in 2024. Prior to that, he spent six years on Luke Fickell’s staffs at both Wisconsin and Cincinnati.

The Dukes have held opponents to 19 points per game in the first two weeks, holding teams to 2.9 yards per rushing attempt and 88.5 yards rushing per game. Teams are completing fewer than 50% of their passes against JMU’s defense this season, throwing for 117.5 yards per game with two touchdowns and three interceptions. James Madison has also been really good on third downs, limiting teams to just 8 of 28 on third down conversions (28.6%). Nine different players have at least one tackle for loss so far this season.

Coach Chesney on the Flames

“They are coming off two losses. For them, their drive and their competitiveness and the taste in their mouths is pretty bitter. I’m sure they will be throwing everything they possible they can at us and that’s what our guys are excited about coming into this week.”

“From what I understand, their fans support it. I haven’t been there to a game, so I don’t necessarily know. If it’s anything like this, which they say it is, it’s sold out – I’m sure that has a chunk to do with our people going down there too – it’s just one of those things that you are going to walk into a pretty hostile environment. I think that one we just played in helps you prepare for that. We are hoping it has a ton of energy every which way. We will be excited about that opportunity.”

Coach Chadwell on the Dukes

“They are really talented. They have an older team, especially defensively. They’ve got some guys that have been there in their program a while. They are very physical. They are very aggressive. They are a tough team, the most talented team that we have played probably in my time here, with the exception of the Fiesta Bowl, in all phases. They got good skill. They are physical up front. Their quarterback, they play both. Their quarterbacks are different in what they do, but they are both talented guys. I think defensively between their front seven and then their secondary, they are aggressive and they cause a lot of havoc. It’s going to be a big challenge there to move the ball, but the things we’ve been doing to ourselves. We’ve got to do a great job taking care of the ball if we’re going to have any chance to win.”

Prediction

Spread: Liberty +7.5

My forecast: James Madison 28, Liberty 21

My record this season: 1-2 straight-up, 2-1 against the spread