It's June, which means it's time to get into the 2025 JMU football schedule — and we're doing it with a twist. Inspired by the Ringer Fantasy Football Podcast's schedule draft format, Jack and Bennett each draft games off the Dukes' schedule across five categories:

- Home Game You'd Most Want to Attend

- Home Game Worth Skipping

- Road Game Worth Attending

- Must-Watch TV Game

- Pumpkin Picking Day (the game you skip altogether to build relationship goodwill before championship season)

From the Troy rematch under the lights to a 10 PM kick at San Diego State on the CW, we break down every game worth circling on your calendar — and a few you should hand off entirely. Plus: a deep dive into the state of the Sun Belt Conference, why the league's national profile has slipped since JMU joined, what it would take for the Dukes to crack the College Football Playoff conversation, and whether the Sun Belt can still compete for G5 supremacy against a rising American Athletic Conference.

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CHAPTER MARKERS

0:00 – intro

1:37 – The Schedule Draft format explained (inspired by Ringer Fantasy Football)

2:33 – The five draft categories revealed

5:30 – Pick 1 | Bennett: Home Game Worth Skipping → Wagner (Sept. 12)

6:44 – Pick 2 | Jack: Home Game to Attend → Troy (Sunbelt title game rematch, Thursday night)

7:46 – Pick 3 | Bennett: Pumpkin Picking Day → Georgia State (Oct. 17)

9:34 – Pick 4 | Jack: Road Game Worth Attending → ODU

12:19 – Pick 5 | Bennett: Home Game to Attend → Marshall (Oct. 3)

15:00 – Pick 6 | Jack: Home Game Worth Skipping → Liberty opener (noon kick, ESPNU)

17:29 – UVA's Brazil game fallout & Virginia Tech's mystery $500M

20:39 – Pick 7 | Bennett: Must-Watch TV Game → App State (Thursday night, ESPNU)

22:43 – Pick 8 | Jack: Must-Watch TV Game → San Diego State (10 PM, CW)

23:13 – The San Diego State late-night crash-out potential

25:52 – Pick 9 | Bennett: Road Game Worth Attending → Georgia Southern (Statesboro)

27:16 – Pick 10 | Jack: Pumpkin Picking Day → UConn (Nov. 14, CBS Sports Network)

29:00 – Schedule strength & College Football Playoff hopes

33:17 – Bennett's real goal: tracking Sun Belt fan meltdowns

34:00 – How the Sun Belt Conference has fallen since JMU joined in 2022

36:24 – The American Athletic Conference narrative vs. the Sun Belt

37:00 – Coach drain: Chesney, Cignetti, Huff & more

38:33 – Why bowl game quantity is hurting the Sun Belt's national image

41:20 – Listener callout: JMU Sports News student contributors wanted

42:38 – Recruiting big board update & Class of 2028 additions

44:19 – The Nick DeGennaro GOAT take

45:05 – Cade Klubnik, Dabo, and Houston's career limbo

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JMU's spring sports season is officially in the books — and Jack and Bennett are handing out grades. They break down where JMU lacrosse, softball, and baseball stand heading into the offseason, why Virginia Tech and UVA have made life harder for JMU softball, and whether anyone should be fired (short answer: no, and here's why).

Then it's time for the thing JMU fans actually came for — FOOTBALL. Jack and Bennett dig into the new Class of 2027 recruiting Big Board (available now at buymeacoffee.com/jmusportsnews), break down the men's basketball transfer portal class, and debate whether Billy Napier's 2026 schedule sets JMU up for a 10-win season — or just makes the Sun Belt look soft.

Plus: listener mailbag questions, the Royal Rivalry debate nobody asked for, a rant on six-year college athletes, and more.

Links mentioned:

Chapters:

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Jack Fitzpatrick and Bennett Conlin break down everything happening in JMU Dukes athletics — starting with a deep dive into the men's basketball transfer portal class and whether Preston Spradlin has finally found the right mix of talent AND chemistry. Plus the JMU football O-line gets a boost, stadium expansion renderings/update, and spring sports check-ins on lacrosse, baseball, and softball.

In this episode:

Is JMU men's basketball's 2025–26 transfer class the best-constructed one yet?

Breaking down Cavan Reilly, KJ Windham, Gage Lattimore, Garrett Sundra, Jacob Hogarth & more

Justin McBride to Kentucky & Christian Brown to Ole Miss

Frankie Tinilau joining the football team this summer — O-line officially locked in?

JMU stadium expansion: master plan approved, but where did the renderings go?

NIL, coach retention & the real reason JMU keeps rebuilding its roster

Lacrosse AAC Championship game vs. USF -

Baseball season review — what went wrong?

Softball's pitching collapse in the Sunbelt

Bennett has never had Grammy's Ice Cream

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After a rained out Spring Game and a rain impacted live podcast, we decided to get back to the Richmond studios and crank out an in person pod!

We break down the five plays from the Spring Game and go position group by position group and share our thoughts and expectations heading into the summer ahead of Fall Camp.

Also, we want to send out a massive thank you to everyone that came out for the live podcast! It wasn't exactly what we thought it would be due to the weather and other factors, but we appreciate everyone for talking some Dukes football!

** Audio isn't the best, we apologize for the technical difficulties **

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It's a rapid-fire mailbag Friday on the JMU Sports News Podcast! Jack Fitzpatrick and Bennett Conlin tackle the biggest questions in James Madison University athletics!

From the mysteriously missing spring football roster to the quarterback competition heating up in Harrisonburg, a blunt assessment of Preston Spradlin's transfer portal strategy, and why JMU baseball's midweek upset of UVA has Dukes fans paying attention again.

Plus Jack breaks down why JMU men's basketball needs to rethink its recruiting model entirely.

And a post-Spring Game live show announcement is coming soon — stay locked to our socials! Have a question for the mailbag?

Email us: [email protected]

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This week, Bennett Conlin and Jack Fitzpatrick are joined by JMU Athletic Director Matt Roan. In this interview, JMU Athletic Director Matt Roan discusses the university's stadium expansion plans, strategic athletic development, and the future of college sports at JMU. Gain insights into infrastructure projects, revenue streams, and the vision for 2030 and beyond.

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JMU Women's Basketball is DANCING — and they drew Kenny Brooks & Kentucky The Dukes are Sunbelt champions and headed to the NCAA Tournament, and Jack & Bennett break down every angle of the JMU vs. Kentucky first-round matchup — including the elephant in the room: former JMU head coach Kenny Brooks is now on the other sideline. Is this the feel-good story of the tournament, or a mismatch? Jack and Bennett crunch the numbers on Kentucky's terrifying stats (second in the country in blocks per game, top-20 rebounding margin), debate whether JMU got a raw deal at the 12 seed, and map out exactly what Peyton McDaniel, Ashanti Barnes, and Brie Robinson need to do for the Dukes to pull off the upset in Morgantown. Then — what's the actual ceiling for this program in the NIL era? And how long does Coach O stick around before a power conference comes calling? The guys also shift to JMU football, reacting to the full 2026 schedule. Three straight Thursday night games late in the season, a Week 11 bye, and a front-loaded September — is this schedule a product of the Sunbelt propping up its best TV draw, or a legitimate obstacle for a program trying to return to the College Football Playoff? Topics covered: JMU vs. Kentucky NCAA Tournament breakdown The Kenny Brooks storyline — compelling or overhyped? JMU women's basketball program ceiling in the NIL era Is Coach O eventually leaving for a power conference job? JMU football 2026 schedule reaction: three Thursday games, late bye week, rival placement frustrations JMU baseball, softball, and lacrosse quick hits

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This week, Bennett and Jack are joined by JMU Women's Basketball Head Coach Sean O'Regan. Bennett and Jack preview the Sun Belt Tournament down in Pensacola then are joined by Coach O at about the 21:45 mark.

Big thank you as well to our sponsor, Sign Pro!

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In this episode of the JMU Sports News Podcast, hosts Bennett Conlin and Jack Fitzpatrick discuss the recent performance of JMU athletics, including the "impressive" audience reach during the college football playoff.

They delve into the current state of men's and women's basketball, listener questions about scheduling and conference dynamics, and the implications of North Dakota State's move to FBS. The episode also covers the arrest of tight end KD Mosley and the retirement of field hockey coach Christy Morgan, reflecting on her legacy. The hosts conclude with thoughts on the future of JMU sports and upcoming podcast plans.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Audience Reach Discussion

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In this episode of the JMU Sports News podcast, hosts Bennett Conlin and Jack Fitzpatrick discuss the struggles of JMU men's basketball and the success of the women's team.

They dive into any potential coaching concerns, the impact of the transfer portal and how important nailing this offseason is, and listener questions. The conversation highlights the importance of player retention and development, as well as the challenges faced by both men's and women's programs. The hosts also share their predictions for the Super Bowl and reflect on the dynamics of college sports.

Chapters

00:00 Super Bowl Anticipation

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