A Renewed Rivalry
Virginia Football and James Madison have officially scheduled a 2028 matchup at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, reviving a series that has produced five meetings since the late 1970s. The announcement comes after Virginia Tech's decision to cancel its own game against the Dukes, a move driven by ACC scheduling constraints that reshaped the conference slate.
The two schools are currently tied 2‑2 in their all‑time series, with previous contests dating back to 1979, 1982 and 1983. The most recent encounter in 2023 favored James Madison, giving the Dukes a slight edge heading into the next chapter.
Coaching Shifts and Playoff Aspirations
James Madison's run to the College Football Playoff last season placed the program among a rare group of Group of Five teams to earn a spot on college football's biggest stage. The Dukes fell to Oregon in the opening round, but the experience cemented their reputation as a rising power. Following the playoff appearance, former head coach Bob Chesney departed for UCLA, paving the way for Billy Napier, a former Louisiana and Florida Gators coach, to take the helm.
Napier inherits a roster that aims to remain one of the top Group of Six programs nationwide. Under his guidance, the team hopes to translate recent success into sustained competitiveness, while Virginia, led by head coach Tony Elliott, looks to build on its 2025 conference title game appearance and push for its own playoff berth.
The upcoming 2028 meeting will test both programs against each other and against a landscape that includes new rivals, realigned conferences and ambitious coaching tenures. Fans on both sides anticipate a contest that could further define the rivalry's modern era.
Virginia's recent foray into the conference championship game demonstrates the Cavaliers' upward trajectory, while James Madison's historic playoff run has set a benchmark for Group of Five programs. The scheduled showdown at Scott Stadium thus serves as a focal point for two ambitious teams seeking to assert dominance in the evolving college football hierarchy.