National sports media reacts to JMU Football’s historic ranking

JMU Nation: The moment is now.  

With excitement abound surrounding JMU’s move to the Football Bowl Subdivision and the Sun Belt Conference, JMU Athletics is excelling on the national stage. From search interest and media mentions to paid media coverage and social media mentions, total impressions are skyrocketing. 

After JMU Football earned its first ranking in The Associated Press’ Top 25 College Football Poll, people took to Twitter — and not just elated fans of the Dukes. Many sports media members from nationally known entities tweeted their reactions.

Check out tweets from prominent sports outlets about the Football Dukes.

James Madison has played five games as an FBS team.

The Dukes are ALREADY ranked 🤯 pic.twitter.com/GCjbxXcqDj

— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 9, 2022

James Madison is ranked No. 25 in the AP Poll, just five games into their FBS experience. Incredible.

— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) October 9, 2022

New AP Top 25.

Welcome back to No. 1, Georgia.

Welcome back after a long absence, Illinois

Welcome, James Madisonhttps://t.co/QCVrAxaprL

— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoAP) October 9, 2022

James Madison is ranked No. 25 in the newest AP poll.

JMU has been an FBS football team for six weeks.

— Scott Watkins (@scottwatkinsTU) October 9, 2022

James Madison to the Playoff or we riot https://t.co/74gC8BzLvk

— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) October 9, 2022

James Madison is ranked No. 25 in this week’s AP Poll

We knew they could compete right away in the FBS, as most top FCS teams could, and with JMU’s resources. But this is to another level, and a dream start in a dream conference. Good for the Dukes 👍

— Sam Herder (@SamHerderFCS) October 9, 2022

James Madison might be the best Group of Five team. https://t.co/GPKvVCvCnj

— SB Nation (@SBNation) October 9, 2022

It only took 5 games at the FBS level for @JMUFootball to earn its first-ever ranking in the AP Top 25 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/qCmpr2Isgx

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 9, 2022

Todd Centeio + JMU = good at football pic.twitter.com/WUnPytv6Bt

— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) October 9, 2022

James Madison University has received its first-ever AP Top 25 ranking.

Undefeated JMU (5-0) is ranked No. 25 👀

How James Madison football made its move to Sun Belt, @ChrisVannini from the archives:https://t.co/zsSI6hhYRT

— The Athletic CFB (@TheAthleticCFB) October 9, 2022

They played their way into it. I mereley saw the road map to get there. Who cares about their NFL teams not me. this is my superbowl https://t.co/fGVf7yHuxV

— PFT Commenter (@PFTCommenter) October 10, 2022

JMU would be favored by 3 points over Alabama on a nuetral field

— PFT Commenter (@PFTCommenter) October 9, 2022

If transfers can get waivers quicker than Tennessee’s tempo why does @JMUFootball have to wait 2 years to be postseason eligible? I mean, who is it going to hurt? Old rule needs to be rescinded in this case. And, no, it’s not going to be beer-leads-to-heroin with an FCS bum rush.

— Dennis Dodd (@dennisdoddcbs) October 11, 2022

we’ve expanded the playoff, realigned conferences, started letting boosters pay the players and dropped most transfer restrictions. CFB can be flexible when it wants

so lets drop the FBS transition rule. or get JMU a waiver. Dukes deserve a shot at a bowl

— Chip Patterson (@Chip_Patterson) October 9, 2022

JMU rolls on to 5-0. In their first year in the G5, they are at the moment very clearly the best G5 team in the country. https://t.co/wddDewat6h

— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) October 9, 2022

JMU students are certainly enthused as well. Tickets for the Oct. 22 Homecoming game against Marshall University are sold out, with more than 8,000 student tickets being reserved in just 45 minutes.

As sports columnist Barry Svrluga wrote in The Washington Post on Sept. 30, “James Madison is now rubbing elbows with college football’s most successful programs, bringing both unbridled optimism and unabashedly brash goals.”