JMU makes College Football Playoff for first time in history
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
JMU is headed to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.
Why it matters: They're the only Virginia team to ever make it to the CFP.
Driving the news: The team found out Sunday that they earned the final spot in the biggest college football tournament of the year, which kicks off on Dec. 19.
Catch up quick: JMU has increasingly become a household name in college football since climbing to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2022.
- Last Friday night, the Dukes secured their first Sun Belt Conference Championship after a win against the Troy Trojans.
- UVA's loss to the Blue Devils in the ACC Championship the next day opened the door for JMU to make the playoff.
The intrigue: Some sports personalities aren't happy about it, with college football commentator Paul Finebaum saying "they don't belong."
- Yes, but: JMU says otherwise, and posted a video of the team celebrating their playoff inclusion with the caption "Earned."
What's next: The No. 12 Dukes play No. 5 Oregon on Saturday, Dec. 20, at 7:30pm. You can watch it on TNT or HBO Max.
- Tickets for the JMU section are already sold out, but tickets purchased through the University of Oregon's site go live Tuesday at 2pm.
- Tickets start at $204.