The 2018 James Madison Dukes football team represented James Madison University during the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by third-year head coach Mike Houston and played their home games at Bridgeforth Stadium. They were a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). They finished the season 9–4, 6–2 in CAA play to finish in second place. They received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs where they defeated Delaware in the first round before losing to Colgate in the second round.
| 2018 James Madison Dukes football | |
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FCS Playoffs Second Round, L 20–23 vs. Colgate | |
| Conference | Colonial Athletic Association |
| Ranking | |
| STATS | No. 9 |
| FCS Coaches | No. 10 |
| Record | 9–4 (6–2 CAA) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Donnie Kirkpatrick (3rd season) |
| Defensive coordinator | Bob Trott (3rd season) |
| Home stadium | Bridgeforth Stadium |
Seasons
← 2017
2019 →
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Conf | Overall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No.4Maine $^ | 7 | – | 1 | 10 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No.9James Madison ^ | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No.16Stony Brook ^ | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No.20Towson ^ | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No.24Delaware ^ | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No.19Elon ^ | 4 | – | 3 | 6 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rhode Island | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| William & Mary | 3 | – | 4 | 4 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Hampshire | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Villanova | 2 | – | 6 | 5 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Richmond | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Albany | 1 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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On December 7, 2018, Mike Houston was formally announced and hired as the next coach of East Carolina, alongside nine staff members.[1]
In the CAA preseason poll released on July 24, 2018, the Dukes were predicted to win the CAA championship.[2]
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Madison | 241 (21) |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 206 (2) |
| 3 | Delaware | 182 |
| 4 | Stony Brook | 169 |
| 5 | Elon | 168 (1) |
| 6 | Villanova | 164 |
| 7 | Richmond | 127 |
| 8 | Maine | 81 |
| 9 | Albany | 78 |
| 10 | Towson | 74 |
| 11 | William & Mary | 55 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 39 |
The Dukes had six players selected to the preseason all-CAA team, including cornerback Rashad Robinson being selected as preseason defensive player of the year.
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Offense Marcus Marshall – RB Jahee Jackson – OL |
Defense Darrious Carter – DL Jimmy Moreland – DB Rashad Robinson – DB |
Special teams Harry O'Kelly – P |
| Award | Player | Position | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buck Buchanan Award[3] | Rashad Robinson | CB | SR |
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 1 | 12:00 p.m. | atNC State* | No. 2 |
| ESPNU | L 13–24 | 56,073 |
| September 8 | 6:00 p.m. | atNorfolk State* | No. 2 |
| ESPN3 | W 17–0[a] | 6,482 |
| September 13 | 7:30 p.m.[b] | Robert Morris* | No. 2 |
| NBCS WA+ | W 73–7 | 18,112 |
| September 22 | 3:30 p.m. | William & Mary | No. 2 |
| NBCS WA+ | W 51–0 | 25,130 |
| September 29 | 3:00 p.m. | atRichmond | No. 2 |
| NBCS WA+ | W 63–10 | 8,217 |
| October 6 | 1:30 p.m. | No. 10 Elon | No. 2 |
| MASN/SNY | L 24–27 | 25,484 |
| October 13 | 1:00 p.m. | atVillanova | No. 6 |
| FCS/FSGO | W 37–0 | 5,219 |
| October 27 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 15 Stony Brook | No. 3 |
| MASN/SNY | W 13–10 | 25,244 |
| November 3 | 1:00 p.m. | atNew Hampshire | No. 3 |
| FCS | L 24–35 | 7,741 |
| November 10 | 2:00 p.m. | Rhode Island | No. 9 |
| MASN/SNY | W 48–31 | 24,199 |
| November 17 | 2:00 p.m | at No. 15 Towson | No. 7 |
| CBSI Digital/CBS SportsLive | W 38–17 | 7,208 |
| November 24 | 3:00 p.m. | No. 21 Delaware* | No. 6 |
| ESPN3 | W 20–6 | 7,297 |
| December 1 | 1:00 p.m. | at No. 9 Colgate* | No. 6 |
| ESPN3 | L 20–23 | 6,418 |
Homecoming | |||||||
Source:[4]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 2 Dukes | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
| Wolfpack | 0 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 2 Dukes | 17 | 17 | |||
| Spartans | 0 | 0 |
Due to inclement weather, the JMU–Norfolk State game was mutually ended after the first quarter.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colonials | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| No. 2 Dukes | 21 | 31 | 14 | 7 | 73 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tribe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No. 2 Dukes | 7 | 10 | 21 | 13 | 51 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 2 Dukes | 7 | 28 | 21 | 7 | 63 |
| Spiders | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 10 Phoenix | 0 | 7 | 3 | 17 | 27 |
| No. 2 Dukes | 3 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 24 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 6 Dukes | 10 | 6 | 14 | 7 | 37 |
| Wildcats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 15 Seawolves | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| No. 3 Dukes | 7 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 13 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 3 Dukes | 3 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 24 |
| Wildcats | 14 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rams | 7 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 31 |
| No. 9 Dukes | 14 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 48 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 7 Dukes | 7 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 38 |
| No. 15 Tigers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 21 Fightin' Blue Hens | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| No. 6 Dukes | 3 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 20 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 6 Dukes | 7 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 20 |
| No. 9 Raiders | 3 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 23 |
| Week | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Final |
| STATS FCS | 2(6) | 2(1) | 2(2) | 2(2) | 2(3) | 2(3) | 6–T | 4 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 9 |
| Coaches | 2(3) | 2 | 2(1) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 10 |
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | NFL Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 227 | Jimmy Moreland | CB | Washington Redskins |