The James Madison Dukes football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the James Madison Dukes football program in various categories, [1] including passing, rushing, receiving, total offense, defensive stats, and kicking. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single-season, and career leaders. The Dukes represent James Madison University (JMU) in the NCAA Division I FBS Sun Belt Conference (SBC).
Contents
- Passing
- Passing yards
- Passing touchdowns
- Rushing
- Rushing yards
- Rushing touchdowns
- Receiving
- Receptions
- Receiving yards
- Receiving touchdowns
- Total offense
- Total offense yards
- Defense
- Interceptions
- Tackles
- Sacks
- Kicking
- Field goals made
- Footnotes
- References
James Madison began competing in intercollegiate football in 1972, when the school was known as Madison College. Coincidentally, that was first season of the modern era in which freshmen were allowed to play varsity football. The Dukes have played at all four levels of NCAA competition. They played their first season in the NCAA College Division, historic predecessor to NCAA Division II. When the College Division was split into Divisions II and III after that season, the Dukes joined Division III, playing there until 1975. After a single season in Division II in 1976, and the university's adoption of its current name in 1977, the Dukes returned to Division III, playing there from 1977–1979. In 1980, they moved to Division I-AA, now known as Division I FCS, and played at that level until moving to FBS in 2022. [1]
These lists of statistical leaders are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:
- Since 1972, JMU's regular seasons have increased from 9 games to 10, 11, and most recently 12 games in length. During its FCS tenure, the regular season was normally 11 games, Two aspects of the FCS season have allowed teams at that level more games.
- Pre-2026 NCAA rules allowed FCS teams to schedule 12 regular-season games in years when the period starting with the Thursday before Labor Day and ending with the final Saturday in November contains 14 Saturdays.
- The NCAA organizes an FCS championship tournament, currently called the NCAA Division I Football Championship. However, it did not include I-AA/FCS playoff games toward official season statistics until the 2002 season. From that time through their final FCS season in 2021, the Dukes reached the playoffs 13 times, giving many recent players extra games to accumulate statistics.
- Since moving to FBS, JMU has played in two bowl games, and is assured of a third in 2025, giving players in those seasons another game to accumulate statistics.
- The SBC has played a championship game since 2018, giving players on qualifying teams yet another game to amass statistics. JMU will host the game in 2025.
- Due to COVID-19 issues, the NCAA ruled that the 2020 season would not count against the athletic eligibility of any football player, giving everyone who played in that season the opportunity for five years of eligibility instead of the normal four. [2] Notably, this allowed Ethan Ratke to set an all-divisions NCAA record for career field goals, with 101 from 2017–2021.
- Since 2018, players in both FCS and FBS have been allowed to participate in as many as four games in a redshirt season; previously, playing in even one game "burned" the redshirt. [3] Since 2024, postseason games have not counted against the four-game limit. [4] These changes to redshirt rules have given very recent players several extra games to accumulate statistics.
These lists are updated through Week 13 of the 2025 season. Players active for JMU in 2025 are in bold.