JMU Football Kicks Off 2025 Season Against Weber State Saturday

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison University opens its 2025 football season this Saturday, August 30, at 6 p.m. against Weber State at Bridgeforth Stadium. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with pre-game coverage starting at 4 p.m. on the Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network.

This is the 34th time JMU has opened a season at home, where the Dukes have an impressive 25-8 record in season openers, including a 13-game winning streak since 2003. Saturday’s game is sponsored by Pepsi, and the overall season is presented by CarMax.

Weber State enters the game with a record of 0-0 and is expected to face tough competition early in their schedule. This season marks a change for the Big Sky Conference, as teams will now complete a 12-game regular season.

Last year, JMU had a successful 9-4 season under head coach Bob Chesney. The Dukes boasted an impressive offense, with a quarterback who passed for 2,598 yards and 26 touchdowns and rushed for another 442 yards.

However, uncertainty looms over the Dukes’ starting quarterback for the opener. Alonza Barnett III is recovering from an ACL injury, leading to speculation about whether veteran Matthew Sluka or junior Camden Coleman will take the helm against Weber State.

Weber State’s travel this season has been notably challenging, as they will play four of their first five games away from home, crossing all four continental U.S. time zones. The Wildcats are aiming to improve from last season’s performance as they kick off with back-to-back tough opponents.

Both teams will look to start the season strong as they meet for the fourth time in history. JMU holds a 3-0 all-time advantage over Weber State, with their last meeting resulting in a 37-24 victory for the Dukes in 2021.

As the countdown to kickoff begins, expectations are high for the Dukes to deliver a strong performance in their home opener and set the tone for the rest of their 2025 season.