JMU and Bucknell are set to face each other for the first time as they take on each other in their season-opener Harrisonburg, Bridgeforth Stadium. The game will 6:00 pm ET and the USA college football fan’s can watch the football match through ESPN+ or get the best option to watch complete ncaa football tournament without monthly subscription. Try PremiumTV for a trial from anywhere to get access JMU football online from anywhere.
JMU football vs Bucknell live streaming info
Date: Saturday, September 2
Time: 6:00 pm ET
Venue: Harrisonburg, Bridgeforth Stadium
Live stream: ESPN
Watch anywhere: Try PremiumTV trial
Series History:
As mentioned above, tonight’s game marks the first-ever meeting between these two sides.
• The Bison have never faced a current member of the Sun Belt Conference.
• JMU is 3-5 all-time against current members of the Patriot League, having faced Colgate, Lafayette and Lehigh
Tonight’s game marks the 52nd football season for James Madison and the second as a member of the Sun Belt Conference as they host Bucknell in their season opener.
James Madison football preview
Regarding season openers, the Dukes possess a 28-22-1 record in these games. This year, they’re coming with three consecutive season opener wins, 68-10 in 2020, 52-0 in 2021, and last year, won against Middle Tennessee State by 44-7, their first home game against a FBS foe.
Looking at Dukes’ home record, they’ve won 20 straight home openers at Bridgeforth Stadium, dating back to 2003, last losing against Hampton 31-28 on August 31, 2002.
Tonight’s game against Bucknell is Madison’s ninth all-time against a Patriot League squad. Before this game, JMU possesses a 3-5 record against PL members and will face an opponent from that league since the 2018 FCS playoffs.
Tonight marks Curt Cignetti’s fifth season as JMU coach (41-8) and 13th overall (108-34). Under him, JMJ has won Colonial Athletic Association titles and progressed to the East Division crown in the Sun Belt Conference last year.
Last season, he became the first head coach to lead a team into the AP Top 25 in year one of transitioning from the Football Championship Subdivision to the Football Bowl Subdivision.
JMU is opening the season after receiving recognition in the pre-season in both significant polls, as they got one vote in the AP Top 25 and a single vote in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll. With that, they became just one of the four Sun Belt teams to receive votes in the AP media poll and one of three SBC squads who earned a nod in the coaches poll.
In the last four years, JMU has been unbeaten on its home turf, having a 9-0 record in 2017 and 2019, 8-0 in 2016 and 5-0 in 2020.
Looking at the JMU roster, Dukes won’t have the services of Offensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year QB Todd Centeio, as well as All-Sun Belt Third Team RB Percy Agyei-Obese and First Team WR Kris Thornton.
It’s worth mentioning that Kidwell and Carpenter, three-year starters on the defensive line for JMU, were selected to the 2023 HERO Sports Group of Five Preseason All-America Team.
Bucknell Bison football preview:
On the other hand, The Bison have faced an FBS opponent every year under their current head coach, Dave Cecchini (excluding the abbreviated spring 2021 season). They will face such an opponent for the second time in season-opening fixtures.
That said, if the Bison beat JMU tonight, it’ll be their first-ever win against JMU, against an FBS opponent, and their third consecutive win in general, dating back to 2022. Moreover, a win would improve them to 2-3 in season openers under head coach Cecchini.
Ahead of this season, based on a vote by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors, the Bison were picked to finish in a tie for sixth in the Patriot League. They went 3-8 (2-4 PL) in the 2022 season, ending in a tie for fourth.
Moreover, they registered wins against the likes of Lehigh (19-17) and Georgetown (24-21) in the league campaign before ending the year with a win against Marist (24-13).
This season, 56 letterwinners have returned, including 23 seniors (12 of those three letterwinners), 20 juniors, and 13 sophomores. After voting by their teammates, RB Coleman Bennett, LB Blake Leake, QB Nick Semptimphelter, and OL Casey Stephenson will serve as captains this season.
Talking more about the roster, the Bison have welcomed several new faces in their staff this season: defensive backs coach Pat Clark, new offensive coordinator John Bear, offensive line coach Sean Pearson, Wide receivers coach Braelon Roberts, and safeties coach McNeil Parker, if we name them.
