The next round of college football realignment appears to be all but certain at this point, with the question not whether it will happen, but when and which school will be the first to get the ball rolling.
Several Group of 6 schools have already expressed interest in making the move to a new conference in recent months, and it looks like one of the newest FBS programs is now poised to take another step up the college football pecking order.
According to an official press release from James Madison University, the Dukes are terminating their Sun Belt membership and moving to the American Athletic Conference after officially accepting an invitation to join.
Per the school’s press release, the Board of Visitors unanimously voted to accept the AAC’s invitation, and the school is expected to officially join the conference no later than July 1st, 2028.
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This major move comes just 4 years after JMU made the jump to the FBS level, following 42 years as an FCS powerhouse. The Dukes have continued their winning ways since joining the FBS, winning the Sun Belt and making their first College Football Playoff appearance in 2025.
Now, it looks like they will be taking another step up in competition by joining what is widely considered to be the most competitive Group of 6 conference in the country.
