Programs / History / James Madison
JMU

FBS PROGRAM EXPLORER

James Madison

latest conference era: Sun Belt

Loaded Seasons39
Latest Season2026
Peak Power2025 | +25.8
Best Finish#23 in 2025
Program Explorer

Program arc

Win rate shows the results layer. End-of-season power shows the strength layer. A serious history page needs both.

Bars: win rate Line: public power vs average team
100% 50% 0% PWR +25.8 PWR −1.7 2017: 14-1, margin +349, power +9.2, resume 89 / 100, final rank #472018: 9-4, margin +251, power +5.3, resume 64 / 100, final rank #852019: 14-2, margin +389, power +8.9, resume 87 / 100, final rank #492020: 2-1, margin +17, power −1.7, resume 4 / 100, final rank #872021: 12-2, margin +320, power +13.4, resume 90 / 100, final rank #572022: 8-3, margin +177, power +20.1, resume 91 / 100, final rank #592023: 11-2, margin +190, power +21.5, resume 96 / 100, final rank #482024: 9-4, margin +167, power +19.8, resume 71 / 100, final rank #632025: 12-2, margin +262, power +25.8, resume 98 / 100, final rank #232026: 7-2, margin +182, power +22.2, resume 88 / 100, final rank #50 2017: 14-1, margin +349, power +9.2, resume 89 / 100, final rank #47+9.22018: 9-4, margin +251, power +5.3, resume 64 / 100, final rank #85+5.32019: 14-2, margin +389, power +8.9, resume 87 / 100, final rank #49+8.92020: 2-1, margin +17, power −1.7, resume 4 / 100, final rank #87−1.72021: 12-2, margin +320, power +13.4, resume 90 / 100, final rank #57+13.42022: 8-3, margin +177, power +20.1, resume 91 / 100, final rank #59+20.12023: 11-2, margin +190, power +21.5, resume 96 / 100, final rank #48+21.52024: 9-4, margin +167, power +19.8, resume 71 / 100, final rank #63+19.82025: 12-2, margin +262, power +25.8, resume 98 / 100, final rank #23+25.82026: 7-2, margin +182, power +22.2, resume 88 / 100, final rank #50+22.2 201714-120189-4201914-220202-1202112-220228-3202311-220249-4202512-220267-2

Historical snapshot

A fast read on what this program usually is, what its peak looks like, and how the latest season compares.

Loaded Seasons 39

The number of fully modeled seasons currently attached to this program.

Program Baseline +22.4

A recent multi-year closing-power average. This is the kind of anchor that should matter in preseason priors.

Current Vs. Baseline −0.2

How the current season's closing power stacks up against the program's recent standard.

Gap To Peak 3.6

How far the current season finished below the strongest loaded team in program history.

Peak Loaded Season 2025 | +25.8

The strongest closing power this program has posted in the loaded archive.

Best Power Since Last beaten in 2025

The last season that closed stronger was 2025.

Best Resume Since Since 2025

This is the program's best resume season since 2025.

Best Finish 2025 | #23

The highest loaded all-level board finish currently attached to this program.

Best Resume Season 2025 | 98 / 100

The strongest body-of-work season currently attached to this program in the loaded archive.

Current Season Standing Resume #7 | Power #2

Where the current season sits inside this program's loaded history on the two main scales.

Program Percentile Resume 74th | Power 96th

A cleaner fan-facing answer to the question: is this near the top of the program's arc or just another solid year?

Best Record 2016 | 14-1

The cleanest results season in the loaded archive, regardless of whether it was also the strongest by power.

Current context

The premium fan question is not only "how good is this team?" It is "how good is this season relative to the program I know?"

Current board #50 Where the latest loaded season sits on today's all-level board.
Latest season 2026 7-2
Program baseline +22.4 Recent multi-year closing-power standard.
Gap to peak 3.6 How far the latest season sits below the program's strongest loaded team.

Program signals

The clearest historical takeaways, written for scan speed.

Strongest Loaded Team

2025 Season

Ended at power +25.8, record 12-2, and final loaded-board rank #23.

Best Loaded Resume

2025 Season

Resume 98 / 100 with 12 wins and a 86% win rate.

Best Record

14-1

The cleanest loaded season by results came in 2016, with a margin of +382.

Roughest Loaded Season

2013 Season

6-6 with power +2.6 and margin +50.

Best resume season

2025 | 98 / 100

Latest versus standard

−0.2

Season explorer

Every loaded season, with conference era attached to the correct year and filters built for the questions fans actually ask.

39 seasons visible
Season Conference Lens Record Final Rank End Power End Resume Margin Season Page
2026 Sun BeltFBS CurrentThis season anchors the current board. 7-2 #50 +22.2 88 +182 Open team page
2025 Sun BeltFBS Peak powerStrongest loaded closing power for the program. 12-2 #23 +25.8 98 +262 Program view
2024 Sun BeltFBS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 9-4 #63 +19.8 71 +167 Program view
2023 Sun BeltFBS In range 11-2 #48 +21.5 96 +190 Program view
2022 Sun BeltFBS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 8-3 #59 +20.1 91 +177 Program view
2021 CAAFCS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 12-2 #57 +13.4 90 +320 Program view
2020 CAAFCS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 2-1 #87 −1.7 4 +17 Program view
2019 CAAFCS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 14-2 #49 +8.9 87 +389 Program view
2018 CAAFCS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 9-4 #85 +5.3 64 +251 Program view
2017 CAAFCS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 14-1 #47 +9.2 89 +349 Program view
2016 CAAFCS Best recordCleanest win-loss season in the loaded archive. 14-1 #60 +7.9 92 +382 Program view
2015 CAAFCS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 9-3 #108 +2.7 59 +187 Program view
2014 CAAFCS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 9-4 #109 +3.0 56 +87 Program view
2013 CAAFCS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 6-6 #136 +2.6 37 +50 Program view
2012 CAAFCS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 7-4 #118 +1.4 56 +86 Program view
2011 CAAFCS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 8-5 #105 +3.8 54 +34 Program view
2010 CAAFCS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 5-5 #112 +4.0 55 +29 Program view
2009 CAAFCS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 6-5 #97 +4.8 43 +34 Program view
2008 CAAFCS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 11-1 #61 +9.0 85 +215 Program view
2007 CAAFCS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 9-4 #88 +6.7 63 +152 Program view
2006 Atlantic 10FCS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 9-3 #76 +7.1 65 +188 Program view
2005 Atlantic 10FCS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 7-4 #110 +4.1 49 +223 Program view
2004 Atlantic 10FCS Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. 10-2 #123 +2.8 69 +128 Program view
2003 Atlantic 10FCS In range 6-6 #-- -- -- +23 Program view
2000 Atlantic 10FCS In range 0-1 #-- -- -- −19 Program view
1999 Atlantic 10FCS In range 0-1 #-- -- -- −47 Program view
1998 Atlantic 10FCS In range 0-1 #-- -- -- −8 Program view
1997 Atlantic 10FCS In range 0-1 #-- -- -- −18 Program view
1992 FCS IndependentsFCS In range 0-1 #-- -- -- −29 Program view
1991 FCS IndependentsFCS In range 0-1 #-- -- -- −29 Program view
1990 FCS IndependentsFCS In range 1-0 #-- -- -- +9 Program view
1989 FCS IndependentsFCS In range 1-0 #-- -- -- +4 Program view
1988 FCS IndependentsFCS In range 0-2 #-- -- -- −34 Program view
1983 FCS IndependentsFCS In range 0-3 #-- -- -- −42 Program view
1982 FCS IndependentsFCS In range 2-0 #-- -- -- +10 Program view
1981 FCS IndependentsFCS In range 1-4 #-- -- -- −87 Program view
1980 FCS IndependentsFCS In range 0-3 #-- -- -- −65 Program view
1979 Independent DIIDII In range 0-3 #-- -- -- −124 Program view
1978 Independent DIIIDIII In range 0-1 #-- -- -- −25 Program view