JMU Ends Season With Championship Game Loss To North Dakota State

FRISCO, TX — For the second time in three years, James Madison University lost to North Dakota State in the FCS championship game. For North Dakota State, the 28-20 Saturday afternoon victory gave the university its eighth national championship, the most in FCS history.

JMU was going for its third FCS national title, and its second in four years. The Dukes last won the title in 2016 over Youngstown State, following a semifinals win over then-five-time defending champion North Dakota State. In a lower-scoring game, North Dakota State beat JMU 17-13 in the FCS national championship in January 2018.

JMU stayed within striking distance throughout the game, with the outcome coming down to the final seconds. Needing a touchdown and a two-point conversion, the Dukes had the ball inside the five-yard line with only seconds to go in the game. But JMU quarterback Ben DiNucci threw a pass that was intercepted by Bison safety James Hendricks at the goal line to ice the game.

Earlier in the second half, JMU had forced the Bison into a third and long. But on the play, North Dakota State's standout reshirt freshman Trey Lance raced 44 yards on the 3rd and 23 to score a touchdown, giving North Dakota State a 28-13 lead.

"A tough finish, but we're proud of our Dukes for an amazing season! And thank you JMU Nation for all of your spirit and support," the university tweeted soon after the game ended.

Frisco's Toyota Stadium has been home to the FCS, or Football Championship Subdivision, title game since the 2010 season, and the Dallas suburb will remain the host of the event through 2025 under an agreement with the NCAA. The FCS was previously known as Division I-AA.

JMU, a public university in Harrisonburg, has about 20,000 students, with about 75 percent from Virginia. The school has tens of thousands of alumni who live in the D.C. area.