Sun Belt fast tracks JMU, including football, for next fall

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — James Madison is joining the Sun Belt Conference this summer in a quicker-than-expected move that will include an immediate transition for the Dukes football program from the second-tier FCS to the FBS level. Sun Belt commissioner Keith Gill says the move is set to officially take place when the new academic year begins on July 1. That sets the stage for JMU to compete in the Sun Belt Conference in the 2022 football season. The Sun Belt in November first announced its intention to admit JMU as a member, but had not committed to doing so this year. The league initially said that the move was expected to occur no later than July 2023.