Every weekend that the College Football Playoff poll has been released, the James Madison Dukes have deserved some level of recognition, yet they have never been ranked. In the opening weekend, Memphis was picked as the Group of 5 representative. The weeks that have followed have seen USF and Tulane both earn a Top 25 ranking while the Dukes have been on the outside looking in.
The committee has kept recycling Power 4 teams through the Top 25 regardless of the fact that they already proved they weren't worthy of being ranked. During Week 13, several of those teams that had no business being ranked finally lost, seemingly opening the door for James Madison.
James Madison stands no chance of making the Playoff
When the committee revealed it's rankings, James Madison was once again left on the outside looking in while Tulane remains the lone Group of 5 program in the Top 25.
BREAKING: College Football Playoff Rankings🚨 https://t.co/Q25OEFvopq pic.twitter.com/w7wUYqt01u
— On3 (@On3sports) November 26, 2025
Despite the fact that James Madison is 10-1 on the season with their lone loss coming against Louisville, the Dukes are being ignored. This weekend, James Madison even took a step up in competition, beating Washington State, and it still hasn't moved the needle for the committee.
When you look at how the committee has treated James Madison each weekend, it becomes clear that the Dukes aren't going to make the College Football Playoff. It won't matter if the Dukes win the Sun Belt, and Tulane wins the American, the Dukes will continue to be left on the outside looking in.
The committee appears to be dead set on the American being the best of the Group of 5 conference, and James Madison can't change that. The committee continues to cycle 3 loss teams throughout the Top 25, and when it's all said and done, the Dukes may never crack the Top 25.