NEW ORLEANS (JMU Athletics) – James Madison football was predicted to finish atop the Sun Belt Conference East Division, while seven student-athletes earned a combined eight preseason All-Sun Belt honors, the league announced Monday.

The Dukes were the overwhelming favorite in the East, receiving 11 of 14 first-place votes by the coaches to garner 94 points and the top spot in the division Sun Belt’s predicted order of finish.

Following the Dukes in the East poll were Georgia Southern (76, 1 first-place vote), App State (60), Coastal Carolina (49, 1 first-place vote), Old Dominion (48), Marshall (42, 1 first-place vote) and Georgia State (23).

On the opposite side, JMU is set to face the top two preseason squads in the West Division this season, as Louisiana and Texas State split first-place votes with six apiece. Louisiana (86) was first in the West Division, while Texas State (76) followed closely in second.

JMU returns 43 letterwinners and nine starters from last year’s team, which finished 9-4 overall, 4-4 in Sun Belt play and won its inaugural bowl title with a 27-17 victory in the Boca Raton Bowl. JMU has since added 55 newcomers, including 31 transfers and 24 high school seniors, and the 2025 roster will be represented by players from 20 states, as well as one international player.

Headlining JMU’s selections to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team were right tackle Pat McMurtrie, running back George Pettaway, and safety Jacob Thomas, who each earned a spot on the First Team.

Collecting second-team accolades were nickel DJ Barksdale, quarterback Alonza Barnett III, defensive lineman Immanuel Bush, linebacker Trent Hendrick and Pettway, who additionally was honored as an all-purpose player.

McMurtrie is the lone 2024 First Team All-Sun Belt athlete who will play for the same team this upcoming season and one of just two first-team members remaining in the entire league as the other transferred to another league school. McMurtrie started all 13 games at right tackle last season and was the SBC’s top-rated tackle, having not allowed a single sack. He was part of an offensive line that helped JMU lead the country in fewest interceptions (4) while ranking third in fewest turnovers (9). JMU also ranked 26th in the FBS in scoring (33.3) and 28th in rushing offense (191.5).

Pettaway played in all 13 games last season, starting 11 at running back. He rushed for 980 yards and five touchdowns, averaging a league-high 6.05 yards per carry. Pettaway also made 24 catches for 200 yards and two scores, while averaging 24.2 yards per kickoff return. He turned in a pair of 100-yard rushing performances, highlighted by his 119 rushing yards and a touchdown and 180 all-purpose yards against Southern Miss.

Thomas, a 2024 Second Team All-Sun Belt defensive back and VaSID Second Team All-State selection, started all 13 games last year at safety. He tallied 72 tackles (35 solo) to go with 8.0 tackles for loss, a half sack, three interceptions and three pass breakups. Thomas made five or more tackles in eight games and had a least a full TFL in five outings.

Barksdale, who was the 2024 Boca Raton Bowl Defensive MVP, started all 13 games at nickel last season. He accrued 42 tackles (27 solo) to go with 5.0 tackles for loss, a sack, one forced fumble, two interceptions (one pick-six) and three breakups. He matched his career high with 2.0 TFL while making four tackles and forcing a fumble in JMU’s bowl win over WKU and also had his first career pick-six at Georgia Southern.

Barnett, the VaSID University Division Offensive Player of the Year, was an Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt pick in 2024 after starting 12 games at quarterback. Also named Touchdown Club of Richmond Division I State Quarterback of the Year, the First Team All-State signal caller was on the midseason watch lists for the Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award. He threw for 2,598 yards and 26 touchdowns with just four interceptions and added 442 rushing yards and a team-high seven rushing scores to account for 3,040 yards of total offense and 33 total touchdowns. He ranked ninth in the FBS and second in the SBC in point responsibility (16.5) and was 18th nationally and second in the league in passing scores. In JMU’s 70-50 win at ACC foe North Carolina, Barnett set a JMU record with seven total touchdowns after passing for a career-high 388 yards with five touchdowns while rushing for 99 yards and scoring twice on the ground.

Bush, who was an Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt choice last season, started all 13 games on the defensive line. Bush registered 34 tackles (six solo) to go with 4.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one fumble recovery, an interception and a breakup.

Hendrick started 12 of 13 games last season at linebacker a year ago. He made 54 tackles (25 solo) to go with 9.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, one forced fumble, and a pass breakup. He had a career-best 2.0 TFL with seven total stops, a sack and a forced fumble in JMU’s win at UNC. He totaled five or more stops in six games and four or more in 10 outings.

Headlining the Sun Belt preseason awards were Southern Miss quarterback Braylon Braxton (Offensive POTY), South Alabama linebacker Blayne Myrick (Defensive POTY) and Arkansas State kicker Clune Van Andel (Special Teams POTY).

Voting for the predicted order of finish was conducted by the league’s head coaches, while the preseason all-conference team was selected by the 14 head coaches and a media member from each institution.

Sun Belt Football Media Days kick off the 2025 season this week for the league at the New Orleans Marriott Warehouse Arts District, as the West Division teams go on Tuesday, July 22, while the East Division squads will be live on Wednesday, July 23. Both days will be streamed live on ESPN+.

JMU opens the 2025 season, presented by CarMax, on Saturday, Aug. 30 when it hosts Weber State in a 6 p.m. kickoff on ESPN+.

— JMU Athletics —