LYNCHBURG, Va. – James Madison and Liberty are taking their regional football rivalry to the next level.
The schools announced Wednesday the creation of the “Battle of the Blue Ridge,” a football series that will feature 10 games between 2025 and 2040. The series begins next Saturday when JMU travels to Lynchburg for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPNU.
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The Dukes and Flames had previously announced six meetings through 2034, but the rivalry agreement adds four more contests — Sept. 19, 2037, and Sept. 17, 2039, in Harrisonburg, and Sept. 18, 2038, and Sept. 15, 2040, in Lynchburg.
Liberty will make its first return trip to Harrisonburg on Sept. 5, 2026, before the series resumes in earnest with eight matchups scheduled over a 10-year span starting in 2031.
A rivalry trophy is currently in development and will be unveiled at a later date.
The announcement comes one day after JMU revealed new home-and-home series with UNLV and Ohio. A full list of future nonconference opponents is available at JMUSports.com.
Battle of the Blue Ridge Schedule (2025–2040):
- Sept. 20, 2025 – JMU at Liberty (Lynchburg)
- Sept. 5, 2026 – Liberty at JMU (Harrisonburg)
- Sept. 6, 2031 – Liberty at JMU (Harrisonburg)
- Sept. 11, 2032 – JMU at Liberty (Lynchburg)
- Sept. 17, 2033 – Liberty at JMU (Harrisonburg)
- Sept. 16, 2034 – JMU at Liberty (Lynchburg)
- Sept. 19, 2037 – Liberty at JMU (Harrisonburg)
- Sept. 18, 2038 – JMU at Liberty (Lynchburg)
- Sept. 17, 2039 – Liberty at JMU (Harrisonburg)
- Sept. 15, 2040 – JMU at Liberty (Lynchburg)