This is the type of matchup Kevin White has repeatedly tried to secure for James Madison.

So when White, the school’s athletic director for sports programs and who handles scheduling for football, connected with Liberty, it didn’t bother him that he wasn’t working on future games for 2026 yet.

“When an opponent that’s appealing has an interest,” White said, “then that pushes you to schedule that far out.”

On Thursday, the Daily News-Record confirmed James Madison scheduled a future contest with Liberty for Oct. 31, 2026 at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg. And according to JMU assistant athletic director for communications Kevin Warner, the FBS Flames are paying the FCS Dukes $400,000 to make the approximately 90-mile trip.

The two sides, which played regularly in the 1980s and early 1990s, haven’t met since before Liberty left the Big South in the FCS to become an FBS Independent.

Most recently, Liberty rallied to beat JMU, 26-21, in the opening round of the 2014 FCS postseason. But the Dukes hold a 12-6 lead in the all-time series and they had won six straight spanning from 2000 through 2011 before falling in the playoffs six years ago.

“It’s just a game people identify with,” White said. “It’s a good rivalry game. I think you toss out the level and I think at the end of the day, it’s a competitive game that your fan base can identify with. They’re in the same region that we’re in and I’m hoping, moving forward that we’ll get more of them.”

JMU now has FBS opponents lined up for this coming fall, 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026.

The Dukes go to North Carolina on Sept. 19 this season and again in 2024. In 2022, JMU travels to Louisville. And the furthest scheduled out years keep the Dukes within the Commonwealth, going to Virginia Tech in 2025 and Liberty the following fall.

White said he hopes acquiring games with Virginia Tech and Liberty prompt more opportunities for JMU to land future dates with FBS schools in the state or ones bordering Virginia.

In the past, he had said it became more difficult to do that because of the Dukes’ success – competing regularly for the FCS crown and always making it tough on their annual FBS opponent, whoever that’s been in recent campaigns.

“We’re excited about those games,” he said, “and I’m hoping it creates an open pathway for us to play some Group of Five schools like Old Dominion that are regional games. We’re going to draw. I think we’re a better draw for Old Dominion than Texas-San Antonio or some of the schools in their league are.”

Though JMU and Liberty agreed upon the 2026 date prior to COVID-19 arriving and forcing college athletic programs to cut costs drastically, White said, he believes more frequent geographically-aligned scheduling could become the reality as schools work within coronavirus-impacted budgets.

“Because of the coronavirus, people will look more regional, I think,” White said. “And I think with anything else that because of the economy and the corona, you have to, moving forward, be in the business of trying to sell tickets. I think the other stuff goes to the side, in my opinion.

“And JMU-Liberty will sell tickets and JMU-Old Dominion will sell tickets.”

White said he hasn’t had success getting a game with Old Dominion, but the two “have had a little bit of discussion.” Old Dominion, a Conference USA member, and JMU last played in 2011 and 2012 when the Monarchs resided in the Colonial Athletic Association and before moving up to the FBS.

He said he is proud of the current lineup of FBS games he’s helped – along with athletic director Jeff Bourne and coach Curt Cignetti – the Dukes put together for future years, though.

“I think a James Madison University is always going to be a viable option in scheduling,” White said. “It’s just do they want to schedule the game with us or not?

“To me, we’re a great regional game that’ll sell tickets and draw an audience. And I think with what we’re going through, and with athletic departments making budget cuts, who doesn’t want a game where they can sell an abundance of tickets? Our fan base will travel. Our fan base will travel to Liberty. Our fan base would travel to Old Dominion. Our fan base will travel to Virginia Tech. Our fan base would travel to the [University of Virginia], if they’d play us.

“But with what everyone is dealing with, it makes sense to play an [FCS] team that is going to draw. And no offense to anyone else in the state, I think we’re going to draw and you have to consider it.”