It’s entirely up to James Madison now.

The Dukes’ decision to try to play football this fall even though it’s league, the Colonial Athletic Association, won’t, leaves them with the task of creating a 2020 schedule in less than a few months. And of course, it must be done all while other conferences and universities make their own respective choices regarding the fate of their campaigns and whether or not they can safely compete in the midst of a pandemic.

“You’d hope to be able to play eight [games] if you could,” JMU athletic director Jeff Bourne said. “I think that’d be ideal.”

Dukes coach Curt Cignetti said: “I agree with everything Jeff says, but if we’re able to play football and eight games qualifies you for the playoffs, then that’s the magic number. Now, the question is do you need to schedule 10 to get in eight? Do you need to schedule 11 to get in eight? Just because of all the unknowns.”

Bourne said JMU is more open minded than ever when it comes to securing opponents for this fall, and that he’d prefer to schedule road games accessible by bus instead of airplane to keep costs down. Both Bourne and Cignetti said multiple dates with FBS foes are on the table.

FBS programs are allowed to count two wins against teams from the FCS toward bowl eligibility this year. In the past it had been one.

“In the ideal situation we’re looking at multiple FBS games and then filling in with FCS,” Cignetti said.

Keeping in mind what Bourne and Cignetti set as guidelines as well as the previously established non-conference games JMU has that haven’t been impacted, I took a stab at forecasting how the independently crafted slate of games could look for the Dukes.

A major part of the formula for constructing this schedule was figuring out what programs in the geographical footprint of JMU needed games. The answer was many at both FBS and FCS levels, and some of those needs started earlier than later on the calendar. Appalachian State already lost its Week 1 season-opening game against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference member Morgan State. This past Thursday, the MEAC canceled its fall football season. The Dukes and Mountaineers have met 16 times in the past when Appalachian State resided in the FCS. The drive from Harrisonburg to Boone, N.C., is approximately 290 miles.

The back part of a home-and-home series between JMU and Chattanooga is still on as scheduled since neither the Mocs nor the league they play in, the Southern Conference, have altered plans of playing this fall. So Chattanooga will make the return trip this year. Last year, JMU beat the Mocs, 37-14, at Finley Stadium.

On July 10, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced a decision on its games wouldn’t come until the end of the month, so to this point the Dukes' date with North Carolina is still on. JMU is due $500,000 for the trip to Chapel Hill, N.C., as long as the game is played. And unless it’s changed by the ACC or UNC, there is no reason for the Dukes to back out. JMU and UNC have met three times since 2007, and the two sides have a future game scheduled for 2024.

The two schools met for the first time last year in the second round of the FCS playoffs, have scheduled a home-and-home series for 2024 and 2025, and now both need games for this fall. JMU’s conference schedule was wiped out and Monmouth lost non-conference contests with CAA members Albany and Maine as well as Patriot League member Fordham and fellow Big South member Hampton. Monmouth was scheduled to host Fordham on Sept. 26, but instead could fill the date with a second trip in as many seasons to Bridgeforth Stadium.

This is as simple as it gets. With the two programs being the only two from the CAA to commit to pursuing an independent fall schedule, each side should help each other out. Play one game in Virginia and another in North Carolina this season. A home-and-home, and perhaps it could be worked out given Cignetti’s history with Elon and good relationship with Phoenix coach Tony Trisciani, would provide both schools with two games as each needs to replace eight contests after the CAA canceled its season.

Old Dominion, a Conference-USA member, had its game with FCS Hampton scrapped when Hampton decided last week not to play this coming fall. The Monarchs need to get to 12 games and an in-state matchup with JMU makes sense for both sides. ODU was slated to host Hampton on Sept. 12, but because the Dukes already have Chattanooga locked in for that date, it wouldn’t work for JMU. Instead the Dukes and Monarchs could play Oct. 10 during Old Dominion’s scheduled bye week. The two teams, who compete often in recruiting, met in 2011 and 2012 with ODU taking both games.

A Big South school, like Monmouth, Campbell is in a similar situation. The Camels lost a game with conference member Hampton and additionally had a Week 1 game vs. Davidson dropped since Davidson has decided to scrap all of its non-conference schedule. On Oct. 17, Campbell was going to play at Hampton, so in lieu of trekking to the eastern part of Virginia, the Camels can come to the Shenandoah Valley. Campbell and JMU have a future game for 2021 already worked out, too.

Southern Conference member Wofford has to add a game to its schedule after losing a contest with South Carolina State because of the MEAC’s decision. That contest was slated for Oct. 3, but with Wofford’s bye week scheduled for Oct. 24, it’d make for a feasible date for the Terriers to play a road game in Harrisonburg. From Spartanburg, S.C., it’ll take them about five and a half hours to drive to Bridgeforth Stadium.

Every team still needs a week off.

With Liberty and JMU recently agreeing to play in Lynchburg in 2026, it’s possible the Flames and Dukes could help each other out on short notice for this fall. Liberty lost its Sept. 12 game against North Carolina A&T due to the MEAC decision. The Flames’ open date is Nov. 7, and they could get back to 12 games by adding JMU for this date. It likely wouldn’t cost Liberty much either, since the Dukes are less than 100 miles away from Lynchburg. JMU and Liberty last met in 2014 when the Flames knocked off the Dukes, 26-21, in an FCS playoff contest. JMU leads the all-time series 12-6.

The last half of the hypothetical home-and-home would send the Dukes back to Rhodes Stadium in North Carolina for the second time in as many years. Cignetti and JMU beat the team he used to coach last season there.

The Northeast Conference hasn’t announced any change to its season yet, so with Merrimack on JMU’s schedule already there isn’t any reason to change the game. Merrimack is in its second year of transitioning from Division II to FCS.

There are other opponents JMU could find a match with regionally.

From the FBS, Army had games with Bucknell and Princeton canceled. Connecticut had dates with Illinois, Indiana and Maine scrapped. Led by former JMU coach Mike Houston, East Carolina needs to a fill its schedule after the MEAC’s decision cost the Pirates a game against Norfolk State. West Virginia, which JMU played against last year, no longer has a matchup with Maryland after the Big Ten decided to play conference games exclusively.

From the FCS, Virginia Military Institute is just south on I-81 and had a game with Princeton canceled. And if Villanova decides to play this fall, it’s logical to think the Wildcats and Dukes would link up, possibly for a home-and-home.