Edge Rewrite
Jump to content

Royal Rivalry

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

TowneBank Royal Rivalry Challenge
SportMulti-sport
First meetingOctober 29, 2011 (football)
ODU 23 – JMU 20
Latest meetingFebruary 14, 2026 (women's basketball)
JMU 77 – ODU 55
StadiumsBridgeforth Stadium, S.B. Ballard Stadium, Atlantic Union Bank Center, Chartway Arena
TrophyCrown
Statistics
All-time series
James Madison leads, 3–0–1
Trophy seriesRoyal Rivalry Trophy
Largest victory
James Madison, 16.5–7.5 (2022)
Longest win streak
James Madison, 2 (2022–2023)
Current win streak
James Madison, 1 (2025–present)
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
110km
68miles
Old Dominion
Old Dominion
Old Dominion
Old Dominion
James Madison
James Madison
James Madison
James Madison
Locations of James Madison and Old Dominion

The Royal Rivalry refers to the college rivalry games between the James Madison Dukes and the Old Dominion Monarchs of the Sun Belt Conference. It is an intra-conference match-up between two Division I FBS public universities based in the Commonwealth of Virginia: James Madison University and Old Dominion University.

History

[edit]

Both schools began sports competitions in the early 1970s as former Division II in-state opponents. The competitions intensified when both schools competed as full members of the Colonial Athletic Association following ODU's move to the conference in 1991. This undeclared in-state rivalry would last just over 20 years before ODU relocated to Conference USA in 2014 to become a member of the FBS. JMU remained in the CAA as a FCS member and still competed with ODU in sports outside of football. In 2022, both schools joined the Sun Belt Conference.[1]

Following the conference relocation for both schools, ODU and JMU announced the TowneBank-sponsored Royal Rivalry Challenge.[2] Starting in 2022, it would include all 20 head-to-head matchups in sports between the schools with points awarded to each school for corresponding victories in the games.[3] Each school is awarded one point per game won and half of a point per game tied. The yearly winner is to be awarded the Royal Rivalry Trophy, resembling a crown-shaped plaque.[4]

Series results

[edit]

All-time results

[edit]
SportAll-time series recordLast resultNext meetingSource
Men's Basketball ODU leads 59–36 JMU won 70–69 on January 10, 2026 TBD [5]
Women's Basketball ODU leads 53–34 JMU won 77–55 on February 25, 2026 TBD [6]
Football JMU leads 4–2 JMU won 63–27 on October 18, 2025 September 26, 2026 at ODU [7]
Men's Soccer JMU leads 20–14–9 Tied 1–1 on October 31, 2025 TBD [8]

Royal Rivalry results

[edit]
James Madison victoriesOld Dominion victoriesTie games
No.DateWinning teamLosing teamSeries
1 2022–23 James Madison 16.5 Old Dominion 7.5James Madison 1–0
2 2023–24 James Madison 14.5 Old Dominion 7.5James Madison 2–0
3 2024–25 Tie11.0Tie11.0James Madison 2–0–1
4 2025–26 James Madison 9.5 Old Dominion 7.5James Madison 3–0–1

Football

[edit]

The Old Dominion and James Madison football programs began competing in 2011 when ODU joined the CAA as an FCS independent after restarting football in 2009. Following ODU's departure from the CAA in 2012, the two schools took nearly a ten-year hiatus from football matchups before they both joined the Sun Belt in 2022. The football rivalry was restarted in the 2022 Div. I FBS football season where both schools competed in the 2022 Oyster Bowl, with the Dukes beating the Monarchs for the first time 37–3.

James Madison currently plays their football games at Bridgeforth Stadium; Old Dominion at S.B. Ballard Stadium.

James Madison victoriesOld Dominion victoriesTie games
No.DateLocationWinning teamLosing teamSeries
1October 29, 2011 Foreman Field #15 (FCS) Old Dominion 23 #9 (FCS) James Madison 20Old Dominion 1–0
2November 17, 2012 Bridgeforth Stadium #4 (FCS) Old Dominion 38 #13 (FCS) James Madison 28Old Dominion 2–0
3November 12, 2022 S.B. Ballard Stadium James Madison 37 Old Dominion 3Old Dominion 2–1
4October 28, 2023 Bridgeforth Stadium #25 James Madison 30 Old Dominion 27Tied 2–2
5November 16, 2024 S.B. Ballard Stadium James Madison 35 Old Dominion 32James Madison 3–2
6October 18, 2025 Bridgeforth Stadium James Madison 63 Old Dominion 27James Madison 4–2
  • Source: JMU Sports[9]

Basketball

[edit]

Men's basketball

[edit]

During their tenures in the CAA, ODU defeated JMU in 4 conference tournament championships. JMU holds their basketball games at Atlantic Union Bank Center; ODU at Chartway Arena.

Old Dominion victoriesJames Madison victories

Women's basketball

[edit]

JMU holds their basketball games at Atlantic Union Bank Center; ODU at Chartway Arena.

Old Dominion victoriesJames Madison victories

Soccer

[edit]

Men's soccer

[edit]

James Madison leads the all-time series in soccer 20–14–9.

Old Dominion victoriesJames Madison victoriesTie games

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. "JMU officially joins ODU in Sun Belt Conference". The Virginian-Pilot. November 6, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  2. "'Royal Rivalry': ODU and JMU create new challenge — with trophy on the line". WAVY.com. October 26, 2022. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  3. "TowneBank Royal Rivalry Challenge". jmusports.com. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  4. "Year One ✅ As the Dukes get set to battle for another Royal Rivalry point tonight, we're excited to unveil the official trophy, all set to spend the year (or more 😉) in Harrisonburg!". X.com. October 28, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  5. "2022–23 Mens Basketball Prospectus (PDF)" (PDF). James Madison University Athletics. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  6. "Women's Basketball Archives". Old Dominion University. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  7. "2021 ODU Football Media Guide (PDF)" (PDF). Old Dominion University. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  8. "Men's Soccer History vs Old Dominion University from Oct 28, 1972 – Sep 25, 2022". James Madison University. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  9. "Football History vs Old Dominion". James Madison University Athletics. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
[edit]