JMU Football injury report ahead of Armed Forces Bowl: Status of Jalen Green, A. Nwabuoku-Okonji and more

James Madison Dukes are gearing up to make their bowl season debut in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 23, against Air Force. JMU are the fifth nationally ranked team to play in this prestigious event.

Air Force, with a record of 8-4 in the MWC, ranks second in rushing at 275.8 yards per game. On the other hand, JMU, boasting an impressive 11-1 record in the SBC, leads the nation in rushing defense, allowing just 61.5 yards per game.

James Madison Football Injury Report

However, not all is rosy for JMU. Top players Mikail Kamara and Ty Son Lawton have decided to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal and will not be playing in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Additionally, two key defensive linemen, Abi Nwabuoku-Okonji and Jalen Green, are out due to injuries, and running back S. Vanhorse is sidelined for the season with a lower-body injury.

Abi Nwabuoku-Okonji is sidelined with a leg injury

Nwabuoku-Okonji, DL, is inactive due to a leg injury. He is likely to sit out for the rest of the 2023 season.

Nwabuoku-Okonji is a redshirt senior (R-Sr.) standing at 6’3" and weighing 270 lbs. He hails from Snellville, Georgia, and is studying Cyber Intelligence at the University of Minnesota.

Jalen Green is out for the season with a knee injury

Green, DL, is sidelined due to a knee injury. Green will be sitting out for the rest of the season. According to JMU coach Curt Cignetti, the injury occurred without contact when Green pivoted to chase the quarterback during a scramble play.

Green, a senior standing at 6’1" and weighing 245 lbs, is studying Sport and Recreation Management. He is from Baltimore, Maryland, and attended Good Counsel High School.

Solomon Vanhorse to miss games after a lower-body injury

Vanhorse, RB, is out for the season due to a lower-body injury. Vanhorse, a redshirt senior (R-Sr.) standing at 5’8" and weighing 183 lbs, is studying Adult Education/Human Resource Development. He hails from Alpharetta, Georgia, and attended Milton High School.

Furthermore, a recent report by Oddsshopper lists several other notable absences for James Madison’s Armed Forces Bowl game, including Kaelon Black, Tyler Stephens, Tyshanw Wyatt, Nick Kidwell, Elijah Sarratt, James Carpenter, Taurus Jones, Aiden Fisher, Jalen Green, Zach Horton, and Ty Son Lawton.

James Madison-Air Force game day details

Despite these setbacks, James Madison is ready to make its mark in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl. The game is set to take place at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. CT) and will be broadcast nationwide on ABC. Fans can also stream the event on ESPN+.