JMU Barely Escapes Loss Against Bloomsburg

[JMU Duke Dog]

Here are some articles from today's Daily News-Record in Harrisonburg...


Dukes Barely Beat Bloomsburg
By Mike Barber

HARRISONBURG – With his team thoroughly outplayed for almost 47 minutes, L.C. Baker bailed out James Madison’s offense and maybe saved its football season.

Trailing Division II Bloomsburg 3-0 less than two minutes into the fourth quarter of Saturday’s season-opener, Baker caught a screen pass and raced by a wall of blockers and up the left sideline for a 52-yard touchdown, sending the Dukes on their way to a 14-3 win.

“We didn’t take them lightly,” senior quarterback Justin Rascati said. “Their defense outplayed our offense.”

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So, Who Had The 63 Scholarships?
By Chris Simmons

HARRISONBURG – And I thought the score was going to be 63-8½.

That’s the difference in scholarships between the James Madison and Bloomsburg football teams. On a head-scratching Saturday at Bridgeforth Stadium, though, it was hard to tell which was the money team.

The penny-pinching Huskies, a Division II school that splits its 8½ grants into subatomic particles, led for most of the evening before falling 14-3 to JMU after a pair of pressure-packed mistakes.

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[GSUhooligan]

How the mighty have fallen. App's going to have their hands full...xlolx

[cosmo here]

How the mighty have fallen. App's going to have their hands full...xlolx


For a division that mocks I-A writers for taking I-AA teams lightly . . why do so many I-AA fans mock Division II teams, especially ones ranked in the top 10 for the better part of a decade :confused: :rolleyes:

[lucchesicourt]

Cosmo I agree with you 100%. I believe top D2's, with or without many schollies, can be competetive with 1AA's. I also believe that top 1AA's can compete with 1A's, though the top 1A's are a little too much for 1AA's.

[Sly Fox]

The scholie gap between I-As and I-AAs is nowhere near as significant as DIIs. So top I-AAs having issues with DIIs is rather noteworthy.

[SoCon48]

How the mighty have fallen. App's going to have their hands full...xlolx

I know you're being sarcastic, GSUhooligan, but if JMU's D-line whips the Apps O-Line, it could get ugly for the Mountaineers. Otherwise, it's a long bus ride back to the Shenandoah Valley for the purple dukes.

[blur2005]

A pretty rough start for the Dukes. Hopefully, things will improve.

[TigerFan17]

The scholie gap between I-As and I-AAs is nowhere near as significant as DIIs. So top I-AAs having issues with DIIs is rather noteworthy.

Bingo.

[AppGuy04]

Who says JMU is a top I-AA? We really don't know at this point. It is speculated that they are, but the way they played yesterday, maybe they are a middle of the road I-AA.

[Tribe4SF]

Who says JMU is a top I-AA? We really don't know at this point. It is speculated that they are, but the way they played yesterday, maybe they are a middle of the road I-AA.

That's now the $64 question. Bloomsburg runs a good program, but without Brittingham they are certainly less than with him. Not blowing them out would have been one thing. Struggling to win is another. JMU knows that was far from the best defense they'll face.

[jmufootball2]

no we did not play a good game. Is it anything to worry about? no. Take a peek at the box score and you will find out why this game sounds so bad. we only ran 44 plays on offense. rascati was 9-14 with a couple dropped passes that would of extended several drives into scoring territory. blooms burg only gained 1.5 yards per rush and 6.5 per pass. their stly of offense really wore the clock down fast especially with the new rules. now, our offense is going to have to improve greatly to win at app state, mostly with better offensive line paly. the defense looked good. no big plays as we are still a bend but dont break defense. I love how everyone is quick to shoot us down, almost like they are happy. wait till next weekend, im sure the team will be much more motivated.

[*****]

I know you're being sarcastic, GSUhooligan...How do you know that? Hoolie is usually a mean spirited smacker. No different now.

BTW, Bloomsburg is allowed 36 schollies. Why do they supposedly have only 8.5?

[Tribe4SF]

no we did not play a good game. Is it anything to worry about? no. Take a peek at the box score and you will find out why this game sounds so bad. we only ran 44 plays on offense. rascati was 9-14 with a couple dropped passes that would of extended several drives into scoring territory. blooms burg only gained 1.5 yards per rush and 6.5 per pass. their stly of offense really wore the clock down fast especially with the new rules. now, our offense is going to have to improve greatly to win at app state, mostly with better offensive line paly. the defense looked good. no big plays as we are still a bend but dont break defense. I love how everyone is quick to shoot us down, almost like they are happy. wait till next weekend, im sure the team will be much more motivated.

The discussion here is not shooting JMU down, but realistically assessing where they are. I had JMU ranked 7th in my preseason poll. Their performance yesterday doesn't justify them staying that high.

When you only run 44 plays for 219 yards, it means your offensive production is not good. Take out Boxley's game saver, and the offense totaled 167 yards on 43 plays. The defense was facing a team missing its big star, and starting a Freshman QB.

JMU may well be a top 10 team, but their going to have to play alot better than they did yesterday before I can vote them there again.

[blukeys]

How do you know that? Hoolie is usually a mean spirited smacker. No different now.

BTW, Bloomsburg is allowed 36 schollies. Why do they supposedly have only 8.5?


PSAC schools are limited to 24. Most offer less. Keep in mind that tuition for instate PA. students is very low. Most PSAC schools offer partials which leaves the student with a bill that is pretty reasonable.

[AppGuy04]

no we did not play a good game. Is it anything to worry about? no. Take a peek at the box score and you will find out why this game sounds so bad. we only ran 44 plays on offense. rascati was 9-14 with a couple dropped passes that would of extended several drives into scoring territory. blooms burg only gained 1.5 yards per rush and 6.5 per pass. their stly of offense really wore the clock down fast especially with the new rules. now, our offense is going to have to improve greatly to win at app state, mostly with better offensive line paly. the defense looked good. no big plays as we are still a bend but dont break defense. I love how everyone is quick to shoot us down, almost like they are happy. wait till next weekend, im sure the team will be much more motivated.
if this was the result of a I-AA opponent, it wouldn't be an issue. We are talking about a DII program that you should have easily beaten by ATLEAST 3 scores

I can guarantee you that JMU will no longer be in the top 10 after this result

[blukeys]

Montana LOST to a D-2 school a couple of years back and still was ranked. We need to see how Bloomsburg does past this game to see how good they are.

[AppGuy04]

Montana LOST to a D-2 school a couple of years back and still was ranked. We need to see how Edinboro does past this game to see how good they are.

They'll be ranked, but coming in, they were 8th in the AGS poll. It would not surprise me at all if they fell 5-7 spots

[Hansel]

Montana LOST to a D-2 school a couple of years back and still was ranked. We need to see how Bloomsburg does past this game to see how good they are.
That "DII" was alot better though (and fully funded at the DII level) ;) :)

[Seadragon76]

Personally, I don't see how the JMU fans got worried at all. They won against Bloomsburg 14-3. Sometimes, an ugly win is just as good as a beatdown of some poor sap.

[jmufootball2]

exactly i can assure while most of you will be 'bashing' all week, the ugly W is already out of the teams mind and they have a Win at App state in their mind. they know what they need to do in order to win this weekend. this is a bunch of veteran guys, many of whom played in the 04 NC game. and there is no way we will fall 5-7 spots in the polls.

[AppGuy04]

and there is no way we will fall 5-7 spots in the polls.

we'll find out tomorrow, JMU was 8th coming in this week(reminder)

[JohnStOnge]

For a division that mocks I-A writers for taking I-AA teams lightly . . why do so many I-AA fans mock Division II teams, especially ones ranked in the top 10 for the better part of a decade :confused: :rolleyes:

I'm not one of those fans. I've posted before that there is far less difference between the top of DII and the top of I-AA than there is between the top of I-AA and the top of I-A. D-II playoff teams have beaten I-AA playoff teams. We've had an instance in which the D-II national champ played the I-AA national champ during the regular season and the I-AA national champ barely eeked out a 3 point win in a game that easily could've gone the other way.

It's one reason why I don't like the playoff committee's practice of dismissing games against D-II opponents. Most years, if you play a Grand Valley State or North Alabama you play a team that's better than most I-AA squads. Sometimes you're playing somebody that's as good as anybody in I-AA is.

[*****]

... why do so many I-AA fans mock Division II teams, especially ones ranked in the top 10 for the better part of a decade :confused: :rolleyes:Like Bloomsburg?

[slostang]

I'm not one of those fans. I've posted before that there is far less difference between the top of DII and the top of I-AA than there is between the top of I-AA and the top of I-A. D-II playoff teams have beaten I-AA playoff teams. We've had an instance in which the D-II national champ played the I-AA national champ during the regular season and the I-AA national champ barely eeked out a 3 point win in a game that easily could've gone the other way.

It's one reason why I don't like the playoff committee's practice of dismissing games against D-II opponents. Most years, if you play a Grand Valley State or North Alabama you play a team that's better than most I-AA squads. Sometimes you're playing somebody that's as good as anybody in I-AA is.
In 1980 Cal Poly beat Boise State in the regular season. Boise State went on to win the 1980 I-AA National Championship and Cal Poly went on to win the DII National Championship that year.

That was a long time ago. I do not you will ever see that again.

[AppGuy04]

In 1980 Cal Poly beat Boise State in the regular season. Boise State went on to win the 1980 I-AA National Champion and Cal Poly went on to win the DII National Championship that year.

That was a long time ago. I do not you will ever see that again.
I knew it had happened before, but couldn't remember who

[Sam Adams]

Its gonna be very interesting to see how the Dukes come back next week against Appy State. Usually when you win a game you get a bit of a break in practice. Methinks that the Dukes had best come ready to strap it on in practice this week. Bloomsburg is obviously a good little program, but Appy State is not Bloomsburg.

[cosmo here]

Like Bloomsburg?

exactly, like Bloomsburg. If I-AA fans want respect from I-A writers and fans, they should also give respect to Division II programs . . especially those that are consistently in the top tier.

[AppGuy04]

exactly, like Bloomsburg. If I-AA fans want respect from I-A writers and fans, they should also give respect to Division II programs . . especially those that are consistently in the top tier.

thats the problem, most I-AA fans don't educate themselves about DII football unless their team is playing them

Hell, I bet you half of this site doesn't know who GVSU is, but I bet they would give their team a run for the money if given the chance

[blukeys]

thats the problem, most I-AA fans don't educate themselves about DII football unless their team is playing them

Hell, I bet you half of this site doesn't know who GVSU is, but I bet they would give their team a run for the money if given the chance


Well I do and I know who Valdosta State is as well. And Valdosta And Grand Valley would give a whole lot of I-AA teams a miserable afternoon.

[Lionsrking]

In 1980 Cal Poly beat Boise State in the regular season. Boise State went on to win the 1980 I-AA National Championship and Cal Poly went on to win the DII National Championship that year.

That was a long time ago. I do not you will ever see that again.

We beat Boise State, at Boise, that year too. It was our first game as a member of I-AA.

[blukeys]

In 1980 Cal Poly beat Boise State in the regular season. Boise State went on to win the 1980 I-AA National Championship and Cal Poly went on to win the DII National Championship that year.

That was a long time ago. I do not you will ever see that again.


I can go you one better. In 1979 Delaware beat Lehigh in the Regular season and Youngstown State beat Eastern Kentucky in the regular season. Both Delaware and YSU were D-2 and met in the finals. The 1979 D-I-AA finalists were Lehigh and EKU who had already been beaten by the D-2 finalists.

In fairness, it was a different era. There was no scollie difference between D-2 and I-AA but the fact was that both D-2 finalists had already beaten the I-AA finalists.

[th0m]

if this was the result of a I-AA opponent, it wouldn't be an issue. We are talking about a DII program that you should have easily beaten by ATLEAST 3 scores

I can guarantee you that JMU will no longer be in the top 10 after this result

I really think our rank is not really what's important. I'd rather be unranked and beat ASU than be ranked in the top 10 and lose to them. It's nice to see your team up move up on paper, but it's mor enjoyable to see your team actually win games on the field.

[hapapp]

I really think our rank is not really what's important. I'd rather be unranked and beat ASU than be ranked in the top 10 and lose to them. It's nice to see your team up move up on paper, but it's mor enjoyable to see your team actually win games on the field.

I don't think you can project anything after one week of play. I think both ASU and JMU will be equally motivated after their week 1 performances. Obviously, neither team can be all that pleased with their offensive performances. Both teams, however, appeared to show some defensive prowess. The rankings mean nothing, these are two experienced teams who will be motivated to show better this weekend. It should be a great game.

I don't think JMU's tough time against a good DII team means anyone should take them lightly. I think there are some big offensive question marks for ASU. Trey Elder has to show up this weekend and he has to have much better protection from the offensive line.

[JohnStOnge]

As recently as 2003, there were at least two instances in which D-II playoff teams beat I-AA playoff teams. That year, Valdosta State, which I believe lost in the second round of the D-II tournament (can't get the web page I want to come up to confirm that), blew out I-AA semifinalist Florida Atlantic by 45-17. North Alabama, which was eliminated in the third round of the D-II playoffs, beat Jacksonville State, which lost in the first round of I-AA, 28-16.

Yet a I-AA would've gotten less credit from the playoff committee for playing Valdosta State...a team good enough to rip the snot out of a I-AA semifinalist...than it would've gotten from playing Savannah State...a I-AA that went 0 - 12 and lost by an average of 41 - 9.

It's stupid.

[Jeremybozz]

If Britthingham had played JMU may very well have lost. The Dukes offense better improve this week.

[MountaineerDrive]

I'm definitely still worried about JMU. Our offensive line was horrible against NCSU, we've got our own issues to deal with before we can expect to win over another premier I-AA program just because they struggled in week one. DII schools can bring it, I for one wouldn't ever want to see Grand Valley State on App's schedule most years.

[SoCon48]

I'm definitely still worried about JMU. Our offensive line was horrible against NCSU, we've got our own issues to deal with before we can expect to win over another premier I-AA program just because they struggled in week one. DII schools can bring it, I for one wouldn't ever want to see Grand Valley State on App's schedule most years.
And there's a ton of I-A's who wouldn't want to see GSU, ASU, JMU, Furman, App, Montana on their schedules most years, too.

[Mr. C]

I knew it had happened before, but couldn't remember who
I happened to see that Cal Poly team in action. They were good enough to have won I-AA that year. The win over Boise State was interesting because Cal Poly had lost 54-14 in the final game of the 1979 season at Boise. They got revenge at home, the following year, winning 23-20. They had an incredible receiver/returnman named Robbie Martin and a great running back (from my hometown) named Louis Jackson. Joe Harper was a terrific coach. They were an outstanding team on offense. In 1979, I saw Cal Poly take apart a I-A Fresno State team 26-0 in San Luis Obispo. It was a masacre. They nearly beat Fresno State again in 1980 on the road, losing 31-25. Cal Poly had to beat Jacksonville State (15-0) in the playoffs and stopped Eastern Illinois 21-13 for the championship.

[MountaineerDrive]

And there's a ton of I-A's who wouldn't want to see GSU, ASU, JMU, Furman, App, Montana on their schedules most years, too.

I completely agree. I'm just hoping I-AA fans don't become hypocrites and automatically write off DII schools and then complain when D1-A schools do the same to us.

[DB_Atlantic10]

Another thing to consider is that the Academic standards from IA and IAA are exactly the same....where D-II programs requirements are a bit lower....so Top players typically won't fall from say UNC to Appt. State, etc. They would have to go lower since the standards are the same if not tougher. I-AA tends to get the marginal IA talent or size guys, while D-II can get loads of non qualifiers...just something to think about. The number of schollies has nothing to do with it, once admitted, there are all kinds of ways to getting financial aide as D-II programs are not under the NCAA spotlight.....