JMU @ SMU

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Any thoughts on this game? I got see JMU in person against Lehigh as well as parts of their game against Albany. Both times the Dukes offense looked awesome. SMU has shown some improvement this year, especially on offense. Their defense remains suspect though. I think JMU can give the Mustangs a run in Dallas. I'm not sure they'll win though. I've seen the line as high as SMU -17 to as low as SMU -5.

For the sake of the AAC, I'd hate see the league drop another FCS game. However, a JMU would help to further explain what I saw in Harrisonburg 10 days ago.

[NY Crusader 2010]

JMU tends not to under-perform well in FBS games more often than not. I remember about 10 years ago they lost to Duke 38-7 and their fans were calling for Matthews to get the axe. They then proceeded to finish the regular season 10-1. In stark contrast, the one time they actually WON their FBS game against Virginia Tech, they couldn't even manage a winning record in the CAA.

[bonarae]

Well, I sure hope the Dukes will upset again, but they might fall for a Cal Poly, Wofford or SIU... (they couldn't hold on to their brief leads in 4Q's)

[Ivytalk]

The final result will be at the upper end of, or beyond, that point spread range. No upset here.

[knucklehead]

I sincerely hope JMU plays well to represent FCS, but this is the game JMU took that caused LU to go on the road for the next 4 weeks. So there's that, so thanks. Oh well, maybe this stretch and the adversity is what helps LU take the next step. So thanks.

Hope someday JMU honors the game at LU. It would be epic.

[RootinFerDukes]

JMU tends not to under-perform well in FBS games more often than not. I remember about 10 years ago they lost to Duke 38-7 and their fans were calling for Matthews to get the axe. They then proceeded to finish the regular season 10-1. In stark contrast, the one time they actually WON their FBS game against Virginia Tech, they couldn't even manage a winning record in the CAA.

That was the Mickey Matthews era. We have a new coach now would love an fbs win.
Mickey publicly stated he hated playing fbs games due to the uncompetitive nature of them. As soon as we quickly went down 14-0, he'd pull his starters and call it a day. He saw them for what they were, just a paycheck for the athletic department.
Everett appears to have a competitive fire in him that Mickey severely lacked post 2008.

[RootinFerDukes]

I don't see us winning this one if smu is improved. I just hope to be within 2 TDs and have no major injuries.

[RootinFerDukes]

I sincerely hope JMU plays well to represent FCS, but this is the game JMU took that caused LU to go on the road for the next 4 weeks. So there's that, so thanks. Oh well, maybe this stretch and the adversity is what helps LU take the next step. So thanks.

Hope someday JMU honors the game at LU. It would be epic.

You all still owe us a regular season home game to finish out that 2 for 2 that we supposedly had beginning in the late 2000s. We were baffled and annoyed to see a road game at Liberty knowing that that hadn't been settled yet.
We're all assuming it was paid out at this point and there was just no public comment on it.

[DatDude]

I wouldnt be surprised if JMU won this game. I'd take JMU and the points

[KPSUL]

Before the season started, I saw this game as one of the most likely FCS upset wins. JMU is about where I thought they'd be. SMU is a tough read. The hung in with Baylor until the 2nd half, hung in with TCU until the 4th Qtr. They can definately score, but so can JMU. But JMU hasn't played anyone that can match them physically yet. I think the surprise of playing someone that can will throw them off stride and make them play inconsistently. It has been a characteristic of recent JMU teams. Don't give us the "this ain't Mickey's Dukes" line Rootin; It's happend to Everett's Dukes also - last week and several times last year. I see SMU winning by between 10 and 14, It will have little or no effect on the JMU rankings - especially if it is a high scoring game which it probably will be. Hell they may even move up, since in 2015 you can be 0 and 2, with a loss to a middling Texas FBS team by 14, and stay ranked in the top 15.

[KPSUL]

I sincerely hope JMU plays well to represent FCS, but this is the game JMU took that caused LU to go on the road for the next 4 weeks. So there's that, so thanks. Oh well, maybe this stretch and the adversity is what helps LU take the next step. So thanks.

Hope someday JMU honors the game at LU. It would be epic.

Don't worry. some day you will. That day will be your first season after moving to FBS. When that happens, the top eastern FCS programs will be tripping over each other to line up for game against Liberty in Lynchburg!

[ngineer]

I'll take JMU and the points, and will not be surprised if they pull out a win.

[knucklehead]

So, JMU took the money game from SMU and took a home game from LU to pay for their ridiculous playoff bid to make sure they beat LU out only to lose to LU in front of a few of their fans. But it was apparently enough of a payday to even offer FCOA to the ping pong team.

There, I feel better.

[RootinFerDukes]

Wow. You really won't stop crying about JMU dropping the game, will you? I've seen you posting about it for months and months.
Will you still be talking about it a year from now?

[Daytripper]

SMU is better than people think. This will be a tough one for JMU.

[knucklehead]

Wow. You really won't stop crying about JMU dropping the game, will you? I've seen you posting about it for months and months.
Will you still be talking about it a year from now?

Nah, just here and there until they finally play the game that has floated for a long while. It's just JMU in general that bugs me. GO SMU!

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Not a betting man but a combo of the over and JMU covering a 17 point spread seems pretty compelling.

[RootinFerDukes]

Nah, just here and there until they finally play the game that has floated for a long while. It's just JMU in general that bugs me. GO SMU!

We're still waiting on a return game ourselves that hasn't been played. I guess they just cancel out and we can call it a day.

[knucklehead]

We're still waiting on a return game ourselves that hasn't been played. I guess they just cancel out and we can call it a day.

Not aware of such. Creative writing?

[JMU2004]

So, JMU took the money game from SMU and took a home game from LU to pay for their ridiculous playoff bid to make sure they beat LU out only to lose to LU in front of a few of their fans. But it was apparently enough of a payday to even offer FCOA to the ping pong team.

There, I feel better.

such a troll. Playoff bid was backed by donors, not SMU's payday.

It is a no brainer for us to take a game with SMU over Liberty. We gain zilch by playing you.

[KPSUL]

IMO, a JMU vs LU matchup this season would have been more interesting, and far more significant in terms of FCS rankings, than a JMU vs SMU game.

[KPSUL]

But it was apparently enough of a payday to even offer FCOA to the ping pong team.

There, I feel better.

Not sure I get this? JMU's prez is one of the nine University leaders that signed the no FCOA letter discussed in another recent thread here on AGS.