JMU @ Towson

[BDKJMU]

Mickey: JMU Still ‘Mad'

......"And that presents a different challenge for Matthews this week. He must convince his top-ranked, uber-confident team that a 3-7 Towson squad could somehow trip up the Dukes, winners of nine straight.

The Tigers helped Matthews to that end with an impressive showing at Villanova on Saturday. Towson lost a close game, 34-31, and senior quarterback Sean Schaeffer threw for 326 yards and four touchdowns.

Considering that JMU needed a final-play Hail Mary touchdown to beat the Wildcats 23-19 on Oct. 25, Matthews is hoping Towson - and particularly Schaeffer - has grabbed his team's attention.

"They played a lot better at Villanova than we did, to be quite frank about it," Matthews said.

The Tigers lead the Colonial with 273.4 passing yards per game. A staggering 23 of their 29 touchdowns have come out of the passing game - and all of those scores have been thrown by Schaeffer.

It will be the stiffest test for JMU's pass defense since a 52-38 win over Liam Coen and Massachusetts on Sept. 13. The Dukes allowed Coen to throw for 339 yards and three scores, though all three came in the second half as the Minutemen furiously tried to erase a 31-10 deficit.

"It may be the toughest game they [the Dukes' secondary] play all year because they're throwing every down," Matthews said. "It will be a challenge for our defensive backfield, our secondary."

While he said neither coaches nor teammates have talked much this week about what knocking off No. 1 JMU - and thwarting its quest for an undefeated CAA season - would mean to the slumping Tigers' program, Schaeffer said it does lend extra motivation to Towson.

"I think it would just end the season on a great note for us," Schaeffer said Tuesday by phone from Towson. "Things haven't gone necessarily the way we wanted them to this season."

Of course, those same circumstances are the reason Schaeffer doesn't think the Dukes will overlook him and his teammates.

"JMU's coming in as the No. 1 team in the nation," Schaeffer said. "If they get a win against us they'll be undefeated in the conference, so I don't think they'll be looking past us at all."

Villanova coach Andy Talley said that Towson beating JMU in the regular-season finale is more than a long-shot.

"I would say that Rodney Landers would negate Sean Schaeffer and be the difference in the game," Talley said. "If you want my candid opinion, really, I just think that he's that kind of dominating quarterback that he would make the difference in any game they play. I think it would be very difficult to upset JMU, especially where they are right now.""

http://www.dnronline.com/sports_details.php?AID=33384&CHID=3&sub=

[BDKJMU]

Playoffs, Here They Come (An Opinion Column)

....."If Madison wins its final game, at Towson this weekend, it will likely secure home-field advantage through the semifinals. That would appear to be a tiny "if." Except this is football. And strange things do happen.

Ask Rich Rodriguez. To grab a spot in the big boys' national-title game last year, all Rodriguez's West Virginia team had to do was beat 28-point underdog Pitt on the final day of the regular season. Didn't happen.".......

....."The story now for James Madison is the likelihood of a home date. All it has to do to secure one is beat Towson, a 3-8 team, albeit a 3-8 team that almost upset No. 6 Villanova on Saturday. If they do so, the Dukes will all-but-certainly be a top-four seed and host a first-round game Thanksgiving weekend."......

....."But first things first. To assure itself of a home game, JMU needs to beat Towson this weekend. How do you motivate a team to play a conference bottom-feeder?

Simple, said Matthews.

"You don't want to put it in a committee's hands if you lose the Towson game," Matthews said, referring to the NCAA selection panel.

Then he raised The Specter.

"If we're not one of the four seeds, we're going to Boone," he said.

Unlikely, though it indicates how much the NCAA spooked Matthews by shipping the Dukes to Appalachian State in Round 1 last fall.

"We're not scared to go to Boone even a little bit, but in terms of playing the percentages, I don't think anyone would argue the fact that the percentage of us winning the national championship is much higher with us playing in Harrisonburg rather than going to Boone in the first week," Matthews said Sunday.

True. Which is why Towson probably won't be an afterthought as the Dukes try to win their 10th game in an amazing season.".....

http://www.dnronline.com/sports_details.php?AID=33327&CHID=3&sub=

[JMUSaxMRD]

I'll be at Towson!

[Dukie95]

Will Tommy Breaux play both games of the football/basketball double-header?

[andy7171]

Will Tommy Breaux play both games of the football/basketball double-header?

No. xoopsx

[Dukie95]

No. xoopsx

Which game is he missing?

[andy7171]

Which game is he missing?

The Hampton game.

He is supposed to dress for the NJIT game next Tuesday or Wednesday. His eligibility for Spring '09 is still up in the air. The NCAA and school will announce it sometime after Thanksgiving.

[JMUSaxMRD]

Because of my procrastination I will not be in the student section but in section 101... I can't find a seating chart of the stadium, does anyone have one?

[andy7171]

towsontigers.com is down right now, but...

12684

Section 101 is on the home side at the closed end. Far left section.

But I doubt the Towson student section (midfield on the Away side) will be filled, you'll be able to invade the visitior side without any problems.
xnonono2x

[BDKJMU]

Good QB But... Towson Again Second-Tier In CAA
http://www.dnronline.com/sports_details.php?AID=33426&CHID=3&sub=

"Each year since, they have gradually increased the number of scholarships they doled out, until reaching the full allotment of 65 last year."

Anyone who has the slightest knowledge about FCS (I-AA) football knows that the scholarship limit is 63 per team, NOT 65.

[T-Dog]

"If we're not one of the four seeds, we're going to Boone," he said.

Unlikely, though it indicates how much the NCAA spooked Matthews by shipping the Dukes to Appalachian State in Round 1 last fall.

"We're not scared to go to Boone even a little bit, but in terms of playing the percentages, I don't think anyone would argue the fact that the percentage of us winning the national championship is much higher with us playing in Harrisonburg rather than going to Boone in the first week," Matthews said Sunday.

He might not be scared of going to Boone, but he sounds paranoid about it.

Even if JMU loses, they might still get the #4 seed in my opinion. Way too many quality wins just to ignore. And even if JMU loses and doesn't get a seed, I seriously doubt they're coming to Boone in the first round.

[th0m]

Who knows. Let's just take care of business.

[mcveyrl]

He might not be scared of going to Boone, but he sounds paranoid about it.

Even if JMU loses, they might still get the #4 seed in my opinion. Way too many quality wins just to ignore. And even if JMU loses and doesn't get a seed, I seriously doubt they're coming to Boone in the first round.

I tend to agree with you. I don't think they would put the same teams together two years in a row.

[bandl]

Because of my procrastination I will not be in the student section but in section 101... I can't find a seating chart of the stadium, does anyone have one?

You will be able to sit just about wherever you want. You don't even need to buy tix in advance. 'Tis a shame, because it's one of my favorite stadiums.

[andy7171]

You will be able to sit just about wherever you want. You don't even need to buy tix in advance. 'Tis a shame, because it's one of my favorite stadiums.

Towson students are pathetic. xnonono2x

[JmuSkinsfan]

Towson students are pathetic. xnonono2x

Will JMU students out number Towson students? JMU has all of next week off for Thanksgiving break, so everyone is going home tomorrow. A lot of JMU students up in the DC area who are going to this game...

[JMU-MRD-DAD]

I really should save up for the playoffs, but I may get a wild hair and head up to the game on Saturday. Does anyone know right off how many hours to Towson from Richmond?

Go Dukes

[BDKJMU]

I really should save up for the playoffs, but I may get a wild hair and head up to the game on Saturday. Does anyone know right off how many hours to Towson from Richmond?

Go Dukes

If you've ever heard of the website mapquest:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1c=Richmond&1s=VA&2c=Towson&2s=MD

[JmuSkinsfan]

It's an 1:20 from Fairfax to Towson. It takes roughly 2 hours to get from Richmond to Fairfax. However, you would stay on 95 and go around the beltway and avoid taking the detour that is 66 toward fairfax, so i'd say you cut about 25 minutes off by staying directly on 95 all the way.

I'd say 3 hours give or take a few minutes based on traffic. god knows 95 can be a biatch.

[cougarpines]

I really should save up for the playoffs, but I may get a wild hair and head up to the game on Saturday. Does anyone know right off how many hours to Towson from Richmond?

Go Dukes

Three hours is correct

[charliej]

It's an 1:20 from Fairfax to Towson. It takes roughly 2 hours to get from Richmond to Fairfax. However, you would stay on 95 and go around the beltway and avoid taking the detour that is 66 toward fairfax, so i'd say you cut about 25 minutes off by staying directly on 95 all the way.

I'd say 3 hours give or take a few minutes based on traffic. god knows 95 can be a biatch.

The stretch of 95 between Richmond & Washington seems to ALWAYS be jammed up. Will definately be better on a Sat morning,but on a Friday it's taken me as long as 5 hours. xeekx

[andy7171]

Not that I want to aid the enemy here but you'd all be fools if you took 95 instead of 301! 2.5-3 hours. It's assinine to intentionally drive through/around DC. I went down to W&M last year and it was smooth sailing all the way down.

...and yes it sounds like you are going to out number Towson fans. xnonono2x xmadx

[JMU Newbill]

Just leave in the middle of the night and get to Towson by 6AM. That way you avoid most (not all, b/c there is ALWAYS traffic up there) and you will be there in plenty of time to start tailgating.