(03-01-2022 04:26 PM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  

(03-01-2022 04:02 PM)Cnelson203 Wrote:  In looking at history with SB teams with similar winning tradition transitions, it looks promising for JMU. If my research is right:

Marshall entered FBS in 1997 and went 8-1 (MAC) and won the conference championship and played in Motor City Bowl

Appalachian State came to SB in 2014 and went 6-2 losing only to Georgia Southern and South Alabama.

Georgia Southern came to SB in 2014 took home all the marbles, going 8-0 winning the conference championship but was not yet eligible for a bowl win. Looking forward to our match up in Harrisonburg.

That's a phenomenal record of success, and I recognize that the SB is quite a bit stronger today. But if history is any judge, then anything LESS than 4-4 would be a stumble out of the gate...but the East is going to be tough for all of us.

App State, Georgia Southern, and Marshall were all gods among men in 1-AA football when they made the move to FBS. JMU is close to that caliber, but not quite the same I don't think. I do think they'll be very good if they can find a QB and an OL, though. The east is the best G5 division in the country, however, and that could make all the difference.

I think your dead on about the East being the best G5 division or atleast one of the best, and I think that will have a bigger factor in the number of wins for JMU, than JMU’s talent. I think the odds are they might struggle to reach 6, 7 wins on average the first couple of yrs, but I think long term they are going to be a force.

I see JMU going 7-4 (5-3). Loss to Louisville, app and two of Marshall, ODU, CCU, GSU.

(03-01-2022 01:46 PM)bridgeforthduke Wrote:  I voted 4-4. JMU has a lot of question marks this season, but the last 5+ seasons the Dukes have been pretty competitive against FBS competition. That includes close loses versus WVU and NC State and wins versus SMU and ECU. The 2016 UNC game was the last one I can remember where we just seemed to be outmatched. I think we'll surprise some teams, but know that it will be a tough adjustment with a roster that is still mostly FCS level talent.

In that 2016 UNC game, we led them 28-21 right before the half. Only our defense was outmatched.

(03-02-2022 11:14 PM)Potomac Wrote:  

(03-01-2022 01:46 PM)bridgeforthduke Wrote:  I voted 4-4. JMU has a lot of question marks this season, but the last 5+ seasons the Dukes have been pretty competitive against FBS competition. That includes close loses versus WVU and NC State and wins versus SMU and ECU. The 2016 UNC game was the last one I can remember where we just seemed to be outmatched. I think we'll surprise some teams, but know that it will be a tough adjustment with a roster that is still mostly FCS level talent.

In that 2016 UNC game, we led them 28-21 right before the half. Only our defense was outmatched.

They also were struggling to move the ball early on but scored their first three TDs on two trick plays and one drive extended by a sketchy PI if I remember correctly. They cruised after the first quarter, but hard to tell how it could've gone if they hadn't broken out the trick plays and got in a 21-7 or 21-0 hole. Most importantly though, yeah that was before the defense turned the corner post-Withers.

Also the only stadium where I was told I'd be thrown out if I threw anymore streamers Guy claimed a fight broke out in another section after someone was hit by a streamer, which was always hilarious to me that even if someone did start a fight over getting hit by a paper streamer this guy blamed the streamer

(03-02-2022 11:41 PM)KickItToScotty Wrote:  

(03-02-2022 11:14 PM)Potomac Wrote:  

(03-01-2022 01:46 PM)bridgeforthduke Wrote:  I voted 4-4. JMU has a lot of question marks this season, but the last 5+ seasons the Dukes have been pretty competitive against FBS competition. That includes close loses versus WVU and NC State and wins versus SMU and ECU. The 2016 UNC game was the last one I can remember where we just seemed to be outmatched. I think we'll surprise some teams, but know that it will be a tough adjustment with a roster that is still mostly FCS level talent.

In that 2016 UNC game, we led them 28-21 right before the half. Only our defense was outmatched.

They also were struggling to move the ball early on but scored their first three TDs on two trick plays and one drive extended by a sketchy PI if I remember correctly. They cruised after the first quarter, but hard to tell how it could've gone if they hadn't broken out the trick plays and got in a 21-7 or 21-0 hole. Most importantly though, yeah that was before the defense turned the corner post-Withers.

Also the only stadium where I was told I'd be thrown out if I threw anymore streamers Guy claimed a fight broke out in another section after someone was hit by a streamer, which was always hilarious to me that even if someone did start a fight over getting hit by a paper streamer this guy blamed the streamer

STUPID STREAMER!!!!!!!!!

(03-01-2022 01:05 PM)Yosef84 Wrote:  I do think JMU is dangerous to any team in the SBC, but I see them going 4-4 in conference. The biggest adjustment App had was developing depth and I see JMU having the same issue. Depending on injuries (or lack thereof), it could vary in either direction. I'm personally very glad to see them joining the SBC and think they'll add a lot very quickly.

Depth over all and OL and DL is where you see the biggest difference. Let JMU get a few IA recruiting classes in and it will make the SB bEast that more of a slug fest.

Looks like a pretty nice bell curve in the polls with the center being just shy of .500.

When App and GaSo joined the Sun Belt, it was a down year for the league. Arkansas State and Louisiana had fallen off a step (although Arkansas State rebounded the next 3 years), Troy had cratered at the end of the Blakeney era, Georgia State, Idaho and New Mexico State were all dumpster fires, ULM lost a lot of close games, South Alabama was inconsistent and Texas State somehow went 7-5.

I'd say the league is much stronger in 2022. Much, much stronger.

Are they getting a 12th game?


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(03-03-2022 11:41 AM)AssKickingChicken Wrote:  Are they getting a 12th game?


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No. It’s too late to schedule any FBS on the open dates and there’s no financial point in paying for a second FCS home game after we just cancelled one.

4-4 would be a good transition year in my opinion. 5-3 or better would be fantastic (but not likely).
3-5 wouldn't be a surprise as I do expect this year to be a struggle. 2-6 or less would be disappointing.
My vote is for 4-4.

70 percent of the votes for 1-7 and 0-8 are ODU fan, lol

(03-03-2022 12:48 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  70 percent of the votes for 1-7 and 0-8 are ODU fan, lol

It’s not a rivalry if you’re not being a homer the whole time.

Doesn't FCS schools only have 65 scholarship players? They won't have the same depth needed to compete on FBS levels immediately, will they? I'd say 3-5 or better would be a surprise. As early as it is, I predict 1, maybe 2.

(03-03-2022 02:51 PM)PureGold Wrote:  Doesn't FCS schools only have 65 scholarship players? They won't have the same depth needed to compete on FBS levels immediately, will they? I'd say 3-5 or better would be a surprise. As early as it is, I predict 1, maybe 2.

63, but JMU was already closer to the 85 FBS is allowed than 63 due to extra COVID scholarships and JMU will be at 85 this year. Depth won't be as much of an issue as it'd normally be in the first year transitioning, but quality of depth should obviously improve in the next few years.

I think they'll win 3 or 4 in year one. They've been consistently good in FCS for a long time.

Per a comment in an interview by our head coach, Curt Cignetti, JMU will be an 85 scholarship team in the 2022 season. We were already at 73 in 2021 due to the flexibility allowed by the NCAA’s CoVID rules.

Most of JMU’s starters also received G5 and sometimes P5 offers out of high school. We also have transfers from FBS all over the roster.

I voted 3 - 5. I think JMU is competitive in the loses

Big game Cig has some work to do...

If this were any of the past six JMU teams, I'd be pretty confident we would go at least .500 with next year's conference schedule, and some years' teams would have gone well over that.

As other posters have mentioned, we will have questions at QB and OL that we have not had recently. I think we will be solid and still guessed 4 conference wins, but I'd honestly be pretty happy with that. I would also be more surprised with 5 than 3.

(03-03-2022 03:28 PM)KickItToScotty Wrote:  

(03-03-2022 02:51 PM)PureGold Wrote:  Doesn't FCS schools only have 65 scholarship players? They won't have the same depth needed to compete on FBS levels immediately, will they? I'd say 3-5 or better would be a surprise. As early as it is, I predict 1, maybe 2.

63, but JMU was already closer to the 85 FBS is allowed than 63 due to extra COVID scholarships and JMU will be at 85 this year. Depth won't be as much of an issue as it'd normally be in the first year transitioning, but quality of depth should obviously improve in the next few years.

Depth isn’t in the numbers. It’s in the quality. How many of those 85 would be considered FBS players?