I should probably have done this as a poll but after the loss to App State Saturday and seeing some of their fans stay over on our board as trolls, I'd put them at the top of the SBC Rivals list with Old Dirty, Coastal (who could be at the top based upon how much I'd like to kick their mascot's arse), Marshall, GA Southern and GA State. i would then put Troy from the West on the list, most likely Texas State because Withers went there (imagine what it would be like if he were still the HC) and then just place holders for the rest of the SBC West teams.

How would you rank our SBC opponents as far as dislike?

1. App State
2. ODU
3. CCU
4. Marshall
5. Troy
6. GA Southern
7. GA State
8. The rest

I don't understand why so many people hate ODU so much. I never really thought of them at all.

1) App
2) Marshall
3) Ga Southern
4) Coastal just gets on my nerves because it's a community college that had a nice run during Covid.
5) others

1) App - has gone back decades, and heating back up bigtime. Our game was their superbowl this year.
2) Marshall - big game to circle every year imo.
3) Troy - chippy, heated game. Their fans talk trash, and they will likely be in the SBC championship battle/picture next few years.
4) ODU - fluky or not, they gave us a good fight at home this year. We'll see if they are rebounding, or go back to being irrelevant.

For all sports, ODU is the only rival. You can move opponents in/out for any sport other than football and it doesn't move the needle to me. I'll take a loss to any other SBC team if it guarantees we beat ODU. This is most likely driven by my brother in laws being ODU grads (and thus my FIL) and them being the only non-JMU SBC fans I talk to outside of the boards.

Football:
1. ODU - See above
2. App - Too many similarities to not be a rival. They would have been #2 a week ago as well but it adds to the craziness that has been the last 4 games with them.
3. Marshall - The only one noteworthy of the rest but still a long ways below App
4. Everyone else

Speaking of rivals...I was thinking about non-conference rivals and realized we don't really play Tech in any sports outside of maybe a mid week baseball game here and there. I don't believe we've seen them in men's hoops in almost 20 years and I don't recall a time when the women have squared up either.

Seems like it could be a nice rivalry, especially with our fan bases/alumni being connected closely as well. UVA doesn't seem scared to play us in any sport (except for football) so I guess Tech is a little scared...

1. app state
2. Everyone else.
10. ODU

Rivalries start at home (in this case within the borders of the Commonwealth). That said, ODU is JMU’s #1 rival.

Yes, ODU is pretty soft right now, and beating them in multiple sports is rather like terrorizing a younger sibling. There is an element of savage meanness involved, followed by pity. But beating ODU is a must, which makes them #1.

App St. is #2…where no pity or quarter is given or expected. Then again, game recognizes game, and a grudging respect is extended unilaterally to both schools.

Other East Division teams can be considered rivals too, and ranked. With this in mind I’d say Marshall, followed by CC are JMU’s other top rivals.

What’s really wonderful is that in just year two of being together in the “new and improved” SBC, all schools are finding new feelings of competitive fire for their SBC opponents. Imagine how intense these rivalries will be in a decade!

SBC is filled with teams I admire and very challenging. If you we're to think of JMU as America's team, we would be obnoxious, fun, full-of our selves, and proud. Ugly American.

Along this theme - here is who we run with and my order of rivals in the East.

1) AppSt - Magna Carta to our Constitution. A model, that we took up a notch.
2) Marshall - Locke maybe. Lots of historical success, solid across several sports.
3) Coastal Carolina - Stripes. Mutts maybe, not pedigree. Guts to jump to FBS so fast, success in some areas.
4) GASouth - French Revolution. Gritty, lots of history of success, and some across multiple sports now. But a bit passe now.
5) Old Dominion - Canada. Sure we're related and they're good at some sports. But eh, kind of hosers.
6) GAState - Greenland. Big and hard to miss on a map, but they're not moving too many needles.

(11-20-2023 06:08 PM)All Dukes_All Day Wrote:  Speaking of rivals...I was thinking about non-conference rivals and realized we don't really play Tech in any sports outside of maybe a mid week baseball game here and there. I don't believe we've seen them in men's hoops in almost 20 years and I don't recall a time when the women have squared up either.

JMU’s women beat VT in the NIT at the Convo a few years ago. But it wasn’t a scheduled regular season game.

App
ODU
the rest of them

1. ODU
2. App State
3. Marshall
4. Coastal Carolina
5. Georgia Southern (although I hate their fans the most by a wide margin)
6. Troy
7. South Alabama
8. Texas State
9. Louisiana
10. Arkansas State
11. Southern Miss
12. Georgia State
13. ULM
    

1. ODU (have to win your home state)
2. App State

That's pretty much it. The rest are just conference games. There will always be ins and outs based on the previously year or how a particular year is going, but losing both of the above games in the same season would be an absolute drag and feels unacceptable. (which is how a rivalry should feel)

1) ASU
2) ODU
3) Marshall
4) Troy (currently, but realizing we will not pay them on certain years so they will likely drop)
5) CCU

I still hate Delaware more than all of these teams and probably Richmond too.

I'll venture a guess that when (if?) ODU beats us in FB they will vault to the top of everyone's list and there won't be a close 2nd.

But, see, we can have rivals we don't really hate, or at least I can for us.

The only program I really dislike in our conference is George State, because I essentially think it's a fraud and an embarrassment in terms of fan support. The only reason they're FBS is because they're located in Atlanta.

Biggest rivals:

1. Appy. Obviously. But they sort of remind me of a NC version of us.

2. Marshall. Love their history; recall our playing them in the I-AA days.

3. Ole Dirty. I get it. Still hate that they and Heinicke beat us in '11 and '12. I mean, really hate it. But they were big proponents of our coming into the conference, and we beat them in '22 and '23.

4. Everyone else.

(11-21-2023 11:03 AM)Madison 91 Forever Wrote:  But, see, we can have rivals we don't really hate, or at least I can for us.

The only program I really dislike in our conference is George State, because I essentially think it's a fraud and an embarrassment in terms of fan support. The only reason they're FBS is because they're located in Atlanta.

Biggest rivals:

1. Appy. Obviously. But they sort of remind me of a NC version of us.

2. Marshall. Love their history; recall our playing them in the I-AA days.

3. Ole Dirty. I get it. Still hate that they and Heinicke beat us in '11 and '12. I mean, really hate it. But they were big proponents of our coming into the conference, and we beat them in '22 and '23.

4. Everyone else.

Agreed. Even though I find plenty of posters on here objectionable I don't hate the entire school they root for because of them.

Maybe I'm still in the honeymoon phase but it's nice compete against teams that have fans that are engaged and care and not ya know...Stony Brook.

I split the Sun Belt up into tiers.

Programs you hate, but respect:
App State
Marshall
Georgia Southern
Louisiana
Southern Miss

Programs you hate and have no respect for:
Old Dominion
Coastal Carolina
Georgia State

Programs you hate but are still undecided on:
Troy
South Alabama
Texas State
Arkansas State

UL-Monroe:
UL-Monroe

UL
App
JMU
USM
Georgia Southern
Rest