(07-20-2017 09:46 AM)Smokey 1 Wrote:  

(07-14-2017 05:26 PM)s2dsayer Wrote:  

(07-14-2017 09:47 AM)Wear Purple Wrote:  2. Navy - OK OK they aren't P5, but I'll make a slight convenient exception for the Mids like most of the P5 conferences do when demanding they play P5 opponents OOC...I've been there 3 times and talk about the greatest, classiest welcoming fanbase in the world...watching the Mids march onto the field is a wonderful thing and then when the Mids do a salute to the opposing fans' section it just makes it even better...again, driveable for a lot of JMU fans...Annapolis is a great place to just walk around for hours for those who have never been there, the Naval Academy museums alone are worth it

I'd always welcome playing Navy. Went there as an MRD in '88 and '89. The year we played the Navy Hymn and the whole place just stopped....it was amazing. Their fans were so thankful and gracious as we left the stadium, it was one of the very best memories I have of my time at JMU.

I wouldn't mind seeing us schedule winnable P5 games, even if the payout is a little less. Thinking Duke (though maybe not as winnable as it used to be), Vandy, Wake Forest. The Pitt idea's a good one too

Unfortunately Navy is not inclined to play JMU in football again after the Dukes beat them in 2 out of 3 of the games in a series we had with them the last time they played us. They had a contract for another 3 game series that the Navy backed out of after they were embarrassed at their homecoming games twice.

Also, they are nearly impossible to schedule these days. It was different when they were independent but now they have a full AAC slate and annual OOC games with Army, Air Force, and Notre Dame. So they usually only have one variable game per year on their schedule and it seems they prefer to schedule G5 schools which makes sense for them. I'd love to go see JMU play them there but slim chance it's going to happen in the near future at least. If JMU were to move up to any of the G5 conferences I think it'd be a huge win/win for both schools.

** Edit: Did see they're hosting Lehigh in '18, Holy Cross in '19, and Lafayette in '20. Those decent FCS opponents but perhaps you're right in they want no part of us. I have to think Bourne has tried.