UVA will never agree to a game at JMU in football. It took a brand new arena being built to get them here in basketball. The last time UVA played in Harrisonburg was the first year of the Convo. Two games in my lifetime and both were in years when a new arena was built.

(11-27-2021 08:17 AM)JMUNation Wrote:  UVA will never agree to a game at JMU in football. It took a brand new arena being built to get them here in basketball. The last time UVA played in Harrisonburg was the first year of the Convo. Two games in my lifetime and both were in years when a new arena was built.

While I hope we can get on the football schedule soon, part of this may also depend on how successful JMU is, and their perception of benefits vs risk. If they believe it will help boost ticket sales and revenue, or be seen as a quality win that helps rankings, we are more likely to get a game.

Find it hard to believe UVA won't play JMU. They seem to not have a problem with basketball.

We had a very forgettable home mens basketball game with UVA back in 2014. It wasn't close.
https://jmusports.com/news/2014/11/14/MB...42641.aspx

I think Dukie blocked that 2014 home game against UVA out of his memory. It was the last time JMU sold out the Convo. Hopefully, it is the first time JMU sells out the AUBC this year. Only 10 days away and there are still tickets which surprises me.
I thought for sure JMU would sell out against UVA.

Maybe their fanbase has not been active buying seats even though it is the closest D-1 game they can play on the road. I’m sure there will be Shenandoah valley Walmart UVA fans that attend the game.

(11-27-2021 09:40 AM)Hart Foundation Wrote:  I think Dukie blocked that 2014 home game against UVA out of his memory. It was the last time JMU sold out the Convo. Hopefully, it is the first time JMU sells out the AUBC this year. Only 10 days away and there are still tickets which surprises me.
I thought for sure JMU would sell out against UVA.

Maybe their fanbase has not been active buying seats even though it is the closest D-1 game they can play on the road. I’m sure there will be Shenandoah valley Walmart UVA fans that attend the game.

Being on a Tuesday night during the holiday season is not ideal.

I'm guessing we may get some people buying last minute when the game gets more publicity or they know what is happening with other plans. This is a chaotic time of year to plan things, and it sometimes impacts football attendance also.

I plan to attend, but gametime means will have to end my workday earlier than usual. 6:30pm is not so easy for people traveling from Richmond or Nova/DC. This game could have more easily brought people from those areas on a weekend.


Edit - just looked, and there's not more than 100 or so seats left that I see in sections 207 and 213. The GAs are gone. This game is effectively a sell out already.

(11-27-2021 10:39 AM)JMURocks Wrote:  

(11-27-2021 09:40 AM)Hart Foundation Wrote:  I think Dukie blocked that 2014 home game against UVA out of his memory. It was the last time JMU sold out the Convo. Hopefully, it is the first time JMU sells out the AUBC this year. Only 10 days away and there are still tickets which surprises me.
I thought for sure JMU would sell out against UVA.

Maybe their fanbase has not been active buying seats even though it is the closest D-1 game they can play on the road. I’m sure there will be Shenandoah valley Walmart UVA fans that attend the game.

Being on a Tuesday night during the holiday season is not ideal.

I'm guessing we may get some people buying last minute when the game gets more publicity or they know what is happening with other plans. This is a chaotic time of year to plan things, and it sometimes impacts football attendance also.

I plan to attend, but gametime means will have to end my workday earlier than usual. 6:30pm is not so easy for people traveling from Richmond or Nova/DC. This game could have more easily brought people from those areas on a weekend.


Edit - just looked, and there's not more than 100 or so seats left that I see in sections 207 and 213. The GAs are gone. This game is effectively a sell out already.

Yeah, I'm not going and I'm in Richmond. At this point, it's not worth having to leave work early and getting back at 11pm+ at night.

It should be a sellout. They should set a deadline and whatever tickets left opened up to the students.

(11-27-2021 08:43 AM)hburg Wrote:  Find it hard to believe UVA won't play JMU. They seem to not have a problem with basketball.

If I'm not mistaken, they started doing 2 for 1's with the in state mid-majors when Tony Bennett came along. So his willingness to do so might not really mean anything for football.

Shaping up to be the highest attended home basketball game in Jmu history I believe

ODU going bowling thanks to ending the season on a 5 game win streak. Led by a new starting R-FR QB who only lost their first game as a starter this year (5-1 overall), while bringing in more QB talent to compete for next year's spot.
Liberty in a bit of a slump to end the regular season, but they are about to go to their third straight bowl game under Freeze who isn't going to leave anytime soon with the printing press running full speed.
VT is in the final final stages of hiring Pry, who has already shown an ability to recruit VA well.
App State and CCU continuing to succeed.

I should be getting pumped for JMU to leave FCS with another championship, but I can't shake thoughts of how the transition period could be rough going. Keeping the team's winning mentality and successful recruiting is going to be huge for JMU's success the next few years. BRB going to watch the lock the gates speech.

(11-30-2021 12:23 PM)DoubleDogDare Wrote:  ODU going bowling thanks to ending the season on a 5 game win streak. Led by a new starting R-FR QB who only lost their first game as a starter this year (5-1 overall), while bringing in more QB talent to compete for next year's spot.
Liberty in a bit of a slump to end the regular season, but they are about to go to their third straight bowl game under Freeze who isn't going to leave anytime soon with the printing press running full speed.
VT is in the final final stages of hiring Pry, who has already shown an ability to recruit VA well.
App State and CCU continuing to succeed.

I should be getting pumped for JMU to leave FCS with another championship, but I can't shake thoughts of how the transition period could be rough going. Keeping the team's winning mentality and successful recruiting is going to be huge for JMU's success the next few years. BRB going to watch the lock the gates speech.

That concerns me as well.

Hoping we get home FBS games that keep the Mo of the program going.

we might go .500 next year...... it'll be tough - focus on keepin the mojo

(11-30-2021 12:23 PM)DoubleDogDare Wrote:  I should be getting pumped for JMU to leave FCS with another championship, but I can't shake thoughts of how the transition period could be rough going. Keeping the team's winning mentality and successful recruiting is going to be huge for JMU's success the next few years. BRB going to watch the lock the gates speech.

Not only inbound recruiting but keeping the talent we have on board. Not sure how many kids wants to go through the rest of their career in a transitional phase with zero chance of a conference title and postseason play.

JMU will transition just fine.

Cig said multiple seniors are returning. Going FBS gives them a chance to shine and improve their resume for a shot at the pros.

A “down” year or two might happen, but that won’t be losing seasons. Yes, the SBC is tough, but not every team there is a top 20. We will get wins.

And for anyone who has been sleeping, recruiting is looking like a home run since the announcement.

They can sell this in so many ways. Aside from the usual (JMU athletics, facilities, campus, etc), they can dictate the future of JMU football. Very few teams will play as big of a role as these next few years. There will be more FBS games and will be around for the first FBS game at Bridgeforth.
One of the most memorable games ever in Bridgeforth is the App State game. That wasn't a playoff game, but anyone that was there never forgets how incredible that game was and how electric the atmosphere was.
Those are still selling points.
We won't be getting guys that want to play for titles, but there are so many others that have other priorities. I still think we'll have a higher talent pool than if we stayed in FCS.

(11-30-2021 01:55 PM)Polish Hammer Wrote:  

(11-30-2021 12:23 PM)DoubleDogDare Wrote:  I should be getting pumped for JMU to leave FCS with another championship, but I can't shake thoughts of how the transition period could be rough going. Keeping the team's winning mentality and successful recruiting is going to be huge for JMU's success the next few years. BRB going to watch the lock the gates speech.

Not only inbound recruiting but keeping the talent we have on board. Not sure how many kids wants to go through the rest of their career in a transitional phase with zero chance of a conference title and postseason play.

I saw this in the recruiting thread but I'm not really concerned about the current guys leaving. I'm sure getting to play for a conference championship next year is something the guys think about, but I think it's secondary to the players personal experiences. (1) The vast majority of the current JMU players were in some way "overlooked" by FBS teams and I imagine these guys want their chance to show they can compete every week against FBS players. So I don't think we are losing anyone to an FCS school and I don't think they are looking at FBS schools that previously passed them over. (2) These guys are teammates and have experienced what JMU offers. I don't think a meaningful amount are wanting to jump ship to an unknown situation at another FBS school, especially once you take away the "prove yourself on the big stage" angle with us looking to play mostly FBS games next year. There is likely some part of them that wants to continue to be part of the building of the program. I don't think the missed opportunity to win a conference ring next year is going to outweigh (1) and (2).

Bottom line, IMHO, the guys with 1-2 years left will overlook the fact there is no conference championship or FCS championship for the opportunity to play FBS. The guys with 3 years left, may be the most vulnerable group, but I'm not sure how many of these guys we have that would want to leave JMU and be able to step into the rotation at a G5. I don't see a reason the guys with 4 years left would worry about the next 2 years as they were either just "overlooked" by FBS or choose JMU over FBS already.

Bottom bottom line, I believe we lose more players due to playing time or wanting to be closer to family or wanting to pursue a different academic degree or something random than because we can't play for a conference championship in 2022 and 2023.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...799765002/

Could you imagine if our first bowl was the Frisco Bowl?

(11-30-2021 02:07 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  JMU will transition just fine.

Cig said multiple seniors are returning. Going FBS gives them a chance to shine and improve their resume for a shot at the pros.

A “down” year or two might happen, but that won’t be losing seasons. Yes, the SBC is tough, but not every team there is a top 20. We will get wins.

And for anyone who has been sleeping, recruiting is looking like a home run since the announcement.

Totally agree. My only concern is Cig's in-game coaching and I'm not nearly as concerned about that now as I was before the Elon game. Recruiting will be fine, and I don't think the guys who consider FCS a positive over G5 are very common at all. Once you're committed and talking up your school then yeah playing for championships is an easy talking point but there are a lot of reasons to choose JMU over a lot of G5s.

I'd be surprised if any of these guys would actually rather play for JMU with a CAA schedule and FCS playoffs than for JMU with a Sun Belt schedule, any with G5 offers more likely chose JMU because of JMU vs those specific G5's and not because of FCS vs G5.

(11-30-2021 02:54 PM)KickItToScotty Wrote:  

(11-30-2021 02:07 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  JMU will transition just fine.

Cig said multiple seniors are returning. Going FBS gives them a chance to shine and improve their resume for a shot at the pros.

A “down” year or two might happen, but that won’t be losing seasons. Yes, the SBC is tough, but not every team there is a top 20. We will get wins.

And for anyone who has been sleeping, recruiting is looking like a home run since the announcement.

Totally agree. My only concern is Cig's in-game coaching and I'm not nearly as concerned about that now as I was before the Elon game. Recruiting will be fine, and I don't think the guys who consider FCS a positive over G5 are very common at all. Once you're committed and talking up your school then yeah playing for championships is an easy talking point but there are a lot of reasons to choose JMU over a lot of G5s.

I'd be surprised if any of these guys would actually rather play for JMU with a CAA schedule and FCS playoffs than for JMU with a Sun Belt schedule, any with G5 offers more likely chose JMU because of JMU vs those specific G5's and not because of FCS vs G5.

If I could make 2 wishs for the football program it would be to find a top G5 QB, and retain Corey

I know someone last week said we already have two great QBs to step up once Cole leaves. I'm not nearly as confident. Get us a stud to the caliber we've had the last 8 years and we'll be fine.

Also I have a ton of faith in our defense as long as Corey is DC.