FCS Playoffs - 2nd Round: Colgate @ JMU

[dbackjon]

Colgate tries to take down another CAA team, traveling to JMU.


JMU by 15

[BDKJMU]

JMU 44, Madison University 27

[Gil Dobie]

JMU in this one.

[bluehenbillk]

I just took Colgate +20 on 5 dimes.

[AZGrizFan]

I just took Colgate +20 on 5 dimes.

That's a good get, especially with JMU out their QB.

[BDKJMU]

Line opened JMU -17, -18 last night, now -20...

[BDKJMU]

JMU's Lane brings winning insight to FCS playoffs

Only five seniors start for James Madison, which heads into the second round of the FCS playoffs at home Saturday against Colgate. Yet when JMU coach Everett Withers explains how a relatively young team won the most regular-season games in CAA Football, he emphasizes senior leadership.

If any Duke can lead from experience, it’s left guard Austin Lane, who’s in his sixth year of college football. Lane, a 6-foot-6 305-pounder from Clifton Park, N.Y., began his journey in 2010 as a walk-on at Syracuse. Lane recognized a faster track to playing time at JMU, to which he transferred after one year at Syracuse.

“It’s probably the best decision I’ve ever made in my life,” said Lane.

An ankle injury ended Lane’s redshirt sophomore season of 2012 after four games, and a knee injury caused him to miss all of the 2013 season. The NCAA granted Lane a medical hardship waiver, which allowed him to return to college football for a sixth year, at age 23.

Madison, which averages 44.8 points, leads the FCS in total offense (549.7 ypg) and that production starts with consistent push from the offensive line, according to Withers.

“We’ve got to be able to run the football to allow us to throw it,” he said.

Playing Patriot League champion Colgate (8-4) at Bridgeforth Stadium, where JMU (9-2) averaged 20,240 fans in six home games, figures to be a significant advantage for Madison, which shared the CAA championship and earned the No. 5 seed and a first-round bye in the 24-team playoff field.

But JMU played a first-round game at home last year and was eliminated 21-16 by Liberty.

“We had a very sour taste in our mouths for the entire offseason from the Liberty game last year,” Lane said.

“They came out and they outplayed us. We’ve always said, ‘That’s not going to happen again.’”

Unlike the rest of the Dukes, Lane knows how winning an FCS playoff game feels. JMU was involved in the 2011 postseason, during which Lane was a redshirt freshman. He played in a 20-17 win at Eastern Kentucky and in a 26-14 loss at North Dakota State, where Madison’s 8-5 season ended.

Speaking of last season’s loss to Liberty, Lane said, “From not having been in the playoffs since 2011, I think our team relearned that we can’t have that mentality that we went into that game with. We’re definitely not going to have that (this year).”

Colgate started 0-3 with losses to Navy, New Hampshire and Yale, and has won eight of its last nine. The Raiders come off last Saturday’s 27-20 first-round win at New Hampshire, a CAA member.

“This is a lot like playing another CAA opponent in our minds,” said Withers.

The Dukes' bye week didn't come until they had played nine games. They then played two games, wins over Delaware and Villanova, before last weekend's bye.

"We started a new season when we played Delaware," Withers said. "We've gone 2-0 and had a bye. And then now we're getting ready to hopefully go into a grind for the next few weeks. That's the way we look at it."

The Colgate-JMU winner will face the winner of the second-round game involving fourth-seeded McNeese State (10-0) and Sam Houston State (9-3).
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[GannonFan]

I just took Colgate +20 on 5 dimes.

I'd take that in a heart beat. Colgate will move the ball on JMU and because they can run it it should shorten the game. Gotta think JMU wins this, but it could be a one score game.

[BDKJMU]

I just took Colgate +20 on 5 dimes.

I'd take that in a heart beat. Colgate will move the ball on JMU and because they can run it it should shorten the game. Gotta think JMU wins this, but it could be a one score game.

I'd take Colagte +20 too, But this will be a 2-3 score game.

[GannonFan]

I'd take that in a heart beat. Colgate will move the ball on JMU and because they can run it it should shorten the game. Gotta think JMU wins this, but it could be a one score game.

I'd take Colagte +20 too, But this will be a 2-3 score game.

Sure, 3 FG's then.

[BDKJMU]

I'd take Colagte +20 too, But this will be a 2-3 score game.

Sure, 3 FG's then.

10-20..

[Mvemjsunpx]

This isn't the mismatch it may look like on the surface. Colgate has improved quite a bit throughout the year, James Madison is without their top star, and both teams surprisingly have even schedules. The Raiders are certainly capable of pulling off another CAA upset, but JMU's run defense isn't as bad as New Hampshire's and their offense—even without Lee—is more potent the the Wildcats'. The Dukes will have enough to get past this round and prevent a toothpaste-filled Cinderella story.

Here's my assessment of the matchups & my pick for the game:

• • • Quarterbacks -- Colgate
      
      Running Backs - James Madison
      
      Receivers/TEs - James Madison
      
      Offensive Line - James Madison
      
      
      Defensive Line - Colgate
      
      Linebackers --- (push)
      
      Secondary ---- James Madison
      
      
      Kicking ------ James Madison
      
      Punting ------ James Madison
      
      Return Teams - James Madison
      
      Kickoffs ------ Colgate
      
      
      
      
      
      • Colgate 28-38 James Madison

[vutomcat]

We all m ade $$$ on this. Why am I disappointed? JMU loses to Colgate at home???

[93henfan]

[93henfan]

I just zoomed in and I think Barney is drowning his sorrows with a DFH 60M IPA.

[GannonFan]

I'd take that in a heart beat. Colgate will move the ball on JMU and because they can run it it should shorten the game. Gotta think JMU wins this, but it could be a one score game.

I'd take Colagte +20 too, But this will be a 2-3 score game.

I told you it was going to be a one score game!!!

[BDKJMU]

Story of JMU's 2nd half. Good offense, terrible defense vs the run, and at times abysmal special teams. JMU fumbled kickoff (led to Colgate TD), fumbled a punt (led to Colgate TD). Had a chance at the end (1st and goal at Colgate 8 yd line with 6 minutes to play and couldn't score...Some boneheaded play calling that & waste of timeouts had the JMU board lit up...

Congrats to Colgate. A poor man's VU with a poor man's John Robertson at QB. I thought John Robertson would be the best running white QB out of NJ I would ever see. This kid from Colgate was ever bit as good carrying out the fakes out of their read option spread (with elements of triple option mixed in). Half the time I had no idea who had the ball for a second or 2, and it was obvious the JMU defense didn't either. And he looked a step faster than Robertson. Where he wasn't as good as Robertson is the passing game (8 for 23, 2 TDs, 1 pick 6).

[BDKJMU]

JMU last 5 games given up vs the run:
-305 vs RU
-234 vs W&M
-295 vs UD
-321 vs VU
-343 vs Colgate
PATHETIC. At least vs UR and W&M some excuse because they have good passing games, but no excuse vs UD (no passing game), vs VU (weak passing game) and vs Colgate (weak passing game). Especially against Colgate, because on top of a weak passing game, they don't have the horses up front that UD and VU have. Sure for the JMU defense there was lack of talent & experience in some areas, but that wasn't the #1 issue. There was enough talent & experience to be in the top half of the CAA defensively. #1 issue was scheme and coaching. Watching the charmin soft, swiss cheese JMU defense getting run all over week after week after week after week after week with no apparent adjustments is as frustrating as watching the 2009-2012 Mickey Matthews really good defenses, sputtering offenses in 17-13, 13-10 type losses..

Like I said on the JMU board, 1980-2015, 36 seasons of I-AA football for JMU, 4 worst defenses in school history:
-1992 32.3 ppg
-1997 30.6 ppg
-2014 29.0 ppg
-2015 28.7 ppg

17 seasons of JMU football stats on JMUSports.com, the 2 seasons giving up more than 363 ypg:
-2014 424.8 ppg
-2015 403.5 ppg

2 of the worst defenses in school history. And spare me the because of the hurry up offense excuse. You can put a dress on a pig but its still a pig.

[YoUDeeMan]

JMU last 5 games given up vs the run:
-305 vs RU
-234 vs W&M
-295 vs UD
-321 vs VU
-343 vs Colgate
PATHETIC. At least vs UR and W&M some excuse because they have good passing games, but no excuse vs UD (no passing game), vs VU (weak passing game) and vs Colgate (weak passing game). Especially against Colgate, because on top of a weak passing game, they don't have the horses up front that UD and VU have. Sure for the JMU defense there was lack of talent & experience in some areas, but that wasn't the #1 issue. There was enough talent & experience to be in the top half of the CAA defensively. #1 issue was scheme and coaching. Watching the charmin soft, swiss cheese JMU defense getting run all over week after week after week after week after week with no apparent adjustments is as frustrating as watching the 2009-2012 Mickey Matthews sputtering offenses in 17-13, 13-10 type losses..

Like I said on the JMU board, 1980-2015, 36 seasons of I-AA football for JMU, 4 worst defenses in school history:
-1992 32.3 ppg
-1997 30.6 ppg
-2014 29.0 ppg
-2015 28.7 ppg

17 seasons of JMU football stats on JMUSports.com, the 2 seasons giving up more than 363 ypg:
-2014 424.8 ppg
-2015 403.5 ppg

2 of the worst defenses in school history. And spare me the because of the hurry up offense excuse. You can put a dress on a pig but its still a pig.

Can you post this on every other football board? For some reason, people keep saying that JMU was good...and since JMU was good, Colgate must be good, and therefore, UNH must have been good.

It is as though no one bothered to actually watch JMU play (actually, not play) defense all year.

[BDKJMU]

JMU last 5 games given up vs the run:
-305 vs RU
-234 vs W&M
-295 vs UD
-321 vs VU
-343 vs Colgate
PATHETIC. At least vs UR and W&M some excuse because they have good passing games, but no excuse vs UD (no passing game), vs VU (weak passing game) and vs Colgate (weak passing game). Especially against Colgate, because on top of a weak passing game, they don't have the horses up front that UD and VU have. Sure for the JMU defense there was lack of talent & experience in some areas, but that wasn't the #1 issue. There was enough talent & experience to be in the top half of the CAA defensively. #1 issue was scheme and coaching. Watching the charmin soft, swiss cheese JMU defense getting run all over week after week after week after week after week with no apparent adjustments is as frustrating as watching the 2009-2012 Mickey Matthews sputtering offenses in 17-13, 13-10 type losses..

Like I said on the JMU board, 1980-2015, 36 seasons of I-AA football for JMU, 4 worst defenses in school history:
-1992 32.3 ppg
-1997 30.6 ppg
-2014 29.0 ppg
-2015 28.7 ppg

17 seasons of JMU football stats on JMUSports.com, the 2 seasons giving up more than 363 ypg:
-2014 424.8 ppg
-2015 403.5 ppg

2 of the worst defenses in school history. And spare me the because of the hurry up offense excuse. You can put a dress on a pig but its still a pig.

Can you post this on every other football board? For some reason, people keep saying that JMU was good...and since JMU was good, Colgate must be good, and therefore, UNH must have been good.

It is as though no one bothered to actually watch JMU play (actually, not play) defense all year.

Oh, the defense "looked" decent the 1st 7 games, masked by having Vad Lee and the weak part of the schedule.