JMUSB Game Preview #9: JMU @ RU

At long last, we’re finally here. The real season takes place these next two weeks with trips to Bridgeforth East and Villanova on tap. But while Coach Houston is new, and he’ll say all the right things, there is zero doubt that THIS one is the game the Dukes players have had circled on the calendar since last year’s College Gameday faceplant and Vad Lee’s injury signaled loud and clear the beginning of the end of the short-lived Withers era. It’s Tick Week!

Basics

#5 JMU Dukes (7-1, 5-0 CAA) at #7 RU Spatters (7-1, 4-1 CAA), 3:30 p.m. East Bridgeforth High School Stadium, West End, Richmond, VA.

Coverage: Comcast SportsNet with a solid announcing group including Rob Carlin (check SNY or YES on Directv if you don’t get the CSN’s); also JMUSB South-afffiliated watch parties at Hoolihan’s in Charlotte following the Everton match and the unofficial Triad Dukes are having an official party at Gray’s Tavern in downtown Greensboro.

Weather: Sunny, 65 degrees. That’s perfect but really all weather is good for killing Ticks with fire.

Streamer Outlook: Shady. Ever since RU tried to steal JMU’s streamer idea and started promoting that silly red and blue action, the pubic safety officers at the little Spatter House have tried their best to confiscate purple and gold streamers despite the fact streamers are clearly allowed. It’s an elitist Yankee school so you can forgive ’em a bit, but really, pack extras and hide them well on the way in. Strollers/baby bags are particularly solid spots.

It’s that time of year!

How JMU Can Win

By getting after Lauletta’s ass. It could just be that simple. RU is down to their third-string tailback and while they’ve mostly maintained balance on offense against CAA lightweights (much the way the Dukes have btw), at some point this one is going to be on the obnoxious shoulders of their QB. We’re looking for a DJ Bryant vs. Aaron “The Hoodie” Corps type destruction to lead the Dukes from names like Robinson, Ankrah, and Hereford.

Making kicks when the opportunity is there would also help. A lot!

How RU Can Win

They can’t. Not this time. They just suck so so much and their ridiculously thin-skinned “fanbase,” such as it is, can’t even handle a little bad-natured trash talk.

JMUSB Beer of the Week 

The Unknown Brewing Company’s Pregame Session Ale – These guys out of Raleigh do their own thing, or at least market themselves that way, but we certainly appreciate a solid, domestic-ish ABV tailgate/poolside/cookout beer and this one hits the spot. No need to talk fancy, this is just a better-tasting version of whatever cheap swill your still hanging onto from JMU days.

Official JMUSB Prediction

Dukes 45, Spatters 27 – Revenge, plain and simple. Yes, Trott’s knowledge of RU’s scheme may easily be cancelled out by RU’s knowledge of what Trott likes to do, but the Dukes are a whole different physical animal at the line of scrimmage under Houston compared to Withers and we’ve got a feeling the Ticks are going to be surprised in the worst kind of way.