JMUSB Playoff Game Preview #2: Sam Houston St. at JMU
The Basics
#5 Sam Houston St. Bearkats (12-0) at #4 James Madison Dukes (11-1), 7 p.m. Friday
Coverage: ESPN2, hot damn. This is the only football game on national tv at any level tomorrow night, needless to say this is the biggest stage the Dukes have played on in quite some time. Every bar in the country will accidentally have this game on.
Weather: Cold AF, Dark, Clear
What’s at Stake: A spot in the Final Four against the winner of Saturday’s noon ESPN game between South Dakota St. at North Dakota St.
FEPO: Dukes favored by 2.5, which means it’s essentially a pick ’em game or Sam would be the slightest of favorites on a neutral field. But this ain’t neutral! Also, the Over/Under for this game is 89.5 or 90 depending on your book, which is allegedly the highest ever number for a Division 1 game. If you ever want to enjoy watching a game, this is your night!
Once a Duke, Always a Duke
So we know you came to read a preview and get hyped, but we’ve been doing this thing for eight years and we don’t get many chances to use our little dorkfest for things other than snidely commenting that Sam Houston is not a state and that they can’t even spell “cat” correctly. But you’re gonna read something else right now. Or at least we politely ask that you do. We were reminded by a couple of former players this week that there are more important things than what’s happening on the field. When Dominick Richards and Vad Lee stunned us by a) knowing we exist, and b) reaching out to ask us to spread the word about the physical, emotional, and financial challenges faced by their former JMU teammate and WR Coby Branch and his family, we were honored. We told them we’d do a whole post about it next week. And then we talked a little more and decided that as confident as we are about tonight, we might never have more eyeballs on this site than today and we needed to include this in the preview. As Vad tell’s the heartbreaking story on Coby’s GoFundMe page:
Coby Branch, teammate, classmate, brother and JMU Football family suffered a life changing asthma attack that caused paralysis and blindness. As Coby’s Mother recalls, Coby was unresponsive and stopped breathing during the asthma attack at a friend’s house where he was immediately carried by helicopter to the hospital. Following the asthma attack, his Mother was unsure if he would survive.
Since then Coby has fought like hell and is still hopeful of a full recovery, but the challenges he and his family have faced are immense. As Vad and Dom tell it, Coby would’ve been a senior this year. They also note the kid ran a 4.3 as a freshman and had oodles of talent. Their plan is to raise $5000 by December 23rd and present it to Coby’s mom for Christmas. And to their amazing credit, they’re already up to $3655 as we write this post by just spreading the word themselves. We think they can blow right by that number with the help of JMU Nation. Again, here’s the link to Coby’s GoFundMe Page.
We also have to note that we are simply blown away by the power of the JMU family and it really puts into perspective what being a member of the JMU community and/or a Madison student-athlete really means. So please consider supporting the players’ efforts. And if you get a few in a ya and want to throw a few bucks towards the cause in P-Lot tomorrow night, come by spot #88 (thanks Preston!), find Todd, and we’ll turn those in-person donations into the site on Monday. You’e also welcome to bring us moonshine of course if our Massanutten gents are out and about tomorrow night.
Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.
How Sam Houston St. Can Win
For Some Reason, this feels appropriate again!
By outscoring the Dukes. Seriously, we’ve got some hope the Dukes can come up with some stops tomorrow. Not so sure about SHSU. They really will need every single point of their nation-leading scoring average. Of course, the things that would really help them defensively are pressuring Schor and winning the turnover battle. There is probably no way to overstate how big the turnover issue will be on a cold night in the Valley. These two teams can both score like crazy when given chances and neither can afford to give the opponent extra possessions. Sam Houston’s QB Jeremiah Briscoe is legit and he’s got three ridiculous receivers led by slot-guy Yedidiah Lewis that will have to be exceptional. But what they really need is something special, and basically unexpected, from their defense or special teams at some point.
They also need to avoid their whining, Voldemort-face coach having a full meltdown at Bridgeforth as he was frequently known to do during his years at Delaware. It was always comical too because he’s generally so dang serious and buttoned-up and angry at everything and old-school, pre-09 Mickey who did all kinds of nutty things and didn’t often care about what “the percentage play” was drove him bananas.
How JMU Can Win
By the offense doing what it does and the defense continuing its late-season surge. When the Dukes have the ball this week, they really do need to get back to pounding the rock with Abdullah. Last week New Hampshire’s enormous front did a good job bottling up the Dukes normally brutal rushing attack and forced Schor to beat them. He did, and we all know he can do it again. But it’s gonna be a bit chilly in case you hadn’t heard and SHSU can rush the passer with the best of them, so the Dukes need to get back to more balance. SHSU’s weakness is in the secondary, but they’ve got to respect the run again. We’re also hoping Schor may be a little friskier in the run game with another week to heal up.
On defense, the Dukes have got to do three things above all. First, keep receivers in front of them and make tackles. Sam is going to gain yards, and those of us in the stands are going to be frustrated about all the 10 yard gains. But that doesn’t mean JMU should bite and give up huge plays. Second, find a way to generate pressure. We’re really hoping Simeyon Robinson might be back at full strength and ready to have another wreck-the-world day like he did at Maine. But Ankrah, Stone, and Cornell are more than capable as well. Finally, the Dukes need to hang in the game mentally. Most likely, the Bearkats will score as much as anyone this side of the Spatters has this year, but a few big plays (sacks, int’s, etc.) might just be enough no matter what point in the game they come.
And lastly, JMU’s going to need to make a couple of plays in special teams. They might need a crucial kick in tough conditions from Tyler Gray at some point or another igniting runback.
Beer of the Week
Whiskey. Have we mentioned the weather? All types work from our friend Swayze’s suggestion of Maker’s Mark to old JMU standby Jim Beam. We’re partial to Four Roses Single Barrel for the tailgate and Dickel for the flask, but all comers are welcome.
Notes on Proper Fan Preparation
Layer up. Load up on streamers for this SHSU “defense.” You’re gonna be wearing boots and your feet will be cold so stand up off the freezing bleachers and use those boots to stomp those metal bleachers like crazy. Yell your ass off (on defense). If you’re not in Bridgeforth, you don’t get to bitch about attendance. The students that are there deserve our respect and clearly show they root! 16k lubed up lunatics are 3x as loud as a full Parent’s Weekend crowd so enjoy have fun and root!
This is also as good a place as any to give a special “we appreciate what you do” to DirtyDukes of message board infamy for his work battling Sam Houston’s delusional and “unique” fanbase on the Any Given Saturday site this week, which seems to be comprised of more internet trolls than actual fans given they managed 860+ posts of complaining about their seeding, the weather, how crappy they think the Dukes are, and generally continuing the tradition of misspelling everything despite the fact they had less than 5k actual fans at their home playoff game last week.
Official JMUSB Prediction
Dukes 51, Kats 41
There is only a 5mph wind forecasted tonight. Usually when it gets butt-cold in Rocktown, it is accompanied by about a 20mph arctic blast that blows right through whatever you are wearing and makes you feel naked.
…and it makes it almost impossible to effectively pass a football.
If the wind shows up, that will be really bad for Huntsville CC. The other thing that they have to worry about is having to come here at all.
Greatest blog ever! Provides me with hours of entertainment and
tons of inspiration. @04 you are a hoot.
See you all at the game.Hopefully, I’ll be in my seat before they
“Lock the damn gate”.
Go Dukes!
I’d have to agree with 2004Duke – People think snow and slightly below freezing means it’s cold..nah bruh the cold in the Valley is a different animal, it’s hard to breath at that point and if you’re not used to it – it will affect you. I think our big line, crowd, and underrated/improving D gets the job done.
LOCK THE DAMN GATES!!!
Missing TWO Christmas parties, leaving work early from Williamsburg, AND wearing 4 to 5 layers. No excuses, let’s do this!
I don’t remember being so excited for a game, at least in recent memory. I’m actually really glad it’s on a Friday night. As soon as I’m out of work, stopping to get beer (maybe a nice sour), going on a run, and then it’s game time. I can’t be the only one that keeps coming back to read new comments, right?
@Drake…every 30 minutes man
Same here… Go Dukes!
Columbus, ohio viewing party starts at 4pm with some not so hardy indoor tailgating. Kind of cold here and we’re all old. About 10 area alumni getting together to watch. Those in actual attendance keep liqured, up, stay warm and as our leaders of the Blog say “keep rootin.” Dukes take it in a shoot out and then onto the Fargo Dome.
If JMU wins, and NDSU loses, we have a home game correct? Obviously, I’m looking ahead but that would be a sweet setup. If we win, I’d love for JMU to end the streak, but a home game would be amazing.
I’ve come down from my “poor man” seats up in the 400’s to the 200’s this game so that I can see the devastation on the face of the SHSU faithful, that and the hope of getting some residual body heat from the packed 200 sections as opposed to the free roam plains of the 400.
Yes, drake, we would have anothe home game if we win and NDSU loses. I have been unbelievably excited to go to this game all week and then some medical emergencies happened that are preventing me from attending. I will be rootin with some other Dukes from home and you still might hear me from there. Those of you actually attending make sure that you show SHSU that the 12th man is at a whole different level at JMU! Go Dukes!
I’m on my way to a Pizza Hut buffet to engage my enemies and get pumped. I will be doing stairs during the commercial breaks in the 1st and 3rd quarter and pushups during the breaks in the 2nd and 4th – all while mainlining whiskey and hydrating with Guinness. The women(woman/wife) and children (child/6 week old) will be put to bed and I will be losing my mind each play/each stop/each score as I try to rationalize how and some way I can still play college football….Go Dukes!!
Thanks for the information about Coby. Consider it done.
White block M helmets tonight. Wow. I withdraw all optimism. The helmet of Vad’s early exit and Brian’s exit from Nova game. These should be burned.
Gates locked here in Los Angeles, where it’s a frigid 62 degrees and we’ll still have a flask of Woodman’s Reserve at the ready.
The ‘over-under’ number is now near 90 ( a new college football record, I think)!
With frigid weather, and those horrible “Block M Helmets”, that number does not seem realistic.
Can’t wait for Kickoff … even so … 🙂
Go DUUKKKEEEESSSSS!
The damn gates are locked here in Gig Harbor WA! Russian Mules and Widmer IPAs are flowing.
GO DUUUUKKKKESSS!!!!
That would be Moscow Mules…..lol
People need to drop the white helmet bad juju BS. The white helmets are better than the ugly gold with the gold logo. Either bring back the purple jmu logo on the gold helmet or ditch the gold and only wear purple and white from now on. The whites clearly did not negatively affect our play tonight. Who decided to put a gold logo on a gold helmet anyway?
Hope to see us playing at home next week.
Go Dukes