Nov 14 / Todd

2019 JMUSB Game Preview #11: Richmond at JMU

The Basics

Matchup: Richmond Ticks (5-5, 4-2 CAA) at #2 JMU Dukes (9-1, 6-0 CAA)

Kickoff: 3:30 p.m., Bridgeforth Stadium, Harrisonburg, VA

Weather: Intervals of clouds and sunshine, High 40. Breezy. You know how the Valley gets at halftime when it’s dark so bring all the handwarmers (and the bourbon)

Broadcast: MadiZone and MASN/SNY (hallelujah!). Dorian Brooks back alongside Curt Dudley.

Boys in the Desert: JMU -24 O/U 53, ML -2750 (YIKES!)

A Note About RU

We’ve been touting this all week, but it says everything you will ever need to know about the snobbiest school in the ODAC. Bruce Allen is a Richmond alum. That’s it. Nothing has ever spoken more plainly and more descriptively of everything it means to be a Spatter than that. It’s so perfectly on-brand for the Spatters that we can mail this section in. #FireBruceAllen #SellTheTeam

How the Spatters Can Win

They can’t. They’ll try to use their dynamic QB and a few wrinkles to put up points, and they might succeed for a quarter or so. And we’d be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge that this is probably the best defensive line the Dukes have seen since Morgantown – and it’s theoretically possible they can rattle DiNucci enough to produce a few ghosts of turnovers past. But it ain’t gonna happen. A 24 point spread seems high against a team that really should be 5-1 (that Yale game ah) in their last six with wins over Stony Brook and Villanova, but the best two players on the field in this game are going to be Ron’dell Carter and Ben DiNucci, two weapons that are specifically designed to counter RU’s best assets.

How the Dukes Can Win

Wreck the QB on defense and don’t turn the ball over on offense. The Spider QB, Mancuso, is easily their most important player, and he does have weapons at receiver if allowed to work through the system. But the Dukes need to show him something he hasn’t seen at least since their trip to Boston College. Namely, Carter/Daka/Green/Atariwa/Greene.

On offense, the Dukes just need to not panic if they don’t roll on every drive. Eat the ball a few times if needed and let Harry get a little shine if you must, but just don’t give them anything easy and they’ll wear ’em down eventually and roll in the 3rd like always.

JMUSB Beer of the Week

Pale Fire Brewing Rorschach Dark Saison. We don’t sell out often for our best sponsor, but this isn’t selling out. We love this beer, and it’s black as hell for the blackout at Bridgeforth weekend. But not heavy in any way. We can’t even describe this one really except to say it’s very well-balanced and tasty in a “haven’t had this before” kind of way.

Official JMUSB Prediction

Dukes 38, Spatters 16 – It’s RU. We’d love to predict a blowout. And we’d love to see it. But this one could be a little closer than we’d all like for a while. The Ticks are decently coached and have top-end talent that will mask the depth disadvantage for a little while. That said, it’s Senior Day at Bridgeforth for arguably one of the most distinguished classes in JMU history (we see you Mac Patrick, Dmitri Holloway, and Rashad – all of whom were HUGE in the ’16 title run) and remain very bullish on the Dukes this week.

For Some Reason, this feels appropriate again!

4 Comments

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  1. CJ / Nov 15 2019

    Dukes should win, but Richmond plays us tough so this is no gimme. I’ll be interested to see if we have another slow defensive start before we adjust and put things into high gear.

    Locking up that first round playoff bye will be huge. But when our first playoff game rolls around, I can’t help but have a few concerns about some persistent vulnerabilities on defense. Receivers have been getting open and making catches on our defense, and we’ve dodged a few bullets where big plays were missed on account of the other quarterback or receiver making errors. We can manage those lapses against teams like Stony Brook, but high-caliber playoff teams won’t be as easy to handle. We’re like the Duke basketball team, we get every opponents best shot and biggest game of the year. So I just hope our defense can rise to the occasion in a shootout and adjust accordingly.

  2. SunChase / Nov 15 2019

    I rarely comment on the BotW selection, but seriously, that Rorschach is so freaking good. It’s gotten semi-popular down in rva now, too. can’t make it to the burg this weekend, but I’ll pour out some pale fire tonight in honor of the dukes. ROOTIN

  3. Deacon Danny / Nov 15 2019

    A win in this one will give JMU a nice tri-fecta for the day!
    1. Beating our biggest rival (hopefully soundly!)
    2. Locking up the CAA Championship. Hope the commish is in Hburg with the trophy on Saturday!
    3. Taking the lead in the head-2-head with RU (Currently locked at 18-18)

    Go Dukes!

  4. T2008 / Nov 16 2019

    Richmond lost to Villanova, no?

    But overall very nervous about this game. We always struggle against UR at home in big games. And they were a team that seemed to be terrible at the beginning of the year but they have really improved over the season. I expect a close one, and mistakes are going to be what decides the winner. Hope I’m wrong and we destroy them!

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