Matchup: #2 JMU Dukes (4-1, 1-0 CAA) at #24 Stony Brook (4-1, 1-0 CAA)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kickoff: 6 PM Saturday, October 5<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Location: LaValle Stadium, Long Island, NY (basically Port Jeff)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Weather: Sunny, high 59, winds 13 mph, only 51 % humidity. After what feels like July 73rd for most of us down here in Virginia, it sure is gonna be great to feel that first air of autumn up your nose on Saturday out on the island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Broadcast: FloFootball for most of us. SNY for the SNY market (and probably satellite folks which should help with watch parties). SBU has a better history of production value than Elon so hopefully this is better. In other news, D.C. United announced they are absolutely done with Flo tonight so who knows what that means.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Friends in the Desert: JMU -15.5 (-750 ML), O\/U 41 (hard to believe a line that high with an O\/U that low actually but our defense is really good we guess)<\/p>\n\n\n
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How the Seawolves Can Win<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n Muck the game up like last year and hope a more mobile QB can make a few plays late to win the game. If you remember, last year’s 13-10 affair in the ‘Burg was one of the uglier games of the Houston era. Were it not for Tyler Gray and superhuman efforts from Dmitri Holloway and Landan Word against SBU’s strong RB’s, the Dukes would’ve fallen at home for the second straight time following the Elon loss two weeks before. The Seawolves did a great job limiting big plays, something they’ll have to do again. But longtime statue, we mean QB, Joe Carbone, was simply incapable of any big plays for them either. As we saw last week with the electrifying run to win the game, this year’s QB Tyrell Fields is much more capable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Stony Brook will need to lean on its defense led by strong players at every level, particularly DE Sam Kamara and hybrid\/spur Augie Contressa to contain the Dukes weapons and hopefully set them up for a situation where just a couple big plays or turnovers make the difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How the Dukes Can Win<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Find a way to move the football without turning it over. Everything we’ve seen from the Dukes’ defense leads us to think they’ll be able to limit a Stony Brook offense that lost those two great RB’s in Liotine and Gowins. Surely JMU will focus on keeping Fields in the pocket and forcing him to throw. There’s no reason to think the Dukes talent can’t do just that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But JMU’s offense was fully on the strugglebus against Priore’s defense last year. Cignetti, Montgomery, DiNucci, and company have to find some semblance of traction in the running game (even half of last week’s effort would be a win) to set up the chance for bigger plays down the field without putting themselves in 3rd and longs that lead to risky throws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s also Homecoming and an evening kick in front of a bunch of Strong Island kids against a team that has been more than a bit chippy the last few times the Dukes have seen them. JMU has to stay focused on the task and not let the third week of this road trip wear them down mentally to where they get distracted by the nonsense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beer of the Week<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Brown Ale. Again, we are so ready for fall weather that seems as if it will never arrive. But up north this week maybe there’s a chance it will be more suitable for this simple, straightforward, tasty, and widely available solid autumn offering from New Hampshire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Official JMUSB Prediction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n JMU 31, Stony Brook 10<\/p>\n\n\n\n Too much pressure and athleticism for too long even for a team that is so well-coached and always seems to scrap as well as anyone in the CAA. We think this could be a tight game till JMU makes a big play somewhere (defense, specials) and breaks it open.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/jmusportsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/85A2168-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C600\")