Matchup: Richmond Ticks (5-5, 4-2 CAA) at #2 JMU Dukes (9-1, 6-0 CAA)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m., Bridgeforth Stadium, Harrisonburg, VA<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Broadcast: MadiZone and MASN\/SNY (hallelujah!). Dorian Brooks back alongside Curt Dudley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Boys in the Desert: JMU -24 O\/U 53, ML -2750 (YIKES!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A <\/b>Note About RU<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 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<\/p>\n\n\n\n How the Spatters Can Win<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How the Dukes Can Win<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n JMUSB Beer of the Week<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Official JMUSB Prediction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jmusportsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/blackoutbridgeforth.jpg?resize=400%2C342\")