{"id":4631,"date":"2012-11-08T22:35:13","date_gmt":"2012-11-09T03:35:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=4631"},"modified":"2012-11-15T09:51:25","modified_gmt":"2012-11-15T14:51:25","slug":"crunch-time-jmu-v-villanova-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=4631","title":{"rendered":"Crunch Time: JMU v. Villanova Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"

Now things get interesting! \u00a0The Dukes visit #23 Villanova this week with all of their goals still achievable, the QB controversy solved (unfortunately by injury), sports betting sites making them a one point favorite<\/a>, and coming off what has to be their most confidence-building performance of the season in last week’s thrashing of Maine.<\/p>\n

Just to lay out the playoff scenario again for the Dukes: 7-4 will VERY likely NOT get anyone in this year so the Dukes absolutely need at least this game or the ODU game to clinch a bid. \u00a0Two wins VERY likely wins the CAA, the Automatic Qualifier, and a Jeff-Bourne proof seed in the playoffs. \u00a0Villanova is currently 6-3 with JMU and a trip to fading rival Delaware remaining. \u00a0This is simply an enormous games for both programs.<\/p>\n

The Basics<\/strong><\/p>\n

Villanova may have been even more inconsistent than the Dukes to this point in the season. \u00a0Like the Dukes, the Wildcats lost at Richmond. \u00a0Unlike the Dukes, they are coming off their worst performance of the year after giving up a whopping 49 points at home to Towson last week. \u00a0However, it’s impossible to overlook that this same team went to Norfolk and laid their pimp hand down on Old Dominion just three weeks ago in a 38-14 beatdown of the Monarchs.<\/p>\n

Villanova is usually very well-coached by Andy Talley and company and plays a somewhat odd 3-3-5 defense that has often given JMU a hard time in the past. \u00a0With Birdsong injured, it’s likely the Cats will be ready to stack the box against our zone-read and it will be interesting<\/em> to see if \u00a0MM\/JD do anything at all to throw them off.<\/p>\n

On offense, Nova has a big-time target in Norman White at WR. \u00a0He missed all of last season with an injury, but was a CAA-killer in his freshman year and is back at full strength now. \u00a0Interestingly, he’s an extra-tough cover this year because Villanova has quietly transformed themselves into a juggernaut rushing team led by rFr. QB John Robertson and hard-nosed RB Kevin Monangai. \u00a0We actually like this matchup as almost no one has been able to run the ball consistently against the Dukes D this year although the threat of White over the top is scary given our somewhat inconsistent<\/em>\u00a0play against the pass.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Also Monitoring the Situation <\/strong>– Villanova has had its own controversy regarding their decision to stay in FCS or move up to FBS the last few years. \u00a0As many of you know, this is the battle for the House Cup in my home as my wife is a Villanova alum. \u00a0The truth is she, like a ton of alums, doesn’t really give a turd about football so long as Jay Wright and the boys are getting it done (more on that later). They’ve never been close to developing a strong following or filling there decrepit old stadium on the Main Line. Back when the Big East was a real conference just a short 18 months ago, Villanova sat on their choir robes, “monitoring the situation” so long in making a decision on their invite to join the BigEast in football that then-BE members WVU and Pitt led a conference-wide revolt to rescind the invitation and Nova was left out. \u00a0Just like JMU, there are alums and supporters with wildly divergent opinions on the subject. \u00a0One thing that may be increasingly clear when the ball is tossed next week though is that at least in part due to the Big East’s changing nature and Villanova’s awkward place in the conference, Jay Wright and the boys may not be getting it done much longer. \u00a0If they run him out of town Philly style, or he leaves when the lack of football revenue means he can find a better option elsewhere, you can bet there will be as much hand-wringing in Nova Nation as there is in the ‘Burg.<\/p>\n

Beer of the Week<\/strong><\/p>\n

This week’s selection is reflective of the change in the weather as you can finally justify breaking out the stouts again! \u00a0We’ll go with TenFidy from Oskar Blues in Colorado. \u00a0The Dale’s Pale Ale guys also the best canned stout around (non-Guinness category of course).<\/p>\n

Coverage<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, this one is internet-only, available at this time only through Nova Nation All Access<\/a><\/strong>. \u00a0This is a CBS site which is not our favorite, but if you’re willing to pay the $9.99, it’s very easy to cancel your subscription right after the game (we’ve done it a few times already). \u00a0Thanks to Nova’s heavy usage for their “somewhat” more prominent hoops product, our experience has been that they do a decent job where places like UMass and URI that have similar CBS-owned products have been terrible lately.<\/p>\n

One other score to keep an eye on this weekend is the Lehigh\/Colgate game. \u00a0All teams with at-large hopes are REALLY rooting for Lehigh, who comes in a 3-point favorite and as the only undefeated team in FCS, would likely get in to the playoffs either way while Colgate would be stealing a bid by making the Patriot a two-bid conference.<\/p>\n

Prediction<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dukes got it cranked up last week and this week we think they’ll start to prove they’re serious about mounting a run! \u00a0Dawgs 24, Cats 16.<\/p>\n

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