A Sea Of Red

I just saw on Facebook, that Liberty and JMU have agreed for a 6 games series, starting in 2025.

I believe it’s just 4 games. ‘25 and ‘32 in Lynchburg. ‘26 and ‘31 in Harrisonburg.
Not sure about the frowny face but I think this is great. I’d love for the to be an annual rivalry game.

aredd33 wrote: ↑March 8th, 2024, 12:54 pm I believe it’s just 4 games. ‘25 and ‘32 in Lynchburg. ‘26 and ‘31 in Harrisonburg.
Not sure about the frowny face but I think this is great. I’d love for the to be an annual rivalry game.

Never mind, I’m wrong. There were already two games on the schedule and this adds four new ones. So it is indeed a six game series. My apologies.

I've missed 4 home games in 17 years. Looks like I may miss 3 more. I absolutely despise JMU football. I'd like a rivalry with New Mexico State more than JMU.

ballcoach15 wrote: ↑March 8th, 2024, 1:09 pm I've missed 4 home games in 17 years. Looks like I may miss 3 more. I absolutely despise JMU football. I'd like a rivalry with New Mexico State more than JMU.

Uh....wouldn't this suggest they would be perfect as a rival?

This match up could decide the top G5 for that season. If we are still stuck G5 then.

On one hand I’m shocked JMU agreed to a series with LU in football. They’ve looked to screw LU at every opportunity for years. Conversely I think they are seeing how much FBS costs and it makes too much economic sense not to play LU

Purple Haize wrote: ↑March 8th, 2024, 2:18 pm On one hand I’m shocked JMU agreed to a series with LU in football. They’ve looked to screw LU at every opportunity for years. Conversely I think they are seeing how much FBS costs and it makes too much economic sense not to play LU

They were the first to crack on our Marshall-ODU-JMU CUSA alliance in 2021 too. But this is a great scheduling add that could rival the UVA-Tech rivalry in popularity. Now all we need to do is dump our remaining UMass games and add some P4's.

Playing JMU will NEVER elevate us to the next level. I'd rather we play the worse Power 5, Power 4 or Power whatever, school in America

Can’t imagine this not being a positive for both programs.

I love this. Honestly, I'd be fine with JMU as an annual rivalry week game as long as we're both competing in the G5. This has the potential to be a highly impactful game every year, potentially with CFP implications.. which is wild.

This is such a natural rivalry at our current level in college football. I'd love to play them every year in every sport. I hope this is just the beginning.

I’m surprised JMU agreed to it. I suppose it just made so much sense it overcame their hostility.

How can ANYONE get excited about playing JMU ?

ballcoach15 wrote: ↑March 10th, 2024, 7:03 pm How can ANYONE get excited about playing JMU ?

Because they are knowledgeable fans who understand that the geography and culture of the two universities make it a perfect and natural rivalry?

ballcoach15 wrote: ↑March 10th, 2024, 7:03 pm How can ANYONE get excited about playing JMU ?

A rivalry with JMU has ALWAYS made sense. We don't like them. They don't like us. It makes way more sense than the manufactured Beat Coastal rivalry. That's for sure.

ballcoach15 wrote: ↑March 10th, 2024, 7:03 pm How can ANYONE get excited about playing JMU ?

That question answers the question!

The more ballcoach hates on JMU, the bigger the rivalry must be.

What rivalry ?

Does anyone else find it odd/concerning the number of games scheduled for a future non-conference G-5 opponent not named UMass? I love the rivalry and all, but we haven't played them in a regular season matchup in well over a decade. Hopefully, the potential of scheduling P-5 teams is not going away with everything going on with the realignment and the G-5. The future VA Tech games are still scheduled I'm assuming.

jack_sparrow81 wrote:Does anyone else find it odd/concerning the number of games scheduled for a future non-conference G-5 opponent not named UMass? I love the rivalry and all, but we haven't played them in a regular season matchup in well over a decade. Hopefully, the potential of scheduling P-5 teams is not going away with everything going on with the realignment and the G-5. The future VA Tech games are still scheduled I'm assuming.

I think they're the only (or one of the only ones) where it's a natural, mutually-beneficial fit for something like this. Even setting aside the fun of the rivalry for the fanbases, both programs are poised to be regularly competing at the top of the G5 for the CFP or other solid bowl tie-ins. They're an in-state rival, so they'll be directly competing on the recruiting trail and winning in this series could be impactful. Their athletic budget is huge for a G5 public institution, which will help them sustain their success and build competitive facilities.

The stated scheduling philosophy has been 1 P5, 1 FCS, and regional G5s. I know there's some doom-and-gloom from the P5s vanishing as a direct result of shedding games for the CUSA transition, but I'd think JMU fills the "regional G5" slot in the future and still leaves room for a P5.

Of course, all those terms will be moot when the SEC and B1G drive the NCAA into oblivion

There’s also the Conference v Conference rivalry as well. This checks about every possible box to set up a series and a rivalry

So long as we and JMU are both G5 schools, we should play each other every year and in MBB, WBB, baseball and softball as well. I mostly believe we should do this with ODU too.

This series just makes too much sense not to happen. Kudos to Ian & Mickey for closing the deal.

Frankly I am bit surprised that the UMass games haven't been either moved or dropped following in the footsteps of the Army series (which incidentally I still miss). The Minutemen are in the same bind that we faced when we joined CUSA.

I know for a fact that a P4 opportunity is still being pursued for 2025. The days of us not being considered an easy guarantee gusrt are likely gone for awhile. I wouldn't be shocked if we signed a 2-for-1 that included a home date for either 2026 or 2027. We need at least one marquee game a year to sell season tickets. The JMU game for 2025 may have to fill that bill for us. but the next two seasons are bleak until we hear otherwise. I expect that newly developing CUSA rivalries could emerge but we need teams that local fans find engaging to fill the Bill consistently.

These games have massive potential. However, we freaking dang sure better win, because JMU fans are INSUFFERABLE. Literally, the worst.