JMU Wins the Sun Belt Championship Thanks to Special Performance by Knight
The JMU Dukes kept their CFP Playoff hopes alive by capturing the Sun Belt Championship trophy with a 31-14 win against the Troy Trojans on a chilly Friday night up in Harrisonburg. James Madison now needs the Duke Blue Devils’ ACC Championship Victory on Saturday Night to have a chance to make the CFP. Running Back Wayne Knight was named the SBC Championship MVP with 212 rushing yards and a touchdown in the game. Knight was far and away the best offensive player for the Dukes. Thus, my first takeaway.
Wayne Knight was the Pulse of the JMU Dukes
As I stated in the intro, Knight was dominant all night, especially after the 73-yard touchdown that sparked the Dukes’ offense in the second quarter, after they were down 7-3. The passing offense was off most of the night due to several wide receiver drops on routine plays that they normally convert. Alonza Barnett III also had a good game on the ground, scoring the touchdown, putting the Dukes up 10 late in the fourth quarter.
The JMU Defense Is Playoff Worthy
After allowing 14 first-half points, the Dukes pulled another second-half shutout on the season, with a SBC Champisonship record eight sacks led by Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, Sahir West. West had three sacks on the night, including the strip sack that led to the touchdown that put it out of reach. This defense is going to make some noise if they make the playoffs and keep the potential matchup close, in my estimation.
Final Thoughts
As a JMU alumnus, I’m happy to say that this team might be considered for the College Football Playoff in its short time from FCS to FBS. Bob Chensey is going to head to California with at least a Sun Belt Championship, and Billy Napier is going to be inheriting a potential CFP situation in Harrisonburg, Virginia, next fall. The changes are going to be interesting to go through over the next year for the program, but one thing is for sure the expectations aren’t going to change.
