North Carolina paid James Madison $10k per point scored in Tar Heels’ blowout loss

North Carolina paying $10,000 per point in a 20-point loss isn’t great.

Surely this Week 4 Saturday played out differently for North Carolina when the Tar Heels envisioned it ahead of time. Because it was bad.

James Madison rolled into Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill on Saturday and hung 53 points on North Carolina after the first half to go on to win in dominant fashion, 70-50. Though, clearly defense was lacking on both sides.

The kicker: The Tar Heels paid the Dukes $700,000 to inflict this kind of damage to them, according to USA TODAY Sports‘ Steve Berkowitz. That’s a lot of money to lose so badly you spark jokes about mercy rules and running clocks.

Sure, this happens fairly often where an underdog team gets paid a few grand to beat the favorite, like Notre Dame paying $1.4 million to get upset by Northern Illinois. Just last week, Florida State paid $1.3 million to lose to Memphis and Mississippi State paid Toledo $1.2 million to lose to the Rockets, Berkowitz reported.

As the Associated Press notes:

This season at least 60 guarantee games will be played matching schools that play in the NCAA’s highest level of Division I, the Football Bowl Subdivision, with total payouts reaching $75 million, according to AP research.

In this instance, a James Madison win is less of a surprise than the scoring margin. The Dukes have been on the rise as one of the newer FBS teams, finishing 8-3 in 2022 and 11-2 in 2023. And now they’re 3-0, despite losing their coach and multiple players to Indiana.

So we have a new take on these payouts, and in honor of this incredible lop-sided Dukes win — they entered as 11-point underdogs on the road — here’s how that $700,000 breaks down in terms of game stats.

1. North Carolina paid $10,000 per point James Madison scored against the Tar Heels

https://twitter.com/JMUFootball/status/1837543559165366560

Yeah, this is the big one, and if North Carolina’s defense existed, each point would probably be worth more.

2. North Carolina paid about $1,149 per yard allowed against James Madison

Eh, that doesn’t seem that bad, but that’s because 609 yards is outrageous. The Tar Heels, for what it’s worth, also racked up 616 yards, which breaks down to about $1,136 per yard they gained while still losing.

3. North Carolina paid about $23,333 per each of its 30 first downs, which was more than the Dukes

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 21: Alonza Barnett III #14 celebrates with Tanner Morris #58 of the James Madison Dukes after throwing for a touchdown against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half of the game at Kenan Memorial Stadium on September 21, 2024 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

The Tar Heels earned five more first downs than James Madison but still lost. Not great.

4. North Carolina paid $140,000 per turnover to James Madison

Sep 21, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; James Madison Dukes safety Kye Holmes (12) and defensive lineman Immanuel Bush (15) react after the Dukes recover a fumble in the first quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

North Carolina turned the ball over five times compared with James Madison’s one. A turnover margin that big isn’t going to win games.

5. North Carolina paid James Madison about $58,333 per Dukes penalty

James Madison finished with 12 penalties for 105 yards, notably more than the Tar Heels’ eight for 71 yards. Those are some expensive penalties.

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James Madison’s pick-6 broadcast call perfectly summed up North Carolina’s first-half collapse

North Carolina, what happened?

James Madison obliterated North Carolina during the first half of Saturday’s game between the Dukes and Tar Heels to the tune of 53 points.

It was already looking bad for North Carolina late in the second quarter, down 46-21, when Tar Heels quarterback Jacolby Criswell threw a pick-6 to Dukes cornerback Terrence Spence to bring the James Madison lead up even more.

ACC Network broadcasters Jorge Sedano and Orlando Franklin brought the heat with a fantastic call of the James Madison pick-6.

The broadcasters really helped underscore how genuinely stunning it was to see North Carolina get destroyed so badly at home against a non-power opponent. Like, my goodness, what happened, Tar Heels?

https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1837552599928815647

While this may be more of a testament to how good James Madison is, these stats show just how historically abysmal the first half was for North Carolina in Chapel Hill on Saturday. They’ll make your jaw drop.

https://twitter.com/JoshDubowAP/status/1837551495396708378

https://twitter.com/ice_chip/status/1837544890441650591

Feature image courtesy of ESPN. 

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Air Force Football 2024: Genesis

Air Force Football: Genesis 2024 Can Air Force Keep Thriving with a Roster Overhaul? Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire We’ve got an updated schedule pic.twitter.com/nbW0xG7F1j – Air Force Football (@AF_Football) July 1, 2024 The last time we saw the …


Air Force Football: Genesis 2024


Can Air Force Keep Thriving with a Roster Overhaul?


Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire

 

The last time we saw the Air Force Fightin’ Falcons in game action, they wore out the James Madison Dukes by a score of 31-21 in the Armed Forces Bowl, back in December. A lot has happened since then.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED

A quarter of last year’s starters on defense are presently on NFL rosters, Falcon Stadium has undertaken a spectacular renovation, more than 3,600 yards from last years offense graduated in the spring, along with the entire offensive line that was one of the best in the nation. And that is only covering the changes this team is experiencing at a very high level. So you get the picture, it’s a new season, and a very new team.

Noone is going to cry for Air Force though, nor should they. A very experienced coaching staff has excelled at developing players through their program that has navigated such changes with little to no turbulence. In fact, they tend to thrive in the given circumstances. If you want a detailed breakdown of the talent turnover and just how good of a coaching staff resides in Colorado Springs, Nittany Falcon wrote an excellent piece which you can find here.

WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT

Anytime you lose generational talents like Trey Taylor, Bo Richter and a deep experienced offensive line unit, a drop off is going to be expected. The schedule does not allow for a slow immersion for a team of majority new starters. After their week one FCS Opener against Merrimack, the rest of the schedule is relentless starting with their week two Conference opener against San Jose State. This is a Spartan team now led by someone very familiar with Air Force in long time Navy coach, Ken Niumatalolo.

After that, the Falcons head to Waco, Texas, where Baylor will be seeking retribution for the thumping Air Force handed them a two years ago at Bowl Season. This is their schedule in a microcosm, week to week matchups with familiar opponents, bitter rivals and of course the Beavers who for some reason are still in the Pac2. Or is it Tupac, because ‘Life Goes On’? Either, way, the 2024 schedule is quite interesting week to week.

For the second year in a row, Troy Calhoun and crew will be breaking in a new starting quarterback, who in all likelihood will be John Busha. Last year saw this team come blazing out of the gates behind Zach Larrier. But this years team doesn’t have the experience surrounding Busha that Larrier did. Namely an entire offensive line of All-Conference performers, basically. While Busha won’t be flanked by an entirely new backfield, they will have to replace 2,000 yards of rushing production from John Lee Eldridge III, Owen Burke and Emmanuel Michel.

This is what makes college football beautiful though. The year to year transition of players and roster composition are always there, and the best programs have learned to navigate it. Troy Calhoun and the Air Force Falcons certainly have managed it quite well. So don’t fret, there is plenty to be excited about. Where there may be critical player losses, new stars will emerge.

For starters, Steed Lobotzke is the King Midas of offensive line coaches. It seems like he is turning out gold at every turn with his players. And that is not by luck, there isn’t a better coach at the position in the country. The ball carriers behind the new offensive line are going to be fine as well. Dylan Carson was just a hair under 500 yards for the season last year, averaging over seven yards per carry, while splitting carries with two other fullbacks.

 

Defensively, it’s easy to focus on massive losses by volume and talent as mentioned earlier. But returning are two of the best players in the conference at their positions in Payton Zdroik and Camby Goff. Many are quick to forget, Camby Goff was an All-Conference player before a week one injury ended his season last year.  This is a guy who played as a freshman and is a three-year starter bouncing between the secondary and that hybrid spur position. Sticking with the secondary, it is the one area that the Falcons return plenty of game experience. Zdroik down in the trenches is an absolute game wrecker and will help settle a lot of new pieces in the front seven.

The most experienced unit at Air Force has to be special teams. They return all of their starters from last season and are two deep with experience at kicker and punter. With a Lou Groza Watch List kicker in Matthew Dapore.  They may have to break in a new kick and punt returner to confidently put their hand in the air to signal a fair catch though.

nice to see

One of the things that I am most excited about has to be the surfacing of prominent recruits from recruiting classes of the past rearing on the roster. Full disclosure, we all know the roster which Air Force shares isn’t necessarily an indication of who you are going to see on the field. But a lot of the underclassmen, and those who went to the prep school sort of vanish from sight for a year or two to either never be seen again or in some cases surface as playmakers.

Here are some the guys for those who have been following the Falcon recruiting classes the past few years should be excited about as newcomers to the roster, or prime to take a leap in contributions.

OFFENSE

Alec Falk (OL), Tre Roberson (WR), Kade Frew (RB), Kaden Cloud (RB), Henry Rickels (OL), Bruin Fleischmann (TE) and converted quarterback Kemper Hodges (FB).

DEFENSE

Houston Hendrix (DB/LB), Kyle Chen, Lincoln Tuioti-Mariner (DB), Dallas Daley (LB), Blake Fletcher (LB), Luke Meyer (LB), Jack Curtis (DE), Zach Juckel (LB) and Hiroshi Carr (DB).

UP NEXT

Next week we will have our first season preview for Air Force as they prepare to take on Merrimack for their opener. While your waiting for the Falcons to kick off the season, take in some of the week zero offerings as New Mexico, Nevada and Hawai’i all play this week!

 

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College Football 25: The Mountain West Conference

CFB25: The Mountain West Conference According to EA Sports College Football 25, Nevada and Boise State will play for the Mountain West Conference Championship. Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire Just three empty Saturday’s stand between us and Week …


CFB25: The Mountain West Conference


According to EA Sports College Football 25, Nevada and Boise State will play for the Mountain West Conference Championship. 


Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire

Just three empty Saturday’s stand between us and Week Zero’s slate of games to kick off the NCAA Football season! I know, I know, it’s been a long off-season and we are all yearning for some game action. Well, there is some good news.

Two weeks ago, EA Sports finally released the College Football 25 video game after a decade long absence for their signature franchise series. To say this has been a much-anticipated return would be a colossal understatement. EA Sports sold over 2 million copies of their premium edition, which granted gamers access three days in advance of it’s announced July 19th standard release date.

As a long time enthusiast of this games series, I was one of the 2 million who secured early access. While there is no replacing a Saturday (or the myriad of other days that games are now played on) of Mountain West action, CFB25 provides a nice bridge to the official start of the 2024 season.

Recognizing that not every college football fan has, or will purchase the CFB25 game, we want to share some of the fun with everyone. So here is what we’ve done.

WE’VE SIMULATED THE 2024 SEASON

IMG_0902.jpg

Using the Dynasty feature on the CFB25 game, we’ve simulated the entire 2024 football season. In case you’re wondering, Jacksonville State did make the playoff in our simulation as the lone representative from the Group of Five. As if being snubbed from the playoff wasn’t bad enough, the MWC fans aren’t going to be happy to learn that BYU didn’t just make the college football playoff but earned a bye week as well.

So sure, the introduction of the new 12-Team College Football Playoff is exciting, but we’re here for the Mountain West Action! Even though no Mountain West Conference team made the playoff in our simulation, there were plenty of interesting yields from the season.

HOW THE (MOUNTAIN) WEST WAS WON

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Probably not surprising to many, the Boise State Broncos were your Mountain West Conference Champions. Who did they have to defeat to win the championship? Nevada. That’s right, the Nevada Wolf Pack weren’t just Bowl eligible, but were nearly crowned Conference Champs in our simulation.

Joining Boise State and Nevada in Bowl eligibility were Air Force, Fresno State, San Diego State, New Mexico and Hawai’i.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

One of the first things that stood out was the New Mexico Lobos surrendered the fewest points defensively. One of the reasons for the strong defensive showing was their defensive end, Gabriel Lopez who recorded 15.5 sacks on the year. Lopez was third in voting for the Nations Best Defensive End award. It didn’t hurt that Tavian Combs was tied for the Conference lead in interceptions too.

The All-Conference First Team was littered with Broncos, as seven players from Boise State earned spots. Brayden Schager represented Hawai’i well, as he was the recognized as the top quarterback in the Conference. Somewhat shocking, Ashton Jeanty was not the first team running back, nor was Tory Horton an All-Conference nominee at all. However, Jeanty was on the second team, while Horton actually sustained a season ending injury on the simulation. Injury is the only thing that could keep that guy from snagging passes.

It was also interesting to see that three Mountain West quarterbacks threw for 30 or more touchdowns. Malachi Nelson (38), Brayden Schager (32), Devon Dampier (31) and Spencer Petras (30) all cleared 30 tudd’s and 3,000 yards on the year! And not surprising at all, Air Force’s Dylan Carson led the Conference in Rushing yards. Video game or not, get acquainted with that name.

SNUBBED

It was a lot of fun running this simulation and seeing how some of our favorite teams and players fared. But the level of disrespect for the Mountain West was undeniable. No teams in the playoff. Noone ranked in the top 25. And there wasn’t a single player from the Conference recognized as a consensus All-American.

Coaches across the Mountain West may want to print this and hang it up as motivation for the season. Our EA Sports College Football 25 season may have slept on the Mountain West, but we know better. We just can’t wait for the actual season to kick off and do the fact checks!

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The Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Air Force Runs Over James Madison 31-21

The Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Air Force Runs Over James Madison 31-21 The Falcons Nuke the Dukes Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire After going winless in the month of November, following an 8-0 start to the season, Air Force corrects course …


The Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Air Force Runs Over James Madison 31-21


The Falcons Nuke the Dukes


Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire

After going winless in the month of November, following an 8-0 start to the season, Air Force corrects course by winning the Armed Forces Bowl in convincing fashion. The Falcons wore out the Dukes by a score of 31-21.

Entering the contest, the Dukes of JMU were favored, and for good reason. They just capped off a 12-1 campaign, and feature one of the top passing attacks in the country, and what was statistically the stoutest defense against the run nationally. Air Force said hold my beer.

JMU learned early on what many do the hard way; Air Force is built different. There aren’t any teams on the Dukes schedule that pose the kind of problems that the Falcons do, in particular in the run game. James Madison was averaging just 2 yards per carry allowed, and 62 yards per game on the ground for the season. Senior fullback, Emmanuel Michel pounded the Dukes for over 200 rush yards and two tudd’s on his own.

It was a great way to end the season, winning their 9th game of the season over a very good opponent. The Air Force seniors really showed up and impacted the game; from an unblockable Bo Richter being a menace and disrupting the Dukes offense all game long, to John Lee Eldridge III and Emmanuel Michel shredding JMU’s vaunted defense, Jonathan Youngblood’s interception and Zach Larrier’s flawless execution of the offense behind the road grading Diesel’s, the senior stars shined the brightest.

The Air Force Fightin’ Falcons have won their fifth consecutive Bowl Game, and are Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Champions!

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Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Air Force Falcons look to fly high once more in 2023 and take down the James Madison Dukes. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.

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Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction


The Air Force Falcons look to fly high once more in 2023 and take down the James Madison Dukes. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.


Contact/Follow @MWCwire

The cadets hope to extend a five-game bowl winning streak.

LOCKHEED MARTIN ARMED FORCES BOWL: James Madison Dukes (11-1, 7-1 Sun Belt) vs. Air Force Falcons (8-4, 5-3 Mountain West)

WHEN: Saturday, December 23 — 1:30 PM MT/12:30 PM PT

WHERE: Amon G. Carter Stadium; Fort Worth, TX

WEATHER: Cloudy with a chance of showers, high of 67 degrees

TV: ABC

STREAMING: Fans can sign up to receive a free one-week trial of Fubo, which includes ABC, by following this link.

RADIO: The James Madison broadcast can be found on the affiliates of the Morris Insurance and Financial Services Broadcast Network, including flagship 550 AM and 92.1 FM (WSVA) in Harrisonburg. The Air Force broadcast can be found on 740 AM (KVOR) in Colorado Springs and 104.3 FM The Fan in Denver.

SERIES RECORD: This is the first meeting between James Madison and Air Force.

LAST GAME: James Madison defeated Coastal Carolina on the road, 56-14, while Air Force lost to Boise State on the road, 27-19.

WEBSITES: JMUSports.com, the official James Madison athletics website | GoAirForceFalcons.com, the official Air Force athletics website

GAME NOTES (PDF): James Madison | Air Force

ODDS: James Madison -1

SP+ PROJECTION: James Madison by 8.1

FEI PROJECTION: James Madison by 6.9

PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: James Madison 58.99% win probability (28.29-21.61)

Darlings of the Group of Five for much of the 2023 season, James Madison, will try and earn their first Bowl win. Standing in the way of their potential 12th win and inaugural Bowl victory are the Air Force Fightin’ Falcons.

It’s truly been an impressive season for JMU, who just entered the FBS. Despite some frankly ridiculous NCAA policies which prevented them from playing for a Conference Championship in the Sun Belt (as a deemed probation year at the FBS level), which they were far and away the top team of, they still find themselves at the doorstep of a season complete with Bowl hardware and national ranking. Not too bad for a team that was competing at the FCS level just one year ago.

Air Force on the other hand was right up there with the Dukes atop the class of the Group of Five programs, right until the calendar turned to November. Even since that devastating loss to Army, which was their first of the season after starting 8-0, they have yet to win a game.

In fact, it’s fair to say the Air Force team that played the last four games of the season hardly resembled that which began the season with an eight-game surge. There are a number of reasons that wins have eluded the Falcons, many of which remain as they face off against a very formidable opponent in Fort Worth, Texas. But don’t assume JMU will just roll the Falcon’s as clear favorites in this matchup. Air Force is not going to be like any other team the Dukes have faced this year. And just ask their last four Bowl opponents what it’s like playing Air Force in December; Baylor, Louisville, Wazzu and South Alabama provide a cautionary tale.

Here’s how the Dukes and Falcons can find a path to victory to finish 2023.

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Three Keys to a James Madison Victory

1. Tackles For Loss

Nothing derails an Air Force drive quite like Tackles for Loss (TFL’s). The Falcon offense is designed for modest but consistent against, down after down. Coincidentally, the Air Force defense also thrived on this philosophy, because when their offense is sustaining long clock grinding drives, it limits possessions and opportunities for the opposition.

TFL’s happen to be the Dukes specialty though. No one has collected more tackles behind the line of scrimmage than JMU. They’ve gathered 45 sacks on the season as part of that collection. If they can carry that play behind the Air Force line of scrimmage, it will be a very long day for an offense that has had their share of struggles lately.

2. Splash Plays

It’s no secret that JMU likes to chuck the ball around, and their transfer quarterback-to-be, Jordan McLoud, is quite good at it. Stop me if you heard this one before, but Air Force is going to have their hands full with another talented transfer portal player.

McCloud threw 32 touchdowns this year, and his two favorite targets Reggie Brown and Elijah Sarratt both averaged over 80 receiving yards per game. Brown in particular averaged 19.8 yards per catch. Those are Jalen Robinette numbers for you throwback enthusiasts.

This is critical to point out because during the Falcon’s late season nose dive, they were surrendering far too many big plays. Granted, they were often times against All-American players such as Ricky White and Ashton Jeanty, but their opponent on Saturday is every bit as capable of gashing them for large chunks of yardage.

3. Early Lead

Similar to early down victories mentioned in the first key, forcing an Air Force offense that has become inconsistent to play from behind could help pave the path to victory. Even if Zac Larrier is able to go for the Falcons, the offense hasn’t shown the kind of punch their opponents have, in particular with an ability to get quick strike scores. Falling behind early would be a big problem against what’s been a very stingy defense. The fact that the Bolts have yet to win a game when entering the 3rd quarter behind is evidence this should be a concern.

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Three Keys to an Air Force Victory

1. Early Down Success 

The ability to move the ball on early down sets the tone for the entire Air Force gameplan. Not just the offense.

Early down success for this offense is a steady appetite of three or four yard gains. Three yards at a clip isn’t exactly eye popping in today’s game, but it’s exactly what this team feeds on. It has such a cumulative effect by building momentum, establishing confidence, wearing out the defense, and limiting the opposition’s offensive possessions.

I would take it a step further and say that early down success has to lead to early game points. As mentioned earlier, they are going to need touchdowns to beat James Madison. To quote the immortal John Kreese “Strike First. Strike Hard. No Mercy.”. Air Force is 5-0 when scoring first this season.

2. Protect the Ball

Awaiting the Falcons is a JMU team that is one of the best nationally in turnover margin, at +.75. And it’s no coincidence that the Air Force late season collapse coincides with a significant increase in turnovers.

To date, Air Force has put the ball on the ground 21 times, losing 11 of those fumbles. Even if recovered, those fumbles are usually resulting in significant damage to their drives by lost yardage. And the Dukes are well versed at helping other teams forfeit possessions, forcing 21 turnovers on the season.

3. Details

The thing Air Force prides itself on is being detail oriented. I mean how else could a team that is clearly disadvantaged when it comes to recruiting and player development be so successful if they don’t find other ways to get an edge.

The offensive scheme they run is based on timing, precision, and chemistry. That leaks into all three phases of their game. It’s in part why a team that has gone four deep at cornerback and two to three deep all over the field, including quarterback, are still able to reel off an eight-win season.

You can only play who is healthy and available, and one of the things they do better than anyone is prepare the parts so they are interchangeable (to an extent) and can be plugged in to keep the machine humming.

Blown coverage, poor mesh point on a handoff, or missed blocks can be game changers on Saturday. The details matter. Executing at an elite level will be required to win this game.

Prediction

It would be lazy to just point to the last month of Air Force football as reason to pack it in on the season. But the reality is there were a lot of warts revealed on a team that looked really good climbing up to 17th in the AP Polls at one point. That seems like a lifetime ago quite honestly.

Meanwhile, James Madison has kept piling on victories. They enter this game with the nation’s most stout run defense, giving up just 2 yards per carry, and around 60 total rush yards per game. Anything close to that kind of success against Air Force will not just guarantee victory, but likely a not-so competitive game.

What I would suggest though, look at the schedules of these two teams and the scores. As bad as losses to Army and Hawai’i looked, those two defeats at the hands of the Mountain West Championship teams, Boise State and UNLV aren’t quite so bad. I’m not sure JMU would have fared any better playing either team at the time Air Force did.

I expect both teams to have their hands full with the particular niche’ each’s opponent presents. The way the Dukes sling the ball all over the field poses a big problem in my opinion. And that is no indictment on the Air Force secondary that features the best defensive back in the country, Trey Taylor. JMU proved week in and week out, they can execute a passing scheme at an elite level.

I expect the Air Force offense to be the deciding factor in this game. There are so many unknowns with injury entering this game, it really can change the complexion of things. Whether it’s Larrier, Jensen Jones or John Busha, they need to play a clean game and rely on that veteran ‘Diesel’ offensive line.

The defense will step up and make plays through the game as they did all season, But if they expect to lean on them to keep this a single digit game to win, that is going to result in a disappointing trip home from the Lone Star State.

There are a lot of very proud players suiting up for the last time on both sidelines. For Air Force, it’s senior laden with players who elected and fulfilled their four plus year commitment to the United States Air Force Academy and see the mission through with their teammates. Combine that with the edge a veteran head coach like Troy Calhoun gives you, versus JMU who is breaking in the new head-man as Frank Cignetti heads to middle-America, and I actually expect an Air Force win.

The 8-0 Air Force team that started the year is still in that locker room and on that sideline. Even if impacted by health, it’s a team that’s better than many. That includes an 11-1 James Madison Dukes team.

Air Force 27, James Madison 24

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Armed Forces Bowl: First Look At The James Madison Dukes

The Air Force Falcons will get a chance to topple one of this season’s top Group of 5 teams. How did the Dukes get here? 

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Armed Forces Bowl: First Look At The James Madison Dukes


Air Force will get a chance to topple one of this season’s top Group of 5 teams. How did the Dukes get here? 


Contact/Follow @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

Could JMU be undone in the bowl by their success?

The Air Force Falcons are making their seventh appearance in the Armed Forces Bowl, but their opponent in this year’s iteration of the game might be their toughest assignment yet.

That’s because, among the Mountain West’s seven bowl opponents, the James Madison Dukes are the only team currently ranked in the top 25 of a poll. On the other hand, Air Force’s bowl foe is currently undergoing the rapid transition that tends to befall peaking Group of 5 teams, so how much of the JMU we’ve seen all year will actually be accounted for when they take the field later in December?

Here’s what Air Force fans need to know about the James Madison Dukes.

2023 James Madison Dukes — Team Profile

Conference: Sun Belt

2023 Record: 11-1 (7-1 Sun Belt)

SP+ ranking: 18th

FEI ranking: 33rd

Sagarin rating: 40th

Head coach: Damien Wroblewski (interim)

2023 in a nutshell: The Dukes had a wildly successful FBS debut in 2022, then raised their game this fall to become arguably the best team in the Group of 5. It wasn’t without a number of close calls — JMU’s first four wins against FBS opponents came by a combined 18 points — but it all counts the same in the win column and they ultimately took down eight different bowl-eligible teams on their way to the #24 spot in the most recent Associated Press poll.

As is the case for any peaking Group of 5 team, though, success has come with a cost since the end of the regular season. Head coach Curt Cignetti was hired away by Indiana, and he’ll be replaced by Holy Cross’s Bob Chesney at season’s end. A multitude of key on-field contributors have also hit the exits through the transfer portal, an exodus that has been the most significant of any of the Mountain West’s bowl opponents this month. In other words, for as good as the Dukes have looked in 2023, there’s a chance they could look much different when they take the field in Fort Worth.

Best wins: at Troy (11-2), at Coastal Carolina (7-5), at Marshall (6-6)

Key Players

Jordan McCloud, QB

After previous stints at USF and Arizona, McCloud hit his stride with the Dukes and might have been the Group of 5’s best quarterback this year. He finished 11th among FBS signal-callers with a 68.9% completion rate, 14th with 3,400 passing yards, tied for 16th with nine yards per attempt, and fifth with 32 passing touchdowns. McCloud was also dangerous with his legs, accounting for 311 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, so it’s little wonder that he was named the Sun Belt’s Player of the Year.

Elijah Sarratt, WR

In 2022, Sarratt stood out at FCS Saint Francis as a freshman All-American and a first-team all-NEC wide receiver. After transferring to JMU, he became one half of one of the most potent pass-catching duos anywhere in the country. He was one of six Dukes to earn a spot on the all-Sun Belt first-team offense after leading the team with 74 catches for 1,076 yards, scoring six touchdowns while also, according to Pro Football Focus, pacing the conference with a 89.1 receiving grade.

Reggie Brown, WR

As you might have surmised, Brown is the other half of James Madison’s dynamic pass-catching tandem. Like Surratt, Brown also landed on the Sun Belt’s first-team offense after catching 51 passes for 1,010 yards and nine touchdowns. In 20 career games at the FBS level, Brown has averaged 18.8 yards per catch, so he has the capacity to do real damage down the field if the Falcons are caught napping.

Jamree Kromah, DE

Though JMU landed six different players on the all-conference first team, Kromah is the fourth and last of that cohort still expected to take the field in the bowl game. The redshirt senior had a monster season with ten sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss while also tying for the team lead with 41 stops, per PFF, so there’s a strong case he could be the single-best defender that Air Force’s offensive tackles have faced all year.

D’Angelo Ponds, CB

The Dukes secondary appears to be in good hands thanks to Ponds, who became the program’s first freshman All-American ever after making nine starts in which he made 50 tackles, broke up 13 passes, and made two interceptions. According to Pro Football Focus, he also allowed a 46.5% completion rate on 71 targets, so Air Force may find it tough to stretch the field when the occasion calls for it.

Overview:

Offense

No matter how you slice it, the Dukes offense gave opponents plenty about which to worry this season, ranking 33rd in the country with an average of 2.68 points per drive and 52.1% of available yards earned per drive. The problem for the Armed Forces Bowl is that some significant contributors to an attack that averaged 6.28 yards per play are gone: McCloud will play in the bowl game before leaving through the transfer portal, but the top two running backs, Kaelon Black and Ty Son Newton, are gone, as are all-conference tight end Zach Horton, left guard Carter Miller, and three-year starting offensive lineman Tyler Stephens.

With Surratt and Brown in place, though, the passing game may be considered mostly intact, but senior Latrele Palmer is likely the next man up at running back. His time with the Dukes stretches back to 2019, and he’s averaged 4.8 yards per carry with 15 touchdowns on 425 career rushing attempts.

Others who might be in line for more snaps include wide receivers Phoenix Sproles (47 catches, 387 yards, three touchdowns) and Taji Hanson and tight end Kyi Wright. Sproles, at least, has seen the lion’s share of his playing time come from the slot (93.4% of snaps, per PFF), so chances are JMU won’t be shy about remaining a pass-first team.

Defense

The Dukes offense has taken some hits through the transfer portal, but a defense that ranked ninth nationally by percentage of available yards per drive allowed (35.4%) and points per drive allowed (1.41) and gave up an overall success rate of just 33% has been gutted. Jalen Green, the Sun Belt’s Defensive Player of the Year, was lost for the year to injury in early November. The team’s top three tacklers — Aidan Fisher, Jailin Walker, and Mikail Kamara — are gone to the transfer portal. So are veteran defensive tackle James Carpenter, a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy this season; linebacker Taurus Jones, a first-team all-conference player in 2022; and top cornerback Chauncey Logan.

Kromah remains, but other established quantities in this unit are rare. The good news is that young talents like Ponds might be prepared to pick up the slack. Redshirt freshman Tyrique Tucker made five starts this year and collected 4.5 tackles for loss, and sophomore safety Jacob Thomas held opponents to a completion rate under 50%, according to Pro Football Focus.

When matching up with Air Force, however, the major question is just how disruptive the JMU defense will remain against a Falcons offense that will run first, second, and third. CollegeFootballData.com tabs the Dukes with an 26% havoc rate and a 28% stuff rate (for comparison, Air Force had respective rates of 15.2% and 17%).

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Mountain West Football: 2023 Bowl Season Opt-Out And Transfer Tracker

The transfer portal is open. NFL Draft prep looms. Business decisions are made. Which players will sit out the Mountain West’s bowl games?

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Mountain West Football: 2023 Bowl Season Opt-Out and Transfer Tracker


The transfer portal is open. NFL Draft prep looms. Business decisions are made. Which players will sit out the Mountain West’s bowl games?


Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Not all the stars will be out in December.

December marks perhaps the busiest time of college football season. Between the upcoming slate of bowl games, the official opening of the transfer portal, and buzz surrounding the game’s brightest stars and their standing in next year’s NFL Draft, players have plenty on their minds when deciding how to finish their season.

Not everyone will choose to stay on the field, though. Check back here throughout the month as we watch which athletes opt out of bowl season, both among the Mountain West’s seven bowl teams and their opponents.

Note: Significant contributors among opponents will be noted in italics.

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

Air Force

  • Aidan Behymer, TE
  • Caden Blum, DL
  • Mason Carlan, OL
  • John Lee Eldridge III, RB
  • Jonah Jensen, QB
  • Brady Phillips, DL
  • Caleb Rillos, TE
  • Jarius Stewart, QB
  • Anthony Wenson, WR

James Madison

  • Brent Austin, DB
  • Kaelon Black, RB — team-high 594 rushing yards, 23 catches, 220 receiving yards in 2023
  • James Carpenter, DL — FCS Freshman All-American in 2021; two-time all-Sun Belt
  • Aiden Fisher, LB — third-team all-Sun Belt, 91 tackles, seven passes defended, six tackles for loss in 2023
  • Desmond Green, WR
  • Zach Horton, TE — first-team all-Sun Belt, 26 catches, 266 yards, six touchdowns in 2023
  • Taurus Jones, LB — first-team all-Sun Belt, 82 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss in 2022
  • Mikail Kamara, DL — second-team all-Sun Belt, 18.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks in 2023
  • Wayne Knight, RB
  • Ty Son Lawton, RB — 742 all-purpose yards, six total touchdowns in 2023
  • Chauncey Logan, DB — 42 tackles, four tackles for loss, six passes defended in 2023
  • Carter Miller, OL — redshirt freshman, nine starts, 639 snaps at left guard in 2023
  • Abi Nwabuoku-Okonji, DL
  • Tyler Stephens, OL — 30 career starts; four starts each at left guard, right tackle, left tackle in 2023
  • Jailin Walker, LB — 30 career starts; 55 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, four passes defended in 2023
  • Tyshawn Wyatt, OL

Starco Brands LA Bowl, Hosted By Gronk

Boise State 

  • Taylen Green, QB
  • Eric McAlister, WR
  • Keenan McCaddy, DB
  • Kivon Wright, DL

UCLA

  • Kam Brown, WR
  • Keegan Jones, WR
  • Laiatu Latu, DL — Ted Hendricks Award winner, Lombardi Award winner, Pac-12 defensive player of the year in 2023
  • Dante Moore, QB — five-star true freshman, five starts in 2023
  • William Nimmo Jr., DB
  • Kamari Ramsey, DB — redshirt freshman safety, 11 starts in 2023
  • Carsen Ryan, TE
  • Jake Wiley, OL

Isleta New Mexico Bowl

Fresno State

  • Tanner Blount, LB
  • Logan Fife, QB
  • Chrishawn Gordon, DB
  • Abraham Montaño, K
  • Hayden Pulis, OL
  • Raymond Scott, LB

New Mexico State

  • Reggie Akles, WR
  • Ta’ir Brooks, WR
  • Jamari Buddin, LB
  • Tyler Devera, TE
  • Trent Hudson, WR — 36 catches, 571 yards, team-high ten touchdowns in 2023
  • PJ Johnson, WR
  • Malachi McLean, DB
  • Jordin Parker, WR
  • Tyriece Thomas, DL

EasyPost Hawaii Bowl

San Jose State

  • Branden Alvarez, WR
  • Fernando Carmona Jr., OL
  • Blake Davis, DB
  • Charlie Leota, DL
  • Anthony Madrigal, OL
  • Dominick Mazotti, TE
  • Elijah Wood, LB

Coastal Carolina

  • CJ Beasley, RB — team-high 717 rushing yards in 2022; 262 rushing yards, two touchdowns in 2023
  • Mason Bowers, OL
  • Jahmar Brown, DB
  • Jared Brown, WR — 2022 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year; 108 career receptions, 1,534 career receiving yards, 11 career touchdowns
  • Bailey Carraway, LB
  • Evan Crenshaw, P — sophomore; 83 career punts, 39.7 career yards per punt
  • Aaron Diggs, DB
  • Jarrett Guest, QB — two starts in 2023 following injury to Grayson McCall
  • Eli Hillman, DB
  • Kaleb Hutchinson, DB
  • Tavyn Jackson, DB
  • JT Killen, LB — 25 career starts; 65 tackles, three tackles for loss in 2023
  • Derrick Maxey, DB
  • Grayson McCall, QB — three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year
  • Tyson Mobley, WR
  • Tre Pinkney, LB
  • Jacob Proche, DB
  • Chris Rhone, WR
  • Braylon Ryan, DL — 38 career games, 21 career starts; 24 tackles, two tackles for loss in 2023
  • Laurence Sullivan, DB
  • Bryson Summers, OL
  • Dami’on Thompson, WR
  • Donnell Wilson, OL

Guaranteed Rate Bowl

UNLV

  • Jordan Jakes, WR
  • Jordyn Morgan, DB

Kansas

  • Will Huggins, TE
  • Reece Thomas, WR

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Utah State

  • William Testa, K
  • Josh Williams, LB

Georgia State

  • KZ Adams, RB
  • Rico Arnold, WR
  • Bryquice Brown, DB — 42 career games; 35 tackles, six passes defended in nine games
  • Marcus Carroll, RB — first-team all-Sun Belt, 1,350 rushing yards, 13 touchdowns
  • Montavious Cunningham, OL — redshirt sophomore, 15 career starts, 737 snaps at right tackle in 2023
  • Jaquon Dixon, RB
  • Cameron Dye, OL
  • Evan Graham, LB
  • JayT Jackson, DB
  • Jordan Jones, LB
  • Robert Lewis, WR — led team with 70 catches, 877 yards, five receiving touchdowns
  • Tony McCray, DB
  • Jalen Tate, DB

Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl

Wyoming

  • DQ James, RB
  • Kolbey Taylor, DB

Toledo

  • Dequan Finn, QB — three-time all-MAC, 2023 MAC Vern Smith Leadership Award winner (conference MVP)
  • Jaret Frantz, WR
  • Micah Kelly, RB
  • Brad Ling, K
  • Vinny Sciury, OL — first-team all-MAC in 2023, 836 snaps at left guard
  • Ty Thomas, DL

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Air Force Football: Falcons To Face James Madison In Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

The Falcons will head to Texas for a duel with the Dukes, hoping to end 2023 on a high note.

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Air Force Football: Falcons To Face James Madison In Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl


The Falcons will head to Texas for a duel with the Dukes, hoping to end 2023 on a high note.


Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

The cadets hope to bounce back.

The Air Force Falcons ended the regular season on a four-game losing streak, but the program’s four-game winning streak in bowl games is still intact and will be on the line when they face the Sun Belt’s James Madison Dukes in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl.

Troy Calhoun’s cadets rode high for most of the 2023 season, starting the year with an 8-0 record that included wins over rivals Navy and Colorado State. However, injuries caught up with the team as the year progressed and the Falcons first fell to Army and then finished the regular season with three more losses. Despite the disappointing finish, though, Air Force is in a bowl game for the third straight year, the third such streak in Calhoun’s tenure as head coach.

James Madison had a similar surge, rising as high as #18 in the AP poll before suffering a three-point loss to Appalachian State in the penultimate game of the season. Nonetheless, the Dukes finished 11-1 in their second season of FBS action, though they will head into their first bowl season without head coach Curt Cignetti, who was hired by the Indiana Hoosiers earlier this week.

This year’s Armed Forces Bowl is set for Saturday, December 23. It will be broadcast on ESPN, kicking off at 1:30 PM Mountain/12:30 PM Pacific.

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Dan Mullen predicted ineligible James Madison to win the Conference USA title in his weekly picks

The Dukes are not playing this weekend, but that didn’t keep the former Florida coach from picking them to win a conference they aren’t in.

Former Florida coach turned ESPN analyst Dan Mullen made his picks ahead of conference championship on Friday night, and in the battle for the Conference USA title, he took James Madison over New Mexico State.

Just one slight problem: The Dukes aren’t playing New Mexico State. In fact, they aren’t even in the same conference.

While New Mexico State is traveling to face a 12-0 Liberty team that has a real New Year’s Six shot after breaking into the College Football Playoff rankings, James Madison resides in the Sun Belt, which it is ineligible to win despite finishing 11-1 and atop the East Division standings.

Considering the Dukes should be playing for a conference title this weekend — and Conference USA had an ineligible team of its own near the top of the standings in Jacksonville State — it’s an understandable mistake for Mullen to make.

But still, did no one who looked over this graphic before it was posted notice that? Seriously?