When it comes to NCAA and college football, it’s all about drama. One of the programs that fell prey to the bizarre regulation rumble was none other than the James Madison Dukes Football. The program got snubbed during the 2023 post-season and this came off as a surprise for most of the CFB fans. After all, Bob Chesney’s program had been a football powerhouse for quite some time. But hardly did they think that all of a sudden they would be prohibited. That too for holding high ambitions to jump from FCS to FBS. 

The Dukes made the FCS playoffs 18 times. Not only this, Chesney’s program is a 2x National Championship winner, in 2004 and 2016. But when the College Football Playoff Selection Committee Rankings dropped on October 31 last year, it came as a shock to many.

James Madison ranked No. 23 in the nation in the Associated Press poll and sported 8-0 the record was missing from the list. Later it was realized, that all this happened because of their decision to switch to FBS.

While it’s a tall task for the programs to make the transition as it demands reaching successful milestones, success has never been the problem for Dukes. They went 8-3 in the Sun Belt in 2022 to win the East division. In the next year too, they started the season 10-0.  Here comes the catch!

Going by the NCAA’s rulebook any school “reclassifying” to the FBS will no longer have the chance to participate in a bowl for two years. NCAA President Charlie Baker wrote to Virginia officials, “(T)he current two-year transition period was intended to provide adequate time for schools to demonstrate they have met the necessary requirements to become an FBS member and adjust to the increased requirements for student-athlete support in addition to FBS competition.”

That’s because the NCAA believes that for any lower-tier Football Championship Subdivision, it would take meticulous planning. But guess how you would have felt knowing very well that you qualified the talent criteria, even then you had been slashed out? While the Dukes were disappointed they tried their best to urge NCAA to revoke the rule. Was it fruitful?  

James Madison Dukes’ hopes dashed by NCAA

The program sat at the top spot of their division within the Sun Belt conference. How could they just let all these efforts go in vain? JMU decided to appeal to the NCAA for a waiver to reduce the moratorium to one year and wrote a letter. A copy of that written appeal went viral on social media and showed the Dukes requesting a chance to play in a New Year’s Six bowl. 

“If relief is provided, our student-athletes would potentially have the rare opportunity to participate in a prestigious New Year’s Six bowl contest,” a part of the letter stated. Since things were already tough for athletes after the prolonged COVID-19 effects, they drew attention by writing, “Our team includes cohorts of students who have been through COVID disruptions, missed out on earned opportunities last year, and face uncertain prospects for postseason play again this year despite their sustained excellence.” But nothing really helped as NCAA is a tough nut to crack. 

And what NCAA do instead? Came up with a straight-up ‘NO.’ They got snubbed last year in 2023. In case the James Madison Dukes Football has to serve a two-year hiatus, in the 2024 season too there would be no chances for a comeback. Let’s wait till 2025 or hope that the NCAA changes its mind last minute. 

While James Madison Dukes’ future in college football is under hold, the NFL season looks enticing for the football fans. You can check out the updates in the Think Tank podcast with Dawg Sanders.