JMU makes bowl debut vs. Air Force
When: 3:30 p.m. today
TV: WVEC
Line: James Madison by 1 ½, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Series record: First meeting. What’s at stake? James Madison, which is completing its transition to the FBS level from the FCS after being a two-time national champion in the lower division, plays its first bowl game, since there weren’t enough bowl-eligible teams to fill all the spots. The Dukes won 10 games against FBS opponents this year and were 6-0 in true road games before fifth-year head coach Curt Cignetti left for Indiana. Air Force is in its seventh Armed Forces Bowl, which is played on the TCU campus in Fort Worth, Texas. The Falcons have lost four games in a row since opening the season 8-0, but have won their past four bowl games.
Key matchup: Air Force running game vs. the James Madison defense, which leads the nation allowing only 61.5 yards rushing per game. Air Force ranks second, running for 275.8 yards per game, and has four players with at least 400 yards rushing. The Falcons are also solid stopping the run, ranking 10th in rushing defense at 96.3 yards per game.
Players to watch: James Madison freshman cornerback D’Angelo Ponds has 50 tackles and is tied for fourth nationally with 13 pass breakups. He also has a blocked punt, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
Air Force senior safety Trey Taylor won the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the nation’s top defensive back. He has 71 tackles, three interceptions and four passes defended. He was the first Thorpe winner from a non-Power Five conference team since 1995.
Facts and figures: Damian Wroblewski is the acting head coach for JMU. The offensive line coach is among only four fulltime coaches still remaining for the bowl. The Dukes hired Bob Chesney from Holy Cross as their new head coach, but he won’t coach the bowl game. … James Madison is only the fifth Top 25 team to play in the Armed Forces Bowl, which began in 2003 when No. 18 Boise State beat No. 19 TCU. … Air Force is 2-4 in the Armed Forces Bowl after a 30-15 win over Baylor last year. Army (2017 and 2018) is the only team to win consecutive Armed Forces Bowls.