The NCAA Division I Board’s Administrative Committee on Wednesday rejected James Madison’s second waiver attempt for full bowl eligibility, sources briefed on the decision said. Here’s what you need to know:
- James Madison is a second-year FCS-FBS transition team, meaning it will not be eligible for the postseason this year unless there are not enough 6-6 bowl teams. Despite the cancellation, JMU will likely still reach a bowl game due to a lack of 6-6 teams.
- After going 8-3 as an FBS team last year, JMU filed a waiver requesting that the transition last one year instead of the two years required by the NCAA. This was denied in the spring.
- This year’s JMU team is 10-0 and could qualify for a spot in the Group of 5’s New Year’s Six if it were fully eligible. The Dukes are ineligible for the CFP rankings or the Sun Belt Championship Game, per conference policy.
- Jacksonville State’s FBS Bowl waivers and Tarleton State’s FCS playoff waivers were also declined.
Is that a surprise?
JMU officials were not optimistic before the hearings, but remained hopeful. JMU’s argument for waiver was based on the fact that it spent its first transition season in FBS and the Sun Belt, unlike most transition teams that spent their first year in FCS (such as Jacksonville State and Sam Houston).
The Dukes have also clearly proven that they belong at the FBS level, with an 18-3 record since the move and an athletic budget on par with their conference counterparts. If there was a team that deserved a waiver, it was this one. — Chris Vannini, senior CFB writer
Why was it rejected?
The NCAA committees and other schools especially didn’t want to set a precedent, especially after denying it in the spring. The rules are the rules. JMU admitted it knew the rules when it made the move and did so again when the waiver was rejected the first time.
These classification rules are common in basketball. Fairleigh Dickinson upset No. 1 seed Purdue in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament last spring only because Northeast Conference champion Merrimack was ineligible for the tournament as a Division II transition school. This leap is a four-year process.
This also comes at a time when FBS requirements are becoming increasingly strict. Last month, the Division I Council changed the FBS requirements, removing the attendance requirement but adding a $5 million application fee (up from $5,000) and setting stricter requirements for the use of scholarships. FBS will grow to 134 teams next year with the addition of Kennesaw State. More and more guardrails are being put in place, and allowing a school to circumvent some of the rules is not appropriate for the area where the wind blows. – Vannini
Why does the two-year process exist?
It is twofold. One reason is to allow transition teams time to invest and complete the various scholarship requirements at the senior level. JMU had already done this. The second reason is for deterrence and represents the cost of changing within a classification or division. The additional FBS costs mentioned above also apply. – Vannini
What’s next?
This Saturday is College GameDay at JMU, and you can be sure the show will be filled with anger toward the NCAA that is now on the scale of ESPN’s first pregame show. I imagine Pat McAfee has a few important things to say about this.
The Dukes also host Appalachian State and play at Coastal Carolina next week. Both App and Coastal are in the running to fill the Sun Belt East spot, which JMU is not eligible for. It’s possible that JMU and Liberty could face each other in a bowl game, possibly both undefeated. This week’s Athletic Bowl predictions have JMU vs. Toledo in the Cure Bowl.
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has already advocated for the Dukes once, sending a letter to NCAA President Charlie Barker that was widely dismissed. It’s possible that Miyares and other state politicians who have weighed in on the issue could spur further push.
If JMU tops the standings, there will likely be strong fan support wanting to declare themselves national champions like UCF did in 2017. If you stay undefeated, I have no problem with that. – Vannini
What you say
“We are obviously disappointed with the outcome of the NCAA’s review of our request for bowl relief,” JMU said in a statement. “We mourn our university community and especially our football program, coaches and student-athletes who put together a great season and earned the opportunity. As we turn the page, an incredible week awaits us with College GameDay and our final home game. That’s why we’re focused on maximizing these moments for our university and celebrating our graduating class.”
Required reading
(Photo: Lee Coleman / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)