Dukes tame Tigers, extend season
No. 7 JMU draws No. 5 Youngstown State in first round
By Brian Hansen, sports editor
Posted on November 20, 2006

Mickey Matthews is not a fan of television.

However, JMU’s coach isn’t against it because of the content of current shows. No, Matthews is frustrated because JMU is traveling to Ohio two days after Thanksgiving rather than staying in Virginia because it gives television the best matchup.

“The only thing I can say is sometimes television gets involved,” Matthews said. “I would assume ESPN put in some sort of demand, and I’m sure they would deny that.”

The frustration was clear in Matthews’ voice as it was revealed that the NCAA selection committee will send the Dukes to Youngstown, Ohio, to take on Youngstown State in the first round of the Division I-AA playoffs.

The Penguins garnered the fourth seed in the bracket after finishing the regular season with a 9-2 record. The matchup with JMU matches two of the top seven teams in The Sports Network Top 25 and makes for a very attractive game. That is, for everyone but JMU and Youngstown State.

“I’m sure Youngstown’s upset about it,” Matthews said. “That’s a tough draw for them and a very tough draw for us. I mean it is what it is, but it’s two very good team’s going at it.”

The news came as quite a shock as a large crowd gathered in the Festival Center Ballroom to await the news. Anticipation mounted as the group of JMU fans waited eagerly to see who would be traveling to Harrisonburg in the first round. It was expected that the Dukes would be playing at home after the administration placed what was called a “very competitive bid” for a home game.

“It’s a little frustrating when you really wanted a home game,” JMU athletic director Jeff Bourne said. “We put in a great bid for the game. We worked real hard to [bring a home game here], but we’ll just have to go to Youngstown and play a great football game.”

Traditionally, the selection committee has used geography to explain their scheduling of their first round matchups, however Matthews and the Dukes won’t be accepting that this year.

“New Hampshire is playing Hampton,” Matthews said. “Even if we have to go to Hampton, it makes more sense to send New Hampshire to Youngstown and let us play Hampton. Someone smarter than me is going to have to explain that one to me.”

No amount of explanation changes the fact that this weekend JMU will be traveling to Ohio to take on the fifth-ranked team in the country.

The Penguins are led by Walter Payton Award candidate, running back Marcus Mason. He has carried the ball 228 times for 1,496 yards and 19 touchdowns.

It will be a matchup of strength versus strength as the Youngstown offense averaging 240.6 yards rushing per game will take on the second-best rushing defense in the Atlantic 10. This season JMU is giving up just 84 yards rushing per game, including just 12 on Saturday against Towson.

In its passing game, Youngstown State has been average at best getting just 1,476 yards and 10 touchdowns to go with 10 interceptions from quarterback Tom Zetts. The team is getting just 144.3 yards per game through the air.

More importantly is that the Penguins have only been sacked 11 times this season. But, JMU’s defense leads the A-10 in the category with 44.

“I haven’t done any research on Youngstown,” Matthews said. “I haven’t seen Youngstown play in 12 years. I don’t know how much they know about us either.”

Offensively, the Dukes, averaging an A-10 best 212.7 yards per game on the ground, should be able to run the ball on a YSU defense that is giving up 144.5 yards per game on the ground.

“I have no idea what kind of defense they run,” senior quarterback Justin Rascati said.

“I’m just going to go in and get ready to play them this week, and hopefully go up there and have some fun.”

The game will be aired on ESPN2 Saturday at 7:30 p.m.