Matthews emphasizes importance of JMU crowd in crucial road game

FILE PHOTO Freshman wide receiver L.C. Baker and the Dukes take on the Richmond Spiders Saturday.

The Dukes look to run their current winning streak to a season-high four games Saturday when they take on the University of Richmond Spiders at UR Stadium.

Coach Mickey Matthews said a large JMU fan base would be instrumental to defeat Richmond on the road.

"We haven’t beaten Richmond on the road in two years," Matthews said. "The more student support we have, the better."

The Dukes have established themselves as one of the premier teams in Division I-AA this season. One characteristic of such a team is the ability to travel well, especially in conference games.

"A strong contingent of JMU fans will really help," Matthews said. "It turns an away game into a home game for us."

Turning this contest into a home game is exactly what the Dukes are looking to do as Matthews hopes to erase the Spiders’ home field advantage.

"It’s difficult to win A-10 games on the road," Matthews said. "If we win this weekend, it will be our third road win of the season. That’s almost unheard of in this league."

Matthews believes a big JMU crowd is feasible this weekend primarily because of proximity. The Atlantic 10 is geographically dispersed, and many road trips are too far for fans to make. However, Richmond — located two hours away from Harrisonburg — is an exception.

"Many times, the distance is a problem for our fans," Matthews said. "But it’s easy to make the trip to Richmond. It’s a day trip."

The in-state rivalry is another factor.

"We do not have a bigger rival than Richmond," Matthews said. "It would be great to go in there with a big JMU crowd."

That crowd and a win at Richmond would give the Dukes extra momentum as they head into a three-week home stand. Matthews is aware of the big-picture implications this weekend’s game has on the rest of his team’s season.

Only three teams in the A-10 have unblemished conference records. JMU, the College of William & Mary and the University of Delaware all are 5-1 overall and 4-0 in the A-10. The Dukes play the Tribe and the Blue Hens Nov. 6 and Nov. 13, respectively, making a road win this weekend all the more important.

"The more you win, the more critical the games become," Matthews said. "Winning at Richmond would be important, especially coming back home."