Just four days after the 33-30 loss at the hands of No. 3 Boise State, No. 13 Virginia Tech goes for its first win of the season Saturday against James Madison University of the Football Championship Subdivision in its home opener.
“We’ve cut back on a few periods and are willing to do what we’ve got to do,” said head coach Frank Beamer in regard to the irregularly quick turnaround. “It’s a lot to cover and a short time to do it and to get ready for a really good football team in James Madison who is No. 11 in their poll.”
In preparation for the game, Beamer is not taking into account the results of the programs’ two previous meetings, which the Hokies won by a combined score of 90-0.
“Those past results don’t indicate what is going to happen this week,” Beamer said. “This is a new game. It’s just a fact — they’re very fast on defense and well-coached.”
Beamer’s cautious outlook on the matchup with a FCS opponent will be reflected in his players’ approach on the field.
“I try to bring the same enthusiasm and passion to every game no matter who we’re playing,” said Davon Morgan, the Hokies’ senior rover. “It can be a little harder to get jacked up for an FCS opponent but I doubt that will be the case with what coach is expecting out of us this week.”
JMU has experienced success in recent years, winning the FCS National Championship in 2004 and compiling six straight winning seasons. The Dukes are 3-15 against Football Bowl Subdivision teams that still compete in the division. In its most recent encounter with an FBS program, JMU dropped a heartbreaking 38-35 overtime loss at Maryland last season.
“This is one of the top programs in (the FCS),” Beamer said of JMU. “A FCS program just beat Mississippi last week. Florida State had to score in the last 35 seconds to beat a FCS program last year after they had just barely lost to Miami. When I was at Murray State, we beat Louisville one year and tied Memphis State. I don’t get into divisions, I get in to what kind of team we’re playing and this is a good football team.”
The Dukes’ previous meeting with the Hokies resulted in a 43-0 win for Tech in 2003. Tech leads the series 6-0, which has been played entirely in Blacksburg.
Like his counterpart, JMU head coach Mickey Matthews does not expect the result of Saturday’s game to be as one-sided as it has been in the past.
“We’re going to play the game to win,” Matthews said. “We’re going to do everything humanly possible in terms of preparation. We feel like we have some ACC players.”
The Dukes (1-0) handily defeated Morehead State 48-7 last Saturday in their home opener. Their offense posted 294 yards on the ground with three different running backs gaining 60 or more yards.
Redshirt senior quarterback Drew Dudzik threw for 189 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 18 yards and an additional pair of touchdowns. Both of Dudzik’s scores through the air were to junior wide receiver Kerby Long who also had a career-high 112 receiving yards.
Leading the Dukes with six tackles was Peter Rose, a redshirt freshman defensive back who originally signed on to play at Tech for the 2009 season but had his scholarship revoked after he was arrested on drug charges in May 2008.
“He’s a good kid,” Beamer said of Rose. “It’s a shame what happened but he’s got a good home at James Madison with his brother (Jon Rose). Thankfully it all worked out for him.”
Matthews is aware that he can only prepare his players so much for a team like Tech and holds nothing but admiration for his opponent on both sides of the ball.
A version of this article appeared in the Sep 10 issue of the Collegiate Times.
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