James Madison may not be playing for a bowl game again this year.
JMU’s request to alter its FCS-to-FBS reclassification period, which hampers the school’s ability to compete in postseasons, was denied by the NCAA, according to The Athletic.
That means the Dukes will not be immediately eligible to play in a bowl game during the 2023 season. However, they may be picked for a bowl game if not enough FBS teams go at least 6-6.
In their first season competing in the Sun Belt, JMU was 8-3 and 6-2 in conference but couldn’t play in the conference championship or in a bowl game because of NCAA rules for programs making that transition.
The two-year transition period will end after the 2023 season.
JMU athletic director Jeff Bourne said in a statement Thursday that he had not been “officially notified” of the NCAA’s decision but that he was disappointed to hear about that news. However, he said JMU “will continue to work with the Sun Belt and the NCAA to ensure that every possible postseason opportunity for JMU football can be attained.”
“JMU planned for this move to the Sun Belt for a decade, and no part of the success is a mistake,” Bourne said. “We’ve built our infrastructure – support staff, facilities and financial resources – to be poised for success. The key was to find the right fit in FBS and JMU found that fit in the Sun Belt Conference.
“With that methodical, strategic approach to transitioning the right way, JMU made its case to the NCAA that the mandated two-year transition period should be reduced to one. If the true intent of the two-year transition is to ensure that schools are equipped to operate in a sustainable manner at the FBS level, we believe that we’ve already checked every box. JMU never wanted any part of transitioning with uncertainty or on a whim; we wanted to be fully prepared, and we believe that plan was successfully executed.
“… While we are incredibly disappointed, I want to stress that we knew the NCAA reclassification bylaws when we decided to move to FBS. We knew what we signed up for and at no point were disillusioned to think otherwise.”
