congrats on a great season guys!
just now coming on here to read this thread. I don't want to get into a what-if contest and go back and forth about specific plays or turnovers, etc. Both teams left plays out there. Both teams were missing key guys both before and lost during the game. That happens. We could go on all day about that. But bottom line is, we won fairly comfortably and most neutrals have said that and would agree with that.
I really think we had the best team in FCS by far this year. Many of us JMU fans felt as the season went on this team was special and we were going to win the title. And after all the heartbreaks in the playoffs in the past we've had, for it to be almost unanimous among all us Dukes fans to think that way, just shows how much we believed in this team and really felt they were loaded and special and destined to win the title. And that's how it played out.
with all that said, about your team, I thought you guys had the best, most physical defense we played all year. Maybe even more so than UNC. you guys hit HARD! Definitely more than NDSU and don't get me started on Soft Houston State. And tackles that most of our guys were breaking all year we couldn't break last weekend. you have a great tackling team. seemed to me like the first guy there was almost always making the play.
I think the difference really came down to our D vs your O. Our D has improved a ton as the year went on and by the end was a major strength of our team. They seemed to take you guys out of what you really wanted to do from a game plan perspective. And then when the score got to 21-0, it really made you turn to page 2.
anyway, great season. sucks to lose, but i'd bet before the season started if you guys were told you'd go to the title game and have such a great year, you probably would have taken it. I'm sure you'll be back.
