#1 JMU Leads Four CAAFB Teams In Final Polls

1/9/2017 7:38:27 PM

Rob Washburn

RICHMOND, Va. (January 10, 2017) – James Madison, which captured the 2017 NCAA Division I Football Championship last Saturday, was a unanimous #1 selection in the final STATS and FCS Coaches polls released on Monday.

The Dukes were joined by three other CAA Football squads in the final polls. Richmond was ranked #8 in both the STATS and FCS Coaches poll, Villanova was #11 in the STATS poll and #13 in the Coaches poll, and New Hampshire was ranked #17 in both polls. UAlbany and Maine were among other teams receiving votes.

JMU (14-1) defeated Youngstown State 28-14 to claim its first FCS national title since 2004 and the first by a CAA Football member since 2009. The Dukes, who set a school record for wins, posted victories over five teams that finished the season in the Top 25 - #3 North Dakota State, #5 Sam Houston State, #8 Richmond, #11 Villanova and #17 New Hampshire.

Richmond (10-4) won double-digit games and finished in the top 10 of the final FCS poll for the fifth time in the past decade. The Spiders were one of only three programs nationally to advance to the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs in both 2015 and 2016, and they tied a program record with five victories over nationally ranked foes.

Villanova (9-4) made its sixth playoff appearance in the past nine years and advanced to the second round. The Wildcats also recorded their 14^th winning campaign in the past 16 seasons.

New Hampshire (8-5) earned a berth in the NCAA FCS playoffs for a nation’s-best 13^th consecutive year in 2016. The Wildcats advanced to the second round before falling to league foe JMU. UNH has recorded 13 straight winning seasons, with double-digit victory totals in six of them.