Staff Reports
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is not messing around when it comes to James Madison University’s chances of playing in a bowl game this season. He’s threatening the NCAA with legal action if they don’t reverse their decision to exclude the Dukes from postseason play. Miyares has even activated a fancy law firm to write a stern letter to the NCAA, giving them until Friday to respond.
The reason behind all of this legal hoopla is that James Madison is currently serving a mandatory two-year postseason suspension. Apparently, when a team moves up from a lower division to a higher one, the NCAA likes to punish them by banning them from bowl games. It’s like they’re saying, “Hey, you did a good job and moved up, but now you can’t play with the big kids.” But the Dukes don’t want to miss out on the fun and asked for a waiver so they can play this year. Unfortunately for them, their request was denied, not once but twice.
The NCAA’s arbitrary, anti-competitive decisions have a profoundly negative impact on student-athletes, JMU, the Commonwealth of Virginia, & collegiate athletics as a whole.
When JMU approves, I’m ready to defend our student-athletes. Let the Dukes bowl!https://t.co/YeJFMkkKsm
— Jason Miyares (@JasonMiyaresVA) November 16, 2023
Even though James Madison is undefeated and ranked 18th in the college football rankings, the NCAA still won’t give them a chance. It’s like they’re playing favorites or something. But Miyares and other Virginia officials are not backing down. They believe the NCAA’s decision is “arbitrary” and “anti-competitive.” And hey, I agree! These student-athletes deserve to compete, and James Madison shouldn’t be treated like the redheaded stepchild of college football.
So, stay tuned to see if the NCAA caves under the pressure or if Jason Miyares will actually take them to court. This could be an interesting showdown, folks. Let the Dukes bowl!
