James Madison submits another request to NCAA in bid to gain bowl eligibility

James Madison's athletic department has once again requested the NCAA to lift the current restriction that disallows the Dukes from playing in a football bowl game. The school's request for a one-year transition waiver in the spring was denied in April.

A letter from James Madison was addressed Georgia president Jere Morehead, who also serves as the chair of the NCAA Board of Directors.

"Our student-athletes have achieved an astonishing, unprecedented level of success during this period," the letter says. "Relief that allows our student-athletes to participate in a bowl game, as their play has earned, is warranted."

Virginia's Attorney General, James Miyares, a James Madison alumnus, and the Sun Belt Conference, both have already written separate letters to the NCAA president, Charlie Baker, on the school’s behalf.

The letter requested him to allow the Dukes to be bowl-eligible this season, but Baker did not change his decision.

James Madison is ineligible for a bowl game as a school in its second year transitioning team from the Championship Subdivision to the Bowl Subdivision. The Dukes can play in the postseason if there are not enough 6-6 teams to fill the available 82 spots in the bowl lineup. The Dukes are also not eligible to play in the Sun Belt Conference championship game during the two-year transitional period. The NCAA imposes this ban for teams that move up divisions to deter a bunch of schools from doing so at the same time. The transition period for basketball is four seasons.

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James Madison's undefeated 2023 season

The plea to the NCAA Division I board of directors comes on the heels of Dukes' current undefeated season with a 9-0 record and land at No. 21 in the US LBM Coaches Poll. If the ban was lifted, they would be guaranteed a berth in a postseason bowl game.

James Madison president Jonathan Alger and athletic director Jeff Bourne wrote a letter to the NCAA in their second attempt to lift the bowl ban, stating that "their student-athletes have achieved an astonishing, unprecedented level of success during this period. They view the postseason prohibition as inexplicable punishment in light of the NCAA's stated priorities."

James Madison are favorites to win their Week 11 matchup against Connecticut, which would bring their record to 10-0.

The James Madison Dukes 2023 football schedule and results:

• Week 1: JMU 38-3 Bucknell, Final

• Week 2: JMU 36-35 Virginia, Final

• Week 3: JMU 16-14 Troy, Final

• Week 4: JMU 45-38 Utah State, Final

• Week 5: JMU 31-23 Southern Alabama, Final

• Week 6: Bye

• Week 7: JMU 41-13 Georgia Southern, Final

• Week 8: JMU 20-9 Marshall, Final

• Week 9: JMU 30-27 Old Dominion, Final

• Week 10: JMU 42-14 Georgia State, Final

• Week 11: Sat. Nov. 11: JMU vs. UConn, 3:00 p.m., ET, ESPN+

• Week 12: Sat. Nov. 18: JMU vs. Appalachian State, 3:00 p.m., ET, ESPN+

• Week 13: Sat. Nov. 25: JMU vs. Coastal Carolina, TBD

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: James Madison make second request to NCAA to gain bowl eligbility