The James Madison football team is having an incredible season after recently joining the FBS, but because of NCAA transition rules, the Dukes are not eligible for a bowl game. They just suffered their first loss of the season last weekend against Appalachian State football, but they are still 10-1 on the year. James Madison submitted an appeal to the NCAA in attempt to receive bowl eligibly, but the NCAA denied the appeal, and the Dukes were planning on taking legal action.

James Madison football seemed set on their decision to take legal action against the NCAA, but they are no longer planning on taking that route as their minds have been changed. The school recently released a statement about their decision.

“On Saturday evening, following the game, we consulted with Attorney General Miyares and his staff, as well as with our outside counsel, and the consensus was that filing emergency legal action against the NCAA was not a viable course of action at this point in time,” The school said, according to an article from ESPN. “The University's focus now is on getting the football team into a bowl game, and it appears that such a result is still a strong possibility. We could still file an action against the NCAA later if needed to receive a bowl invitation, but for the time being, there was a strong consensus that proceeding with legal action did not make sense.”

It looks like James Madison football will have to wait a little bit longer before they make their bowl season debut. It is a shame for the players and coaches that worked tirelessly to get to this point, and they won't be able to receive the benefits that other schools get from winning.

The biggest issue with this NCAA rule is that it doesn't make much sense. Many people wonder why a team wouldn't be allowed to play in the postseason just because they were in a lower division recently. If anything, it makes the success of the Dukes more impressive, and James Madison should be rewarded for such an incredible season. Instead, the team is being punished for being one of the best non-power five teams in the country. It is truly heartbreaking for James Madison.