First sport to kick off the year with real games...hosting VMI tomorrow. The Keydets are picked to finish last in the SoCon, though they did beat Davidson in their opener last year.
The Spiders have been picked 12th in the A-10 as they continue to underwhelm heading into Denton's third season...
We open against Furman in Orlando. Nationally televised ESPN2 game at 11am on Thanksgiving.
https://richmondspiders.com/news/2025/8/12/mens-basketball-spiders-to-open-with-furman-at-espn-events-invitational
JMU typically pays $200k–$300k for FCS buy games. They paid Ball State $400k last season and they paid MTSU $700k the season before out of desperation because they couldn't fill their schedule.
No way they do a home-and-home with an FCS program.
They've got four in both polls...Monmouth is in there.
But yes, swap Villanova over next year plus a frequently dangerous W&M and things are looking rather even, with the Patriot on the upswing and the CAA flailing to add more bad programs.