JMU has received inquiries from both the Sun Belt and Conference USA
However, JMU declined both offers because neither conference has a (strong?) footprint in the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions which is where the bulk of JMU's out-of-state regular students come from.
A few years ago JMU's President and AD did a lengthy interview with the Daily News Record on JMU's future plans for its athletics. In the interview, both indicated that JMU would only join a FBS conference to enhance its "recruiting" of out-of-state regular students in those two regions. The interviews seemed to indicate that JMU is open to either football-only or full membership. The interviews may have even touched on JMU's "strong desire" to join the Atlantic 10 (if ever given the opportunity), which I believe is common knowledge among people who follow the program, so JMU could renew its rivalries with GMU, Richmond, and VCU as well as enhance its "recruiting" of regular students in the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions.
W&M has already hinted that if JMU were to ever leave the CAA, then it would probably leave the CAA too and join the Patriot League for academic reasons.
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In response to this post by EDGEMAN)
Posted: 08/07/2020 at 3:31PM