James Madison heads another strong CAA race

James Madison is your reigning FCS national champion and the top-ranked team entering this season, after beating five-time defending champ North Dakota State on the road in last year's semifinals. Two other Colonial Athletic Association teams – Richmond and Villanova — are also in the top 10, while New Hampshire is 16th.

There's every chance that a few more could be making a poll appearance at some point, since Albany, William & Mary and Towson also received votes. And Delaware, which has a new coach in former Richmond head man Danny Rocco, was picked fifth, ahead of those three, in the conference preseason poll.

This neighborhood has often provided surprises, both ways, from what many projected. Especially with an unbalanced schedule. So …

Now we have to see how JMU deals with the success. The Dukes have 14 starters back, led by senior quarterback Bryan Schor. In 2016, they scored a CAA-record 700 points. But the defense has eight of those returning first-teamers. They'll get Villanova, New Hampshire and Richmond at home. Still, they wouldn't be the first team to let expectations get in the way.

Richmond also has a big-time QB in Kyle Lauletta, from Downingtown East High. He suffered a knee injury in the regular-season finale, which turned into a 21-point loss. Without him, the Spiders still won twice in the playoffs. And they lost to JMU by only four in early November. Plus they have just about everything back. Their new coach is Russ Huesman, who spent the previous eight seasons at Tennessee-Chattanooga, where, in 2014, he got the Mocs their first postseason win in program history.

New Hampshire has been part of the NCAA tournament field for the last 13 years under Sean McDonnell, the longest such streak in the nation. But it's gone a bit underappreciated because the Wildcats have made it to the semifinals only twice, in 2013 and '14. During that span, three CAA teams have combined to win four titles, and three more reached four other finals. They have their QB (Trevor Knight) and top receivers (Neil O'Connor, Malik Love) back, as well as seven defensive starters. They will visit JMU, William & Mary and Albany, all in the final four games. They don't play Villanova or Richmond.

Some feel Delaware could be the wild card in this race, particularly if the Blue Hens can get more consistent play at QB, where graduate transfer J.P. Caruso (backup the last two seasons at Appalachian State) could push two-year starter Joe Walker. They haven't won more than seven games since 2010, when they lost in the title game for the second time in four years. They will play JMU, Richmond and Villanova as well as Albany, Towson and William & Mary. Four of those games will be in Newark. They have 18 returning starters from a 4-7 team that was forced to cope with a coaching change during the season. It would have been 19 if running back Wes Hills hadn't become a late academic casualty.

Albany is coming off a 7-4 season, its best campaign since joining the CAA in 2013, and just missed out on a playoff bid. The Great Danes had road wins over FBS Buffalo and New Hampshire. Two losses were at Richmond (in three overtimes) and Villanova. Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks rushed for 1,401 yards and 16 touchdowns a year ago as a sophomore.

If nothing else, Stony Brook can usually be counted on to defend. The problem last year was that the Seawolves couldn't score enough. Redshirt sophomore Joe Carbone played well once he took over at QB. Coach Chuck Priore is the brother of Ray Priore, who will be trying to win his third Ivy League title in as many seasons at Penn. They will open at South Florida, where they will give up points, but won't get JMU or Villanova.

William & Mary disappointed a bit last year, going 5-6. Some are questioning whether it is going to be able to do much better this time around. Coach Jimmye Laycock is entering his 38th season, so he has a clue. The Tribe doesn't play Villanova and will get JMU and New Hampshire (plus Stony Brook and Towson) in Williamsburg, but it has to make that matter.

Towson has six FBS transfers, five from programs in Power Five conferences. Redshirt junior Morgan Mahalak spent two years at Oregon. Last season, he missed six games with an injury, and the Tigers lost them all. He's a legit dual-threat guy. They don't play JMU and get Villanova and Richmond at home back-to-back (sandwiched around a bye) in their fifth and sixth games before going to New Hampshire. By then, we should know a lot about them.

Maine has to replace QB Dan Collins off a 6-5 team that lost two of its last three. Now the Black Bears face a treacherous schedule, beginning at New Hampshire. They also will go to JMU, Central Florida and Villanova in their first five games. And they'll play Massachusetts in Boston (Fenway Park) in November.

Elon has won seven times in three seasons since moving over from the Southern Conference. Now the Phoenix has a new coach in Kurt Cignetti, who went 53-17 the last six seasons at Indiana (Pa.). Before that, he was Nick Saban's recruiting coordinator at Alabama when it won the national title in 2009.

Rhode Island hasn't even come close to putting together a winning season since 2010, when current Villanova assistant Joe Trainer got the Rams to 5-6. Since then they've won 10 times. The Rams will host Elon for homecoming on Oct. 21.

Here's a look at how the Colonial Athletic Association might shake out this season. Check back in November.

James Madison 9-2/7-1
Villanova 8-3/7-1
New Hampshire 7-4/5-3
Richmond 7-4/5-3
Albany 6-5/4-4
Stony Brook 6-5/4-4
Towson 6-5/4-4
Delaware 5-6/3-5
William & Mary 5-6/3-5
Maine 3-8/2-6
Elon 2-9/1-7
Rhode Island 2-9/1-7