In a surprising turn of events, James Madison and Jacksonville State have clinched spots in the college football bowl games, even though both teams are officially ineligible for postseason play. The unprecedented move comes as a result of the shortage of six-win teams to fill all the available bowl spots.

With a total of 82 bowl spots up for grabs, only 79 teams with six wins or more qualified for postseason play. The NCAA rules prohibit teams in their first two seasons at the top level of college football from participating in the postseason. Despite applying for waivers, both James Madison (11-1) and Jacksonville State (8-4) had their appeals denied, leaving them on the sidelines for the playoffs.

The denial of the waiver was a significant blow to James Madison, as they finished atop the East Division in the Sun Belt conference. However, Appalachian State will now face Troy in the championship game due to JMU's postseason ineligibility. Virginia's attorney general, who happens to be a JMU graduate, even threatened legal action against the NCAA following the rejection of his alma mater's postseason hopes.

James Madison, currently in its second season at the FBS level, and Jacksonville State, having moved up ahead of the 2023 season, were granted entry into the bowl games after several other teams, such as Nebraska, Minnesota, and Colorado State, failed to secure their sixth win.

The inclusion of these transitioning FBS programs brings the total number of bowl-eligible teams to 81, leaving only one spot for a 5-7 team. According to the criteria, the five-win teams will be selected based on their Academic Progress Rate from the previous year. In this regard, Minnesota, boasting the best APR among the 5-7 teams, is in line for a bowl game if they choose to participate.

Navy, currently standing at 5-6, has the chance to secure a sixth win if they defeat Army on December 9. However, according to bowl rules, both Navy and Army must reach six wins before the bowl field announcement on December 3 to be eligible for postseason play.

As the college football bowl season approaches, fans and analysts alike are eagerly waiting to see how these unique circumstances will shape the lineup for the highly anticipated games. The inclusion of James Madison and Jacksonville State serves as a reminder of the complexities and challenges faced by transitioning programs and the impact of NCAA regulations on their postseason aspirations.