For all the reasons the game is iconic for James Madison, it’s not for Weber State.

“That’s one of the most memorable,” Dukes senior cornerback Rashad Robinson said of the 2017 encounter.

The two sides have only met once before, but will do so again two years later when second-seeded JMU (13-1) hosts No. 3-seed Weber State (11-3) in the semifinals of the FCS playoffs on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. in Harrisonburg.

The stakes are greater this time around with a trip to the national championship game on the line, though the 31-28 thriller the Dukes took in the quarterfinals two Decembers ago sets the stage for this bout.

“The emotional wreck we went through in that game,” Robinson said. “We were down eight with like three minutes left, giving up a touchdown to put them up even more and then we got the ball back two more times when we weren’t supposed to. Then, of course, there’s the famous Ethan Ratke kick.”

Ratke’s 46-yarder as time expired sent JMU onto the semifinals that season to complete the Dukes’ furious comeback past the Wildcats.

As Robinson said, JMU was behind 28-20 with 3:14 to go. But the Dukes used a 40-yard touchdown pass from former quarterback Bryan Schor to wide receiver Riley Stapleton, who had the breakout game of his career with eight catches for 189 yards that night.

A three-and-out from Weber State gave Madison one more shot to drive the field and win it, and Stapleton had two catches for 26 yards on that last possession.

“When we took that eight-point lead with like [three] minutes left in the game, quite frankly, I felt like our sideline felt like we had just won it,” sixth-year Weber State coach Jay Hill said. “And as coaches, you know that’s not the case. You’re playing a high-powered offense and a really, really good defense, so you better be ready to go all the way to the last whistle and we didn’t do that.

“This year, I don’t think it’s much different. I don’t see a lot of differences in talent between two years ago’s [JMU] team and this year’s team. They were loaded then and they are loaded now, so it’s going to take us playing four quarters all the way to the last whistle to be able to pull this out.”

Robinson said throughout this week and leading up to kickoff on Saturday, the plan was for him and his older teammates – Stapleton and Ratke included – who were on the field against Weber State two seasons ago to express to the rest of this year’s group the challenges the Utah school will bring to the Valley.

Weber State captured the Big Sky Conference crown for the third straight season, and knocked off Kennesaw State in the second round of the tournament prior to last week’s win over Montana in the quarterfinals.

JMU, the Colonial Athletic Association champ, beat Monmouth in the second round and Northern Iowa in the quarterfinals.

“They have a lot of guys that were there on that team a few years ago and they’re going to come in hungry,” Robinson said, “with a chip on their shoulder, and I’m sure their guys are preaching that it can be done. They were probably just one play away from making it happen then, so we expect them to come in hungry like the same way they did in 2017.”

First-year Dukes coach Curt Cignetti said: “All eyes on Weber [State] and I think that we’re excited.”

Hill said it should help his team that many of the players on his two-deep have already experienced playing against JMU and at Bridgeforth Stadium.

“I loved the atmosphere,” Weber State senior defensive end Jonah Williams said. “When we found out we were going to go there, I was super excited, because the fans, the stadium and everything about it was awesome. It’s going to be another cold-weather game, which we’re stoked about and I’m excited to get another shot at it.”

The strength for both sides is defense.

JMU leads the country in rushing defense (60.4 yards allowed per game) and total defense (265.3 yards allowed per game), and is third nationally for scoring defense (14.9 points allowed per game). Weber State’s forced the fifth most turnovers (31) in the FCS.

“It’s going to be a big defensive battle,” Williams said.

Dukes senior tight end Dylan Stapleton said Weber State’s defense reminds him of Northern Iowa’s defense. Even though JMU scored only 17 points against the Panthers, the Dukes controlled time of possession for more than 42 minutes, converted better than 50 percent of third-down tries and Stapleton had four grabs for 48 yards including one for 27 yards that setup the opening touchdown.

“We’ve worked all year for this and this is what it comes down to,” Stapleton said. “And I think we’re ready to go on Saturday, and hopefully punch our ticket to Frisco" for the title game Jan. 11 near Dallas.

The Coaches: Cignetti and Hill have both been highly successful in their respective careers, but this is the furthest either coach has led a team in the playoffs.

In nine seasons as a head coach at three schools – Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Elon and JMU – Cignetti is 80-27. The deepest he took IUP into the playoffs was the 2012 Division II quarterfinals, and at Elon he had first-round exits both seasons.

Hill is 47-26 in six years at Weber State, having completed a drastic turnaround after taking over a team that finished 2-10 in 2013 the season before he arrived at the school.

This is Weber State’s first-ever appearance in the national semifinals after failing to move on from the quarterfinals in each of the last two years, losing to JMU in 2017 and Maine last season. Dukes defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman was in the same role with the Black Bears last year and in that 23-18 decision Maine held Weber State to -1 rushing yards.

The Quarterbacks: Both JMU senior quarterback Ben DiNucci and Weber State junior quarterback Jake Constantine began their careers at the FBS level – DiNucci at Pittsburgh and Constantine at Boise State.

DiNucci, the CAA Offensive Player of the Year, has had the more successful season to this point, completing 71 percent of his throws for 2,982 yards and 25 touchdowns compared to only five interceptions - while adding 498 yards and six scores on the ground.

After the win over Northern Iowa, DiNucci said he took a hard hit to the head in that game, but “I’ll be fine.”

Constantine enters Saturday completing 61 percent of his passes for 2,037 yards and 13 touchdowns compared to 10 interceptions, while adding 33 yards and a score on the ground.

Series History: Though JMU and Weber State will meet for just second time ever in this semifinal, the Dukes and Wildcats will play in the future.

The two schools signed a home-and-home series for future years. JMU will go to Ogden, Utah on Sept. 18, 2021 and host Weber State on Sept. 3, 2022.

Sack Showcase: The four defensive ends in this matchup could all find their way to the NFL by this time next year.

Williams and Weber State senior defensive end Adam Rodriguez have combined for 18 sacks and 24 tackles for loss this season. JMU senior defensive ends Ron’Dell Carter and John Daka have combined for 28 sacks and 51.5 tackles for loss this year.

“They just complement each other so well,” Hill said of Williams and Rodriguez. “Kind of like the two there at James Madison. They play off each other. One guy can set the edge where the other is better outside. They just complement each other so well in their abilities.”

Carter was the CAA Defensive Player of the Year and Williams was the Co-Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year. Carter, Daka and Williams have all earned various All-American honors.

Can’t Forget Special Teams: JMU and Weber State are both exceptional on special teams.

The Dukes rank in the top 25 of FCS for blocked kicks, blocked punts and kickoff return average while Weber State is in the top 25 of FCS for blocked punts and net punting.

Daka blocked a punt and defensive tackle Garrett Groulx blocked a field goal in JMU’s second round win over Monmouth. The Wildcats blocked a punt for a touchdown last week in their quarterfinal win over Montana.

“They’ve faked five punts, blocked two punts,” Cignetti said, “and so we’re going to have to be on high alert on special teams this week.

“I think it’s just points of emphasis in meetings with our players and pointing out what they need to be aware of.”

Palmer Might Play: Cignetti said “hopefully” JMU freshman running back Latrele Palmer returns to action in this game. Palmer, who injured his ankle against New Hampshire on Nov. 9, hasn’t played since but returned to practice last week.

He averages 7.6 yards per carry and could provide depth behind junior running backs Percy Agyei-Obese and Jawon Hamilton.

Don’t Be Surprised If: Dukes senior wide receiver Brandon Polk continues to find the end zone.

The Penn State transfer has a receiving touchdown in each of his last nine games, becoming DiNucci’s go-to target. Polk can catch a screen and turn it into a score or run past the defense to haul in a long throw from his quarterback.

More Than Anything: A win for the Dukes earns them their third trip to the FCS national championship game in the last four years.

“It’s everything we’ve worked for since August,” Robinson said.