HARRISONBURG — Mike Houston said his job feels different this time of year.

“You love the intensity and stakes of the tournament,” the first-year James Madison coach said. “It’s win or go home and I’ve always enjoyed that kind of competition.”

Saturday’s second-round FCS Playoff game between JMU and New Hampshire marks the fourth time in the last five years that Houston has his team in the postseason.

Houston led Lenoir-Rhyne to back-to-back Division II playoff appearances in 2012 and 2013 — his Bears reached the Division II National Championship game in 2013. After leaving Lenoir-Rhyne, his two seasons at The Citadel resulted in a second-round showing during the FCS Playoffs last fall.

And in each of his playoff experiences, he’s faced the situation that Dukes face now — a rematch with a regular-season opponent. JMU won at New Hampshire 42-39 in October.

“This is my fourth one,” Houston said. “Every one of those rematches went down to the last possession, and everyone of them was a dang bloodbath, too. They were just games where afterward you’re like, ‘Holy cow, that was a physical ball game.’”

En route to the Division II National Championship game in 2013, Houston’s L-R team knocked off Carson-Newman 37-3 in the regular season and then 27-20 in the second round of the playoffs. The year before, Carson-Newman beat L-R in the regular season and the postseason.

Last year, The Citadel lost to Charleston Southern 33-20 in the regular season and dropped a second-round FCS Playoff game 14-6 to the Buccaneers.

In all three cases, the team that won in the regular season also won in the postseason.

Houston said he anticipates Saturday’s tussle with the Wildcats to result in more strategy and coaching because of the familiarity the two teams have with each other.

“Especially with some of the things that they do on special teams,” Houston said. “We have to be sharper and more prepared there. Both of us are going to try to gain an extra possession somewhere. Then, I also think, within the offense and defense there’s more strategy, too.

“We have to make sure we do a great job with clock management and we have to make sure we do a great job of playing our style of ball game. We have to take risks when we normally take risks and anticipate when they take risks. I think it’s really enjoyable.”

New Hampshire and coach Sean McDonnell hold the nation’s longest consecutive postseason appearance streak — the Wildcats have played in the 1-AA/FCS playoffs in 13 straight years.

McDonnell most recently coached in a playoff rematch of a regular-season meeting back in 2013 when New Hampshire beat rival Maine in the regular season and again in the postseason.

“It’s just part of the deal,” McDonnell said. “I don’t get caught up in it. I’m just happy to be playing on the first Saturday of December against a team that we know a little bit about instead of going to a place we don’t know anything about.”

JMU defensive coordinator Bob Trott also has experience prepping for a familiar opponent. Last fall, in the same role at Richmond, Trott coached against William & Mary in the final week of the regular season and two weeks later in the second round of the playoffs.

Richmond beat William & Mary in both contests.

“That was even more unique,” Trott said. “But it’s just the way it is in today’s world. We do know New Hampshire, our players know them and they know us, so it should be a great game.”

Trott said one positive in having prepped his defense for New Hampshire earlier in the year is that his players understand the Wildcats’ unique offense filled with multiple formations, motions and muddle-huddles.

“You have to be on your toes whenever you play New Hampshire because they do a lot of stuff to challenge you on defense,” he said. “They do so much stuff that you have to be prepared.”