JMU Hangs On For 35-23 Highway Win at Marshall

HUNTINGTON, W.Va.  – Alonza Barnett III threw for 270 passing yards and three touchdowns, as James Madison soccer held off a second-half push from Marshall to win, 35-23, on Saturday afternoon at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
 
JMU (8-1, 6-0 Sun Belt) held a 28-12 second-half lead earlier than Marshall (4-5, 2-3 SBC) trimmed the result in 28-23 on a landing following a pretend punt and subject objective. The Dukes secured a vital fourth-down cease with 3:15 to go earlier than a 49-yard landing from Wayne Knight with 2:16 left proved sufficient for JMU to hold on for the highway win.
 
Knight led the Dukes in dashing, as he ran for 87 yards and a landing. He additionally added 4 catches for 79 receiving yards and a landing to complete with 166 all-purpose yards. Three Dukes had at the very least three catches, as Jaylan Sanchez scored his first JMU landing on an 80-yard move to complete with 86 receiving yards on three receptions. Landon Ellis completed with 49 receiving yards on a trio of grabs.
 
On the opposite aspect of the ball, 5 Dukes completed with profession highs in tackles, led by Tyler Brown and Trent Hendrick, who had 13 and 12, respectively. Gannon Weathersby made 11 stops whereas Amar Thomas added 9. Aiden Gobaira additionally contributed eight tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss to associate with the game-sealing sack.
 
For Marshall, Carlos Del Rio-Wilson completed with 227 whole yards, as he was totaled 154 passing yards and a landing whereas including 73 yards on the bottom. Antwan Roberts led the bottom assault with 121 dashing yards and a rating.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• JMU struck first, as Barnett related with Braeden Wisloski on a 26-yard landing move, which noticed Wisloski go excessive of the defender ultimately zone.
• Marshall bought on the board with a Roberts 15-yard landing dashing rating to make it a 7-6 sport.
• Knight put JMU within the purple zone on a 22-yard pitch and completed the drive with a six-yard landing, giving JMU a 14-6 edge with 8:38 to go within the half.
• After a Marshall subject objective, JMU upped its result in 21-9 on a Jordan Fuller one-yard rush, and the Herd shortly answered with a 52-yard subject objective to make it 21-12 on the break.
• Sanchez prolonged the result in 28-12 halfway by the third together with his first JMU landing on a career-long 80-yard strike from Barnett. It was additionally the longest move of Barnett’s profession.
• After a fake-punt move to increase their drive, the Herd bought inside a rating, at 28-20, late within the quarter on a four-yard landing by Del-Rio Wilson to Tracy Stephens. The two-point attempt was additionally good on Del-Rio Wilson’s move.
• Marshall compelled the primary turnover of the sport, as Barnett was picked off on a tipped move in Herd territory. On the following possession, JMU’s protection held Marshall to a subject objective, making the rating 28-23 with 10:15 to go.
• After a vital fourth-down cease with 3:15 remaining, Knight scored from 49 yards out on a swing move to place the sport out of Marshall’s attain.
• On the ultimate drive and within the purple zone, Marshall was halted on Gobaira’s fourth-down sack.

 
GAME NOTES
JMU received its first sport of the yr after being out-gained on the day, as Marshall’s last drive gave the hosts a 414-409 edge in whole yards.
JMU registered a season-high 9 move breakups , together with two every by Jacob Thomas and Sahir West.
Marshall had 25 first downs, versus 20 by JMU. It was essentially the most first downs JMU has allowed all season.
Neither group performed over 50% on third down, as JMU was 5-of-12 and MU completed 6-of-17.
Teams mixed for simply 11 TFL and two sacks, as JMU had 5 TFL, to Marshall’s six.

• JMU’s 7-0 lead after one marked simply the second time this season Marshall has trailed after the opening quarter.
• Barnett’s first landing move was the fortieth of his profession and his game-clinching third rating within the fourth marked the sixtieth whole landing of his profession.
• Marshall’s third-quarter landing ended a second-half scoreless streak of 149:46 (second-half time solely).
• Since each groups joined the Sun Belt in 2022, the highway group has received all 4 conferences.

UP NEXT
JMU returns residence to open a two-game homestand with a Sun Belt matchup towards App State on Saturday, Nov. 15. Kickoff from Bridgeforth Stadium is about for a 3:30 p.m. begin on ESPN+.