Dukes Dominate App State for Eighth Straight Victory

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison dominated in all three phases, because the Dukes set a season excessive in complete offense whereas speeding for seven touchdowns to roll to a 58-10 victory towards App State on Saturday night at Bridgeforth Stadium.
 
The Dukes (9-1, 7-0 Sun Belt) ran their win streak to eight straight video games, all towards Group of Six opponents, after successful the entire offense battle by an astounding 627-146 margin over App State (4-6, 1-5 Sun Belt). The win Saturday was additionally the biggest margin of victory for JMU ever towards each a Sun Belt Conference opponent and within the 20-game historical past of the App State collection.

By advantage of their win and Georgia Southern’s victory towards Coastal Carolina, JMU received the Sun Belt Conference East Division title to punch their ticket to the Sun Belt title sport in December.

 

JMU by no means trailed and scored on all 9 red-zone journeys, constructing a 55-point lead within the fourth quarter. With 4:45 remaining within the sport, JMU held a 627-70 yards benefit after the guests had -11 alone within the third quarter.

 

JMU rushed for 324 yards, marking the fourth time this season JMU has eclipsed 300 speeding and for the third time versus a convention foe. It was additionally a season-high allowed by App. Jobi Malary turned in his finest efficiency since becoming a member of the JMU program, speeding for 105 yards on simply eight carries (13.1 avg.) with three touchdowns. It was his fifth profession 100-yard sport.

 

Wayne Knight was energetic in each the run and move sport, in addition to on particular groups, accruing 197 all-purpose yards, two shy of his profession excessive. He rushed for 94 yards and a landing whereas making a game-best six catches for 55 yards. He additionally averaged 9.6 per punt return on 5 tries.

 

Alonza Barnett turned in his third profession 300-yard passing sport, as he completed 22-of-35 for 303 yards whereas speeding for 2 touchdowns. Matthew Sluka added 70 speeding yards and a 35-yard rating on the bottom within the fourth quarter.

 

Eleven totally different Dukes caught a move within the win, as Nick DeGennaro had three grabs for 31 yards whereas Jaylan Sanchez made two catches for a team-high 69 receiving yards.

 

Defensively, JMU dominated the trenches, conceding only one speeding yard on 15 carries (0.1). The secondary tallied 10 move breakups and an interception, because the Mountaineers totaled 145 passing yards on a mixed 14-of-37 passing. Trent Hendrick led a balanced defensive assault with six tackles. JMU had six tackles for loss, as Sahir West, Jayden Studio and Xavier Holmes every made 1.5 TFL. DJ Barksdale intercepted his second move of the yr, and Elijah Culp had a two move breakups as nicely.

 

For App, AJ Swann was 8-of-28 for 64 yards and an interception, whereas J.J. Kohl was 6-of-8 for 81 yards and a landing down the stretch. Rashod Dubinion, the SBC’s main rusher, was held to 25 speeding yards on 10 makes an attempt, because the Mountaineers gained only one on 15 complete carries (0.1 avg.).

 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• JMU took benefit of a brief area after a Barksdale interception, with Knight punching it in from one yard out to open the scoring on the 6:54 mark of the primary.
• Suarez bookended the second quarter with makes from 45 and 38,whereas Malary and Barnett discovered paydirt to offer the Dukes a 27-0 lead on the half.
• The Mountaineers had been compelled to punt on six of their seven possessions within the first half, with the opposite drive ending in a choose.
• A failed faux punt by App State deep in their very own territory resulted in a JMU landing 4 performs later, capped off by Barnett’s second and last speeding landing of the night.
• Suarez added to the Dukes’ lead with a 26-yard area aim on the 4:06 mark of the third after a 14-play, 79-yard drive to offer JMU a commanding 37-0 lead.
• Malary discovered the endzone two extra instances within the fourth, whereas Sluka wrapped up JMU’s scoring with a 35-yard scamper.
• App State managed to get on the board with a 48-yard area aim early within the fourth, adopted by a 19-yard connection from Dozier to Kohl for the 58-10 last.

 
GAME NOTES

• JMU dominated time of possession by a 42:18 to 17:42 margin, as JMU ran 37 extra performs than App State.
• JMU out-gained App by a mean of seven.0 to 2.8 yards per play.
• The Dukes had been 8-of-14 on third down whereas holding App to only 1-of-12. JMU additionally transformed its lone fourth-down attempt, whereas App was 1-of-2.
• Suarez tied his profession excessive with three area objectives on three makes.
• JMU dominated the trenches within the third, holding App State to -11 yards on 4 makes an attempt (-2.8), in comparison with 145 yards for the Dukes, together with going 6.1 yards on the bottom.
• With his two speeding scores, Barnett now has 12 on the yr, which is tied for seventh in JMU single-season historical past.
• The seven speeding touchdowns had been probably the most since JMU had seven towards Norfolk Stateon Sept. 16, 2017.
• The margin of victory (48) bested JMU’s earlier excessive versus a Sun Belt foe when it beat Coastal Carolina by 42 (56-14) in Conway on Nov. 25, 2023.

 
UP NEXT
JMU steps out of convention play to host Washington State on Saturday, Nov. 22 at Bridgeforth Stadium. Kickoff will both be at 1 or 2 p.m. on ESPN+.