JMU Welcomes Marshall to Town Saturday for Homecoming
10/19/2022 11:30:00 AM | Football
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HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison returns home this weekend for a sold-out Homecoming matchup against Marshall in Sun Belt Conference football action on Saturday, Oct. 22.
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Kickoff from Bridgeforth Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+. Pregame radio coverage on the Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network will begin at 2:30 p.m.
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Saturday's game is sponsored by University Outpost, and the 2022 JMU football season is presented by CarMax.
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James Madison (5-1, 3-1 Sun Belt) vs. Marshall (3-3, 0-2 Sun Belt)
Saturday, October 22, 2022
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m.
Harrisonburg, Va. | Bridgeforth Stadium (24,877)
Saturday marks the third all-time meeting between the teams, with Marshall leading 2-0.
However, this is the first regular-season matchup and the first in Harrisonburg, with the previous two games occurring in Huntington during the FCS playoffs (formerly I-AA).
In the inaugural meeting on Nov. 28, 1987, Marshall cruised to a 41-12 victory in JMU's first postseason berth.
On Dec. 3, 1994 in the second round of the playoffs, the Thundering Herd outlasted the Dukes, 28-21, in OT.
This weekend will also mark just the sixth Division I game against a team from West Virginia, as it's also faced WVU three times (0-3).
Going back to the Division III days, JMU has also faced Glenville State College (1-0-1), Shepherd (2-2) and Shepherd JV (1-1). This game marks the first time in 45 years that JMU will host a team from the Mountain State, as the Dukes hosted Shepherd for the final time back on Oct. 1, 1977.
 DUKES FALL IN SLUGFEST AT GEORGIA SOUTHERN
In a game featuring 1,265 total yards, 1,046 passing yards and a pair of lead changes in the final 2:28, Georgia Southern handed JMU its first loss of the season in a 45-38 decision last Saturday in Statesboro, Ga.
Kyle Vantrease threw for a program-record 578 passing yards and four touchdowns, as three Eagles recorded 100-yard games, led by Amare Jones' 164 yards and two scores.
That was the most passing yards JMU has ever allowed in a single game.
Todd Centeio also set JMU's single-game passing record, as he went for 468 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions. He gained 512 total yards, adding 44 rushing yards and a career-high three TDs. His total offense numbers also ranked second in single-game history.
Percy Agyei-Obese rushed for 106 yards, becoming the fifth JMU player to eclipse 3,000 career rushing yards.
Reggie Brown caught a career-high eight passes for 136 yards and a touchdown, while Kris Thornton made five grabs for 126 yards.
JMU trailed 34-24 midway through the fourth before a three-play, 91-yard drive, capped off by a Brown 28-yard touchdown made it 34-31 with 6:24 to play.
After yielding a field goal with 3:53 left and trailing 37-31, JMU needed just eight plays to go the length of the field to take a 38-37 lead on a Terrance Greene Jr. touchdown.
GS responded with another touchdown with a two-point conversion with 1:10 to go. On the ensuing drive, JMU drove into enemy territory before an interception sealed Southern's win.
 THORNTON NAMED TO BILETNIKOFF WATCH LIST
Kris Thornton was named to the Biletnikoff Award watch list on Wednesday, becoming the third player to be recognized by a major FBS award this season.
The Biletnikoff Award, sponsored by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation, is given annually to college football's outstanding receiver at any position.
This season, Thornton has 37 receptions for 642 yards and five touchdowns. He had four 100-yard games, including a career-best 173 at Arkansas State.
Thornton ranks eighth in the FBS in receiving yards per game (107.0) and 29th in catches per outing (6.2).
 JMU STILL REELING IN VOTES
Despite its first loss of the season and falling out of the Associated Press Top-25 College Football Poll, the Dukes still garnered votes this week.
JMU tallied six points in this week's poll, coming in at #21 on one ballot and #25 on another.
This is the fourth straight week JMU has received votes.
Last week, JMU was #25, marking its first national ranking at the FBS level.
It had also previously received votes in the last three coaches polls before this week.
 LAST NON-AUTONOMY FIVE UNBEATEN
For four hours and 36 minutes, JMU staked the claim as the country's final non-autonomy five unbeaten team.
Coastal Carolina fell 49-21 to Old Dominion at 3:31 PM, before JMU dropped a 45-38 game at Georgia Southern at 8:07 PM later that night.
Week seven of the college football season was not kind to the list of unbeatens, as six lost its first game, leaving nine undefeated squads left.
The SEC leads the FBS with three teams, while the ACC and Big Ten each have two.
The Big 12 and Pac 12 also have one team apiece.
This week, there will be at least one unbeaten team to fall, as Syracuse visits Clemson.
Georgia and Michigan are both on a bye.
 JMU ACTIVE STREAKS
8 straight home wins
29 straight games holding opponents under 50% on third down
6 straight games outgaining opponents
6 straight games out-rushing opponents
 STREAKS SNAPPED AT GS
First regular-season loss in 12 games
First conference loss in 9 games
First regular-season road loss in 15 games
First conference road loss in 14 games
 MR. 3,000 - PERCY AGYEI-OBESE
On Saturday at Georgia Southern, Percy Agyei-Obese became JMU's fifth 3,000-yard rusher.
Playing in his 55th career game, Agyei-Obese turned in his 11th 100-yard rushing game with 106 yards in Statesboro.
He currently sits at 3,055 rushing yards, and he ranks top eight in five different categories all-time at JMU.
 CENTEIO BREAKS PASSING RECORD
Todd Centeio threw for more passing yards in a game than any JMU quarterback before him, as he went for 468 yards at Georgia Southern.
He surpassed Vad Lee's record of 433, which he set on Nov. 14, 2014 at Richmond.
Centeio also added 44 rushing yards, finishing with 512 total yards, which is second in JMU single-game history only to Lee's 565 yards on Sept. 26, 2015 at SMU.
 WHAT'S UP NEXT
JMU is off next week before returning to action on Saturday, Nov. 5 at Louisville. Kickoff time and network will be announced by ESPN next Monday. This will be the first meeting all-time between the Dukes and Cardinals.
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