JMU Returns to Sun Belt Play, Faces ODU in Norfolk Saturday

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Following its final non-conference game this past week, JMU returns to Sun Belt Conference play on Saturday, Nov. 12 with a trip to Norfolk to face Old Dominion.

Kickoff from S.B. Ballard Stadium is set for 1 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+. Pregame radio coverage on the Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network will begin at noon.

This will be the first football matchup between the teams in the newly-announced TowneBank Royal Rivalry Challenge, which JMU currently leads 4.5-2.5 this year. It will also be the annual Oyster Bowl, with JMU making its third appearance. It previously played Richmond in 1985 and ODU back in 2011.

The 2022 JMU football season is presented by CarMax.

James Madison (5-3, 3-2 SBC) vs. Old Dominion (3-6, 2-3 SBC)
Saturday, November 12, 2022
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
Norfolk, Va. | S.B. Ballard Stadium (21,944)

Game Information
Online: ESPN+ (subscription required)
Radio: WSVA 92.1 FM/550 AM
Listen: Varsity Network
Live Stats
JMU Game Notes

DUKES ALL-TIME VERSUS THE MONARCHS

This weekend marks the third matchup against Old Dominion and the first in 10 years when both were then conference mates in the CAA.
ODU leads the series 2-0, winning the first game in Norfolk and the second in Harrisonburg.
The Monarchs claimed a 23-20 win in the inaugural meeting on Oct. 29, 2011, rallying from down 20-14 after hitting three second-half field goals to cap the scoring.
The following year, ODU won 38-28 at JMU on Nov. 17, 2012, using three straight touchdowns to come back from a 28-17 deficit.

BACK IN SUN BELT PLAY FOR FINAL THREE

JMU closes the season with three straight Sun Belt Conference matchups, all against East division opponents.
The Dukes currently sit at 3-2 in conference play, tied for second in the East with Georgia State.
Coastal Carolina leads the way with a 5-1 conference record, needing just one win to secure a spot in the SBC championship game in December.
However, JMU still controls its own destiny to finish with at least a share of the best East division record.
Following ODU this week, JMU is back home for its final two, hosting the division's other top-two teams in Georgia State on Nov. 19 and Coastal Carolina on Nov. 26.

LOUISVILLE PULLS AWAY IN SECOND HALF

JMU led 10-7 late in the first half, but Louisville scored 27 unanswered down the stretch to pull away for a 34-10 win against the Dukes at Cardinal Stadium.
It was JMU's third straight loss, while Louisville won its fourth straight to become bowl eligible.
Louisville held a lopsided lead in total offense, at 467-193, which included a 302-49 margin in the second half.
Percy Agyei-Obese turned in his 12th career 100-yard performance, rushing for 102 yards and a touchdown.
Malik Cunningham paced the UofL offense with 223 passing yards and three touchdowns. Two Cardinals rushed for over 100 yards, as Tiyon Evans had 126 and Jawhar Jordan added 117. JMU's defense held Cunningham to zero rushing yards on his 15 attempts.
JMU also dropped to 2-10 all-time against Atlantic Coast Conference opponents.

FIRST-TIME STARTERS, CAREER NUMBERS

JMU's defense held Louisville's offense at bay for one half, and multiple first-time starters had career-high numbers in the setback.
Francis Meehan tallied a team-best 10 tackles in his first start at safety, while Trent Hendrick made seven stops with a tackle for loss at linebacker.
Additionally, two Dukes up front had solid nights, as James Carpenter had seven tackles with a career-high 3.0 TFL, while Isaac Ukwu made a career-best seven tackles with 2.5 TFL, tying his single-game high.
Chauncey Logan also had a career-high five tackles in his start at cornerback.

JMU'S FBS STATISTICAL RANKS

Entering this week's in-state matchup, JMU ranks top 10 in the FBS in four categories.
That includes ranking second nationally in rushing defense (77.9) and tackles for loss per game (9.0).
The Dukes are also eighth on third-down defense (28.6%) and 10th in fewest first downs allowed per contest (15.125).
Individually, quarterback Todd Centeio ranks top 20 in five offensive categories.
He's fifth in yards per completion (14.66), ninth in point responsibility per game (19.1), 13th in yards per pass attempt (8.98) and 15th in both total offense (310.9) and pass efficiency (160.3).
Kris Thornton, the SBC's second-leading receiver is 15th in receiving yards per game (89.2).
Defensively, Taurus Jones is ninth with two forced fumbles, while Chauncey Logan is 17th in passes defended per game (1.3).

PERCY OVER CENTURY MARK

Percy Agyei-Obese went over 100 rushing yards for the 12th time this past week at Louisville.
It was his third 100-yard game over the past four weeks, as he currently ranks third in the Sun Belt with 94.0 rushing yards per game.
Agyei-Obese's five rushing touchdowns also ranks tied for eighth in the league.
He's also one of JMU's all-time leading rushers, ranking top five in four categories.
His 3,253 rushing yards ranks fifth and he's just 80 yards off a #4 ranking. He's also second in rushing touchdowns, needing just six for the outright record.

AIRING IT OUT TO KT

Kris Thornton, a Biletnikoff Award watch list honoree has quickly risen on JMU's receiving charts in just over two years.
He has four 100-yard games this season and is second in the Sun Belt in receiving yards per game (89.25).
Thornton is sixth in the SBC in catches per game (5.38) and 10th in all-purpose yards (93.75).
Entering this week's game at ODU, he's a dozen receiving yards shy of fourth place, which would pass Brandon Ravenel.
He needs just four more catches to surpass Gary Clark, thus entering the top five at JMU, and is five receiving scores away from the JMU record.
He is tied for third all-time at JMU in receiving touchdowns (21), fifth in receiving yards (2,239) and sixth in receptions (152).

757 TIES AT JMU

A dozen JMU football players have ties to the Hampton Roads area, including six calling Virginia Beach, Va., home.
The 757-area Dukes include: Blake Barnes (Virginia Beach), Kaelon Black (Virginia Beach), Desmond Green (Virginia Beach), Taurus Jones (Portsmouth), Nehki Meredith (Virginia Beach), Seth Noatala (Newport News), John Ransom (Chesapeake), Zai Roberts (Virginia Beach), Jamaree Seldon (Williamsburg), Tyler Stephens (Virginia Beach), Tyrique Tucker (Norfolk), and Aaron Whear (Suffolk).

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Online: ESPN+ (subscription required)
Listen: Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network

On the radio – WSVA 92.1 FM/550 AM
On mobile – The Varsity Network
Online: WSVAOnline.com

Broadcast Talent

ESPN+: Chip Tarkenton (pxp), Andy Mashaw (analyst)
Radio: Dave Riggert (pxp), Alex Miller (analyst)

WHAT'S UP NEXT

JMU returns home for its penultimate game of the 2022 season when it hosts Georgia State on Saturday, Nov. 19.
Kickoff from Bridgeforth Stadium is set for a 2 p.m. start and will be streamed on ESPN+.
JMU and GSU have only met once, with the Dukes claiming a 28-21 win in Harrisonburg on Oct. 27, 2012.

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