HARRISONBURG, VA -- James Madison scored 19 straight second half points Saturday, erasing a 12-0 halftime deficit as the Dukes scored a 19-12 win over visiting Elon College before 8,000 at Bridgeforth Stadium on Saturday. The victory was the first of the year for the Dukes (1-3), while Elon falls to 1-3.
The Fightin' Christians dominated the first half of play, racking up 204 yards of total offense en route to a 12-0 lead at halftime. Elon opened a 7-0 lead just 2:27 into the game, as Steven Ferguson's 17-yard run capped a picture-perfect 73-yard drive to open the game. QB Derrick Moore's 48-yard run was a key play in the series. Elon stretched its lead to 10-0 with 1:27 remaining in the half, as Austin Boone's 21-yard field goal ended a 15-play drive that took nearly nine minutes off the clock. Elon's final points of the half came with no time remaining, when Antwon Stevenson blocked a JMU punt with :03 left in the half. Elon's Kyle Hinshaw chased the ball down in the end zone, but the ball went out of bounds before Hinshaw reached it, giving Elon its first safety of the year and a 12-0 lead at intermission. It was a fitting end to a half which was thoroughly dominated by the Fightin' Christians, who limited the Dukes to just two first downs and 58 yards of total offense in the half. In addition, Elon held a whopping 22:17 - 7:43 edge in time of possession.
But the second half belonged to JMU, as Elon would manage just 61 yards of offense in the half. Meanwhile, the Dukes' offense came alive, as John Wakely caught a nine-yard TD pass from QB Greg Maddox, and RB Delvin Joyce went eight-yards for a TD run to give JMU a 13-12 edge after three quarters. Joyce also struck another big blow for the Dukes with a 68-yard punt return for a TD with 9:58 left in the game. The Fightin' Christians then drove to the JMU 27 with less than five minutes remaining, but Moore fumbled on fourth down, giving JMU possession. Elon did get the ball back one more time with :13 remaining to play at its own 32, but Moore's desperation pass from midfield on the game's last play was knocked away by the Dukes.
Elon outgained the Dukes by a 265-213 margin, but the Fightin' Christians were only able to pick up four first downs in the second half. Moore finished the game with 92 yards rushing on 20 carries, his highest total of the season. LB Roger Allen had nine tackles for the defense, while Stevenson registered six tackles and returned a fumble in addition to blocking a punt. Elon's defense also held down JMU's rushing attack, limiting the Dukes' Curtis Keaton to just 49 yards on 18 carries. A week earlier, Keaton had posted a career-high 241 yards rushing in JMU's loss to #4 Villanova.
The Fightin' Christians return to action on Saturday, October 3, traveling to Morehead, KY to face Morehead State University (4-0) in a 7:00 p.m. game.
- ELON -
