The James Madison Dukes continue to strengthen their case for the College Football Playoff, dominating App State 58-10 at home.
Appalachian State headed into Harrisonburg with an upset in mind. The past two years they have come in as underdogs against the Dukes and come out on top. There was even some slight hope at the beginning of the game as it was only 7-0 JMU after the first quarter following a couple of exchanged interceptions.
Hope was then quickly extinguished at the Dukes would go on to put together one of the most dominant performances in program history.
At halftime, the score was 27-0, but the scope of how one sided this game was could be seen in the total yards. James Madison was outgaining App State 327-40 at halftime as well.
JMU’s stifling defense did not even let the Mountaineers cross midfield and the longest sustained drive was four plays for 22 yards, which ended in an interception.
The third quarter would be more of the same, exacerbated by the fact that the Mountaineers decided to go for it on fourth down, deep in their own territory, to open up the quarter. JMU would immediately capitalize with another touchdown.
At the end of the third quarter the score was 37-0, but once again the story of true domination could be seen in the total yards. JMU had 472 to App State’s 29.
Another touchdown drive to open up the fourth quarter put the game away completely at 44-0.
A roughing the passer penalty on App State’s Aiden Gobaira negated a pick-six, but App State scored its first points of the contest on a 48-yard field goal by Dominic De Freitas with 10:48 left to go. The penalty also gave the Mountaineers their first trip into Dukes territory at that point.
Alonza Barnett III would finish the game with 303 pass yards and two touchdowns with one interception.
AJ Swann had a difficult game under the relentless pressure of the Dukes defense. After noticeably limping following the roughing the passer call from the previous drive, he would come out once again but ultimately end up leaving the game following a third-down sack.
After another App State punt, Matthew Sluka would tack on another long touchdown run to make the game 58-3.
Of App State’s 146 total yards, 76 of them came on the final drive of the game, most of it coming through the air.
An impressive catch in the endzone would bring the final score to 58-10, a score line no one affiliated with this budding rivalry would have expected.
JMU would end the game with 627 yards— 303 through the air and 324 on the ground.
Appalachian State would end with 146– 145 through the air and a single rushing yard.
During the brief postgame interview JMU head coach Bob Chesney talked about alumni and how much this game meant to them. He also mentioned the game from last year and how it helped the team remained focused and driven during the week.
James Madison is now 9-1, which was around what their ceiling was going into the season. The Dukes will host Washington State next weekend, and continue their push for a conference championship, and outside shot at the College Football Playoff.
App State falls to 4-6, and after a few close losses before this blowout, will be looking to right the ship and position themselves for bowl eligibility. It won’t get easier for the Mountaineers though, who have rival Marshall coming into town next weekend.
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