Dukes Defeat Hofstra 31-21 in Atlantic 10 Play

Saturday, October 2

Harrisonburg, Va.

James Madison University

3-1 , 2-0

Hofstra

2-2 , 1-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Hofstra

James Madison

10/2/2004 2:28:00 PM | Football

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. (10/2/2004) – Maurice Fenner and Alvin Banks combined to run for 266 yards, and Justin Rascati had his then-most-effective collegiate performance as JMU won its Atlantic 10 home-opener, 31-21 over Hofstra. The Dukes compiled 494 yards of total offense.

Fenner ran 24 times for 148 yards and three touchdowns and Banks 19 times for 118 yards. Fenner scored on a four-yard run during the first quarter, on a three-yard carry during the third period and on a two-yard run during the fourth quarter. His scoring run with 4:10 left during the third quarter gave JMU a 21-14 lead, and his fourth-period touchdown run raised the lead to 28-14 with 11:03 remaining and capped a 13-play, 92-yard series for the Dukes.

JMU then quickly increased its margin to 31-14 when David Rabil with 8:38 left kicked a 34-yard field goal four plays after Clint Kent covered a loose ball on the kickoff following Fenner's third touchdown. After seeing Hofstra set up touchdown drives with kickoff returns of 46 and 56 yards, the Dukes kicked off short, and Kent grabbed the ball at the Hofstra 23 when it fell free.

Rascati completed 19 of 22 passes for 188 yards and wasn't intercepted. He completed all eight of his second-half throws for 82 yards and also ran for 23 yards overall.

JMU didn't have a turnover for the first time in 10 games and held the ball for 38:31 of the game's 60 minutes.

The Dukes drove 77 yards for their first touchdown following a fumble recovery by Michael Brown, and Kent had a fourth-quarter interception.

Hofstra finished with 280 total yards.

The game was the third time during their careers and the second time during the 2004 season that Fenner and Banks each had 100 rushing yards. The 100-yard performance was the seventh of Banks' career and the third of Fenner's.

Rascati's completion percentage of .864 was just off Matt LeZotte's team-game-record mark of .867 (13-15), set in 2002 at Rhode Island. Rascati's touchdown pass was to Chris Iorio, a six-yarder with 1:06 left during the first half to give JMU a 14-7 halftime lead.