HOLLOMAN, DEFENSE LEAD JMU OVER TOP-RANKED WILDCATS

Saturday, October 14

Durham, N.H.

12:05 PM

James Madison University

5-1 , 3-0

New Hampshire

5-1 , 2-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

James Madison

New Hampshire

10/14/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

DURHAM, N.H. ? Junior tailback Eugene Holloman (Virginia Beach, Va./Bayside) scored three touchdowns, and the James Madison defense controlled the nation's top-scoring offense for most of the game as the Dukes posted a 42-23 victory at previously unbeaten and No. 1-ranked New Hampshire Saturday.

Holloman had scoring runs of 28 and 10 yards and caught a 28-yard touchdown pass as the JMU offense had its fourth straight game with 35 or more points, and the Dukes defeated a top-ranked team for the first time since 1992.

JMU, now 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the Atlantic 10, fell at then-No. 1 Appalachian State earlier this season but was in control of its second 2006 meeting with a top-ranked team throughout the final half and won for the fourth straight time.

The Dukes allowed a New Hampshire touchdown on the Wildcats' initial possession, but New Hampshire, which came into the game averaging 46.2 points per game, didn't find the end zone again until after JMU led 42-10.

Saturday's victory was the Dukes' second over a No. 1 team. The Dukes won 52-49 at Youngstown State in 1992 when the Penguins were the defending Division I-AA champion and ranked No. 1.

Holloman finished with 117 rushing yards on 24 carries, and the Dukes compiled 356 total yards (259 rushing, 97 passing).

The JMU defense allowed 361 total yards (nine rushing, 352 passing) to a New Hampshire squad that entered the game averaging 445.4 yards (217.6 rushing, 227.8 passing.

New Hampshire returned the opening kickoff 24 yards to the JMU 40 and scored in nine plays. Chad Kackert capped the series with a one-yard run.

JMU tied the score at 7-7 with 7:11 left in the opening quarter when sophomore safety Marcus Haywood (Williamsburg, Va./Bruton) intercepted a pass by New Hampshire quarterback Ricky Santos and ran 44 yards along the left sideline for a touchdown. The interception and touchdown were the firsts of Haywood's career, and the interception was the first Santos had thrown in 137 passes this season.

New Hampshire regained the lead 10-7 on a 27-yard field goal by Tom Bishop on the first play of the second quarter, but JMU went in front 14-10 on the following possession. The Dukes drove 70 yards in nine plays before senior quarterback Justin Rascati (Gainesville, Fla./Buchholz) scored on a career-long 40-yard run. Rascati scored on a fourth-down-and-three play two snaps after connecting with junior tailback Antoinne Bolton (Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lake) for 11 yards on a second-and-18 situation.

Senior linebacker Akeem Jordan (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) stopped the next New Hampshire possession with a fumble recovery at the JMU 15, and the Dukes increased the lead to 21-10 with 1:18 left in the first half when Rascati hit Holloman with a 27-yard touchdown pass. The Dukes drove 46 yards in six plays after forcing New Hampshire to punt from deep in its territory.

JMU increased its margin to 28-10 with an eight-play, 60-yard drive on its second possession of the final half. The Dukes lost the ball on an interception on the opening series of the final half but stopped New Hampshire after one first down and got a 28-yard touchdown run from Holloman to cap their scoring march.

JMU got the ball back on the Wildcat 17 four plays later when New Hampshire punter Matt Henry failed to handle a snap and was downed. Holloman scored from the 10 two plays later for a 35-10 JMU lead with 2:49 left in the third quarter, and the Dukes got a six-yard Bolton touchdown run with 10:59 to play in the game, four plays after New Hampshire failed to convert on a fourth-down attempt from its 20.

New Hampshire got a pair of fourth-quarter scores on drives of 82 and 96 yards.

Jordan and senior tackle Chuck Suppon (Shavertown, Pa./Dallas) led the JMU defense. Jordan took part in a career-high 18 tackles, including 14 unassisted. Suppon was the Atlantic 10 defensive player of the week after being involved in six tackles, including five solo, three sacks and another stop for loss.

The Dukes next Saturday (Oct. 21) host William & Mary in a 3 p.m. game for JMU's homecoming.

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