DELAWARE HOLDS OFF DUKES FOR 37-34 FOOTBALLWIN

Saturday, November 3

Newark, Del.

12:05 p.m.

James Madison University

6-3 , 4-2

Delaware

8-1 , 5-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

James Madison

Delaware

11/3/2007 4:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

NEWARK, Del., Nov. 3, 2007 – Delaware scored 17 points immediately after James Madison turnovers and beat the Dukes 37-34 Saturday in a Colonial Athletic Association football game between nationally ranked teams.

The Blue Hens got 10 first-quarter points after fumble recoveries and a third-quarter touchdown after an interception return to the JMU seven. Seventh-ranked Delaware also recovered a Dukes fumble at its 31 in the closing minutes with JMU moving for a potential game-tying field goal or go-ahead touchdown.

The Dukes held Delaware without a first down after their turnover with 2:15 to play but couldn't get a first down after getting possession at their 40 with 1:19 left.

Delaware improved to 8-1 overall and to 5-1 in the CAA with the win while 12th-ranked JMU fell to 6-3 overall and to 4-2 in the CAA.

JMU had 442 yards of total offense (403 rushing, 39 passing) to Delaware's 418 yards (161 rushing, 257), but the Blue Hens didn't have a turnover.

Senior tailback Antoinne Bolton (Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes) ran for a career-high 172 yards and two touchdowns and redshirt freshman tailback Griff Yancey (Glen Allen, Va./Hermitage) had 171 rushing yards and two touchdowns for the Dukes.

Delaware scored first with 2:58 left in the first quarter when Matt Marcorelle returned a fumble 28 yards to the JMU seven, and Omar Cuff had a one-yard scoring run three plays later for the first of his three touchdowns for the day.

The Blue Hens raised the lead to 10-0 with 0:06 left in the opening quarter when Jon Striefsky kicked the first of his three field goals in the game – a 24-yarder – after JMU's punter fumbled a snap, giving Delaware possession at the Dukes' 29.

JMU got to within 10-6 with 9:28 left in the first half when Yancey scored on a five-yard run to cap a 57-yard, 12-play series, but Delaware got field goals of 31 and 37 by Striefsky to lead 16-6 at halftime.

JMU took its only lead by scoring on a pair of long runs during the third quarter. Yancey broke free on an 86-yard scoring sprint to get the Dukes to within 16-13 with 12:01 left in the period, and Bolton scored from 48 yards with 8:54 left in the quarter for a 20-16 Dukes advantage.

Yancey's touchdown run matched the third-longest running play in team history and was the longest carry by a JMU player since Joe Sparksman had a team-record 95-yard scoring run against William & Mary in 1990.

Delaware regained the lead, 23-20 with 6:01 left in the third quarter, on a nine-yard Cuff scoring run at the end of a 66-yard, nine-play series and upped the margin to 30-20 at the 3:46 mark of the period on a three-yard scoring run by quarterback Joe Flacco. Flacco's score at the end of a seven-yard drive was set up by Anthony Walters' 32-yard interception return of a tipped pass.

JMU pulled to within 30-27 when Bolton scored on a 55-yard run at 1:42 of the third period, but Delaware came back with a 78-yard march that ended with Cuff's third touchdown, an eight-yard carry with 12:50 to play.

The Dukes trailed only 37-34 after junior quarterback Rodney Landers (Virginia Beach, Va./Tallwood) scored from six yards at the end of a 59-yard, 10-play series with 8:12 left and were moving again after forcing a Delaware punt when their fumble at the Blue Hen 31 stopped the drive.

Cuff finished with 101 rushing yards and seven receptions for 66 yards, and Flacco completed 23 of 41 passes for 257 yards for Delaware.

JMU is on the road for a second straight week next Saturday (Nov. 10) when it plays a 7 p.m. CAA game at William & Mary.

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