DUKES TOP COASTAL CAROLINA FOR THIRD STRAIGHT FOOTBALL WIN

Saturday, September 22

Harrisonburg, Va.

6 p.m.

James Madison University

3-1

Coastal Carolina

1-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Coastal Carolina

James Madison

DUKES TOP COASTAL CAROLINA FOR THIRD STRAIGHT FOOTBALL WIN

9/24/2007 4:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va., Sept. 22, 2007 – Junior quarterback Rodney Landers (Virginia Beach, Va./Tallwood) compiled 292 yards of total offense to lead James Madison to a 45-10 non-conference football win over Coastal Carolina Saturday at Bridgeforth Stadium/Zane Showker Field.

Landers threw for 163 yards and a touchdown and ran 19 times for a game-high 129 yards and a score. He hit on nine of 13 passes and gave JMU a 7-0 lead less than five minutes into the game by hitting senior wide receiver L.C. Baker (Richmond, Va.) on a 35-yard scoring pass.

Landers' scoring run was from one yard, capping a 44-yard JMU drive, and gave the Dukes a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter.

JMU raised a 7-0 first-quarter lead to 28-0 by halftime and, after allowing Coastal Carolina's only touchdown on the opening series of the final half, upped the lead to 38-7 after three quarters. The Dukes had 395 total yards (232 rushing, 163 passing) to Coastal Carolina's 178 yards (47 rushing, 131 passing).

The win was JMU's third straight and improved the Dukes' record to 3-1. Coastal Carolina fell to 1-3.

Joining Landers with strong offensive efforts for JMU were a pair of first-year players in true freshman tailback Scott Noble (Baltimore, Md./Franklin) and redshirt freshman tailback Jamal Sullivan (Ruther Glen, Va./Caroline). Noble, playing for the first time as a college player, ran nine times for 55 yards and two touchdowns, and Sullivan carried seven times for 28 yards and two scores.

Noble was pressed into action as JMU played for the second straight game without senior tailback Eugene Halloman (Virginia Beach, Va./Bayside), who is out with a knee problem. Noble had a one-yard scoring run for a 35-7 JMU lead with 6:35 left in the third quarter and an 11-yard touchdown carry with 7:22 remaining for the game's final points. He also had a 31-yard reception.

Sullivan scored on a five-yard run for a 14-0 JMU lead with 13:00 left in the first half and on a four-yard carry for a 28-0 Dukes advantage with 1:22 left in the opening half.

Baker set up JMU's first score with a 43-yard punt return to the Coastal Carolina 35, and Landers carried six times for 66 yards on JMU's 74-yard drive that put the Dukes up 14-0.

Landers ran for 26 yards during a 44-yard series that gave the Dukes their 21-0 edge with 7:03 left in the half, and Noble's 31-yard reception was the key play during a 66-yard series that put JMU up 28-0.

Coastal Carolina drove 69 yards in 12 plays for its touchdown early in the third quarter, but JMU came right back with a 66-yard, six-play scoring drive to lead 35-7 and a 39-yard march that resulted in a 37-yard field goal by junior Dave Stannard (Midlothian, Va./Clover Hill). Baker's 45-yard reception from Landers set up JMU's first score of the final half.

JMU's final score -- Noble's 11-yard run with 7:22 left -- came on the first play after Coastal Carolina lost the ball on a bad center snap that Dukes' sophomore defensive end Arthur Moats recovered.

Baker finished with four catches for 97 yards for JMU, and the Dukes defensively were led by junior safety Marcus Haywood (Williamsburg, Va./Bruton) with eight tackles.

JMU hosts Villanova next Saturday (Sept. 29) in a noon Family Weekend game. Comcast SportsNet Middle Atlantic will televise the game.

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