#1 JMU TOPS #6 VILLANOVA TO REACH FCS SEMIFINALS

Saturday, December 6

Harrisonburg, Va.

3:30 p.m.

James Madison University

12-1

Villanova

10-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Villanova

James Madison

12/6/2008 5:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va., Dec. 6, 2008 – Senior Rodney Landers (Virginia Beach, Va./Tallwood) scored on a one-yard rush with 1:38 remaining to give James Madison a 31-27 win over Villanova on Saturday afternoon in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs at Bridgeforth Stadium/Zane Showker Field.

JMU, ranked first nationally, improved to 12-1 overall with its 12th win in a row and second victory over sixth-ranked Villanova this season. The 12-game winning streak matches the program record, which spanned the 1975 and 1976 seasons.

With the victory, the Dukes advance to the FCS Semifinals and will host #5 Montana. The game will either be played on Friday, Dec. 12 at 8 p.m. with televised coverage on ESPN2 or on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 4 p.m. airing on ESPN. Official date and time are expected to be announced Sunday afternoon.

Villanova took its only lead of the game on a 13-yard pass from Matthew Szczur to Stephen Pimm to go ahead 27-24 with 6:54 remaining.

Landers answered by leading the Dukes on an 11-play, 54-yard drive in 5:16 to take the lead back at 31-27. The drive included a 22-yard rush by sophomore Griff Yancey (Glen Allen, Va./Hermitage) on fourth and two at the Villanova 46.

The Wildcats took possession on their own 20 yard line and drove 21 yards before quarterback Chris Whitney was intercepted by JMU senior Marcus Haywood (Williamsburg, Va./Bruton) to seal the victory for the Dukes.

Landers matched his career high with four total touchdowns. He rushed 26 times for 143 yards and the winning score while also completing 14 of 20 passes for 157 yards and three touchdowns.

Landers completed passes to eight different receivers with touchdowns to junior Bosco Williams (Clifton Forge, Va./Alleghany), senior Mike Caussin (Springfield, Va./West Springfield), and freshman Kerby Long (Arlington, Va./Yorktown). Junior Arthur Moats (Portsmouth, Va./Churchland) led the JMU defense with 11 tackles and three and a half sacks.

Whitney completed 13 of 20 passes for 213 yards with one touchdown and the one interception. Szczur caught two passes for 71 yards, had 12 rushing yards with a score, and was one for two throwing the ball with the one touchdown. Brandon Harvey had five catches for 91 yards and a touchdown.

JMU had 389 total yards on 69 plays, including 48 rushes for 215 yards. VU had 310 total yards on 81 rushing yards and 229 passing yards. JMU held a 23-15 edge in first downs and led in time of possession minutes 37 to 23.

The Dukes grabbed a quick 14-0 lead in the game with Caussin and Williams hauling in touchdown passes from Landers on drives of 70 and 40 yards, the latter drive being set up by a Villanova fumble.

The Wildcats then drove 60 yards in just four plays with a touchdown by Louis Adeyemi with 13:38 remaining in the second quarter. The majority of the yardage came on a third and long completion for 59 yards from Whitney to Szczur.

Villanova then took advantage of a fumble by Landers to drive 36 yards in eight plays, tying the game on a two-yard run by Szczur with 37 seconds remaining in the half.

JMU took possession to open the second half and drove 77 yards on 10 plays in nearly five minutes with the go-ahead score coming on a 30-yard pass from Landers to Long.

The Dukes then took a 10-point lead on a 23-yard field goal by senior Dave Stannard (Midlothian, VA./Clover Hill) after a 10-play, 60-yard drive.

Villanova charged right back and scored on a 26-yard pass from Whitney to Harvey. The ensuing JMU drive stalled, setting up the go-ahead score by the Wildcats and eventual JMU game winner by Landers.

NOTES: JMU's 12-game winning streak is tied for the second-longest active streak in all of Division I, trailing only Utah (13) and matching Boise State (12)... Landers broke the JMU single season record for passing touchdowns with 22, passing Justin Rascati's 2006 total of 20... Landers moved into fourth in career touchdown passes with 35... Landers broke his own JMU record for season total offense with 3,205, topping his mark from last year of 2,951...Landers climbed from seventh to a tie for fourth in career scoring with 204 points... JMU defeated Villanova on the road earlier this season 23-19 on Oct. 25 on a last-second pass from Landers to Williams.