JMU WINS 17-14 AT MASSACHUSETTS IN FOOTBALL

Saturday, November 14

Amherst, Mass.

12:05 p.m.

James Madison University

5-5 , 3-4

Massachusetts

5-5 , 3-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

James Madison

UMass

11/14/2009 8:00:00 PM | Football

Box Score

AMHERST, Mass., Nov. 14, 2009 - Sophomore tailback Scott Noble (Baltimore, Md./Franklin) ran for a career-high 105 yards and James Madison's defense scored a touchdown and set up a field goal as the Dukes defeated Massachusetts 17-14 in Colonial Athletic Association football Saturday.

JMU improved to 5-5 overall and to 3-4 in the CAA with the win, its third-straight victory. Massachusetts also is 5-5 overall and 3-4 in the CAA.

Noble started for the first time in 2009 and ran 29 times from scrimmage and caught three passes for 32 yards.

JMU got the game's first points -- a field goal after recovering a fumble at the Massachusetts six -- and got a 38-yard fumble return for a touchdown by senior cornerback Jamaris Sanders (Newport News, Va./Warwick). The Dukes' other points came on a 21-yard touchdown run by redshirt freshman quarterback Justin Thorpe (Richmond, Va./Varina).

Thorpe ran 20 times for 89 yards and completed eight of 13 passes for 120 yards.

JMU compiled 332 total yards (212 rushing, 120 passing) and Massachusetts 247 (159 rushing, 88 passing).

The Dukes scored all of their points during the first half and led 17-7 at halftime. They gave up a 77-yard touchdown drive on Massachusetts' second series of the final half but allowed the Minutemen only one first down on their final four possessions. Massachusetts had a net of only 23 yards of total offense on its final four series.

The Minutemen started a series at the JMU 46 with 5:49 left in the game after receiving a punt but gained only seven yards. They took possession at their 28 with 1:20 left following another punt and got a 16-yard completion on their first play but advanced only as far as their 47 before being stopped on downs with 0:11 remaining.

JMU took a 3-0 lead after recovering a fumble at the Massachusetts six on the Minutemen's first offensive play. Sophomore placekicker Dixon Wright (Crossnore, N.C./Avery County) kicked a 20-yard field goal with 7:00 left in the opening quarter after JMU gained but three yards on three running plays. JMU senior cornerback Scotty McGee (Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes) recovered the fumble that was forced by sophomore weak safety Jon Williams (Ridgeway, Va./Magna Vista).

JMU increased its lead to 10-0 three series later when Sanders stripped the ball from Massachusetts running back Tony Nelson and returned the turnover for a touchdown with 1:59 left in the first quarter.

Massachusetts got a 48-yard return of the ensuing kickoff to the JMU 39 and quickly pulled to within 10-7. Tailback Jon Hernandez capped the five-play scoring drive with a 16-yard touchdown run on the opening play of the second quarter.

JMU reached the Massachusetts nine during a nine-play series on the following possession but didn't convert on a 26-yard field goal attempt.

The Dukes did score on their next series, driving 57 yards in seven plays after a Massachusetts punt. Sophomore tailback/wide receiver Corwin Acker (Landover, Md./Blake) had a 16-yard carry on the series' second play and Thorpe an 11-yard scramble to the Minutemen 26 on a third-down-and-six play before Thorpe scored from the 21 on keeper off the right side for a 17-7 JMU lead with 4:03 left in the first half.

Massachusetts pulled within 17-14 on its second series of the final half, driving 77 yards in 12 plays and scoring on Nelson's six-yard run. Nelson had a 13-yard carry early during the possession and ran for 23 yards on the play before he scored.

The win was JMU's first at Massachusetts since 1987, the teams' first meeting in Amherst. The teams tied in a 1989 game at Massachusetts, and the Minutemen had won the last five meetings on their field.

JMU closes its season next Saturday (Nov. 21) in a 3 p.m. home game against CAA foe Towson.