JMU BEATS TOWSON 43-12 ON SENIOR DAY

Saturday, November 21

Harrisonburg, Va.

3 p.m.

James Madison University

6-5 , 4-4

Towson

2-9 , 1-7

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Towson

James Madison

11/22/2009 1:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va., Nov. 21, 2009 - Redshirt freshman quarterback Justin Thorpe (Richmond, Va./Varina) threw for 259 yards and a career-high three scores and James Madison had five touchdown plays of 31 yards or longer in a 43-12 Colonial Athletic Association football victory over Towson at Bridgeforth Stadium/Zane Showker Field Saturday.

Thorpe hit on 14 of 21 passes, and the Dukes compiled 471 yards of total offense (212 rushing, 259 passing). JMU led 19-6 after one quarter, 26-6 at halftime and 33-12 after three quarters.

JMU, which recognized 14 seniors during ceremonies before their final home game, improved to 6-5 overall and to 4-4 in the CAA with its fourth-consecutive victory. Towson fell to 2-9 overall and to 1-7 in the CAA with its sixth-straight loss.

Thorpe threw touchdown passes of 52 yards to senior wide receiver Rockeed McCarter (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic), 31 yards to senior wide receiver Bosco Williams (Clifton Forge, Va./Alleghany) and 65 yards to sophomore wide receiver Kerby Long (Arlington, Va./Yorktown/Fork Union). The Dukes also had touchdowns on a 68-yard fumble return by senior defensive end Arthur Moats (Portsmouth, Va./Churchland) and on a 36-yard run by sophomore wide receiver/tailback Corwin Acker (Landover, Md./Blake). The Dukes also got points on field goals of 45 and 20 yards by sophomore placekicker Dixon Wright (Crossnore, N.C./Avery County) and a blocked conversion kick return by sophomore strong safety Vidal Nelson (Virginia Beach, Va./Kellam).

Sophomore tailback Scott Noble (Baltimore, Md./Franklin) had his second-straight 100-yard rushing game for JMU, carrying 23 times for 106 yards, and Thorpe completed passes to six players.

Senior tight end Mike Caussin (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) was the receiving leader with seven catches for 75 yards. Caussin's effort raised his career receiving yards total to 1,009, making him the 18th player in JMU history with 1,000 receiving yards. He raised his career receptions total to 66, No. 17 in program history.

Thorpe and McCarter combined on their 52-yard scoring play on JMU's first series, capping a five-play, 67-yard drive at the 11:16 mark of the opening period and after the Dukes forced a Towson punt.

The lead went to 10-0 at the opening period's 8:29 mark on Wright's 45-yard field goal. JMU had regained possession when senior cornerback Scotty McGee (Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes) stripped the ball from Towson returner Hakeem Moore at the Tiger 47-yard line.

JMU raised the margin 17-0 on the following series when Moats scored on his fumble return with 5:13 left in the first quarter. Towson had moved from its 31 to the JMU 31 in six plays before Moats had the fourth-longest fumble return in program history and the longest in 10 seasons by a JMU player.

Towson drove 60 yards in five plays to get to within 17-6 on a five-yard scoring run by Tremayne Dameron on the following series, but Nelson scored on only the second defensive conversion play in JMU history as the Tigers attempted a PAT kick. McGee blocked the attempt, and Nelson scooped up the loose ball and ran 79 yards for two JMU points.

JMU's only other defensive conversion return was on an interception return by Mike Masella (1995-98) in a 1998 home game against Villanova.

Towson quarterback Brian Potts had set up the Tiger touchdown with a 38-yard completion to the JMU five to Erron Banks.

Acker's scoring run with 1:48 left in the first half came at the end of an eight-play, 55-yard drive and gave the Dukes their 26-6 halftime lead.

Thorpe and Williams combined on their scoring pass play on the third play of the final half after McGee had a 33-yard kickoff return.

Towson got to within 33-12 with 6:19 left in the third quarter on a one-yard Dameron run. The score came two plays after the Tigers' Ollie Thomas stripped Caussin of the ball after a reception and returned the turnover 33 yards to the JMU two-yard line.

Wright's 20-yard field goal came with 11:44 to play, at the end of a 14-play, 60-yard JMU series.

The Dukes' final score, Long's 65-yard reception, came with 4:33 left after JMU stopped Towson at the Dukes' 23 on a fourth-down-and-seven play from the 27.

Sophomore linebacker Pat Williams (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) had 16 tackles to lead the JMU defense.