FOOTBALL DUKES BEATEN ON OVERTIME FIELD GOAL

Saturday, September 12

College Park, Md.

6 p.m.

James Madison University

0-1

Maryland

1-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

James Madison

Maryland

9/13/2009 2:30:00 AM | Football

Box Score

COLLEGE PARK, Md., Sept. 12, 2009 - Maryland freshman Nick Ferrara kicked a 26-yard field goal in overtime to lift the host Terrapins to a 38-35 non-conference football victory over James Madison Saturday.

JMU rallied from a 21-6 deficit to take leads of 28-21 and 35-28 during the final half, but Maryland tied the score with just more than five minutes left in regulation. JMU then failed to move for a first down and missed on a long field goal try on its overtime possession before Ferrara's kick gave Maryland the win.

The game was the season opener for JMU while Maryland improved to 1-1.

JMU gained only one yard during its overtime series before settling for a 41-yard field goal try. Maryland had runs of five, seven and six yards to reach the JMU seven during its overtime possession before taking a two-yard loss and kicking the game-winning field goal on third down.

JMU had a 417-359 advantage in yards of total offense, but the Dukes were penalized 11 times for 105 yards and gave up an 81-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Junior quarterback Drew Dudzik (Clifton, Va./Centreville) led the JMU offense, throwing for 141 yards and two touchdowns and running for 122 yards and a score.

Maryland quarterback Chris Turner threw for 236 yards and a touchdown and ran for 28 yards and a score. Turner's 27-yard touchdown pass to Adrian Cannon with 5:09 left in the fourth quarter allowed Maryland to tie the score at 35-35.

After trailing 21-6, JMU got to within 21-14 on a four-yard touchdown run by junior tailback Jamal Sullivan (Ruther Glen, Va./Caroline) 2:06 before halftime and took advantage two Maryland turnovers to take a 28-21 lead late during the fourth quarter.

Sophomore tailback Corwin Acker's (Landover, Md./Blake) recovery of a Maryland fumble on a punt return set up a 45-yard scoring drive that allowed JMU to pull into a 21-21 tie, and sophomore weak safety Jon Williams' (Ridgeway, Va./Magna Vista) 62-yard interception return for a touchdown gave JMU a 28-21 lead with 1:38 left in the third quarter.

After Acker's recovery, the Dukes scored in six plays. A 28-yard pass from Dudzik to senior tight end Charlie Newman (Harrisonburg, Va./Turner Ashby) got JMU to the Terrapin 14. Penalties for an illegal block and illegal procedure set the Dukes back, but Dudzik hit sophomore tailback Scott Noble (Baltimore, Md./Franklin) with a 15-yard pass and connected with senior tight end Mike Caussin (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) on a 15-yard touchdown pass with 3:05 left in the third period.

Williams' interception return that gave JMU its 28-21 lead came on the third play of Maryland's next possession. Williams stepped in front of the intended receiver as Turner rolled right and threw back to his left, and he sprinted along the sideline to score.

Maryland tied the score with 12:18 left in the fourth quarter when Torrey Smith scored on an eight-yard reverse at the end of a three-play, 39-yard drive. The Terps took possession after forcing JMU to punt from its nine.

JMU went back in front 35-28 on the following possession when Dudzik scored on a 70-yard run. He scored on the second play of the series, breaking outside on the left, racing along the sideline and cutting back inside just before reaching the end zone.

Cannon's game-tying touchdown came at the end of 78-yard, eight-play series

Maryland scored first, driving 71 yards in 10 plays with Da'Rel Scott capping the series with a one-yard carry with 8:05 left in the opening quarter.

JMU got to within 7-6 with 1:30 left in the first period when Dudzik and Caussin connected on a 20-yard scoring pass.

Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 81 yards for a touchdown for a 14-6 Maryland lead, and Turner scored from three yards at the end of a 81-yard, 14-play series for a 21-6 Terp lead with 4:46 left in the half.

Dudzik hit on nine of 15 passes and Turner on 25 of 38.

Sullivan added 87 yards on 19 carries for JMU, and Scott ran 17 times for 68 yards for Maryland.

JMU plays its home opener next Saturday (Sept. 19) in a 6 p.m. game with Virginia Military Institute.