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The JMU-W&M Rivalry Includes Close Games, '04 Semifinals
10/28/2014 11:37:00 AM | Football
*Pictured above: Current JMU assistant head coach John Bowers quarterbacked the Dukes in their first matchup with the Tribe in 1978. Visit JMUSports.com all week for more content highlighting the rivalry and homecoming week. Tickets for Saturday's 3:30 p.m. game are available at JMUSports.com/tickets.
A Historical Look at the JMU-W&M Rivalry
The James Madison University football team has played William & Mary more often than any other program, and the Tribe this season will be the Dukes' homecoming guest for the fifth time. The in-state rivals first met in 1978 and have played every year since except for 1980. This season they are meeting for the 34th consecutive campaign.
Rarely has the series lacked for excitement as 18 of the 36 meetings have been decided by seven or fewer points and 23 meetings by 10 or fewer points. The teams have played two overtime games and had several other outcomes determined on a game's final play or with only seconds remaining.
The teams played in the 2004 NCAA Division I-AA semifinals before a national television audience in Williamsburg, and JMU's victory that December evening set up the Dukes' national championship game victory over Montana a week later in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The Series
JMU has a 20-16 series advantage and is 11-5 against the Tribe in Harrisonburg and 9-11 in games in Williamsburg. While William & Mary won 17-7 on its field last season, JMU has won three of the last four meetings, eight of the last 10 and 12 of the last 15. JMU has won the last four games in Harrisonburg.
The teams' first three meetings (1978, 1979, 1981) were in Williamsburg. They first played at JMU in 1982 in a homecoming game and have alternated home-and-home regular-season meetings since. William & Mary has scored 858 series points and JMU 855.
Series Opens On Historic JMU Date
In 1978, the teams met for the first time during the afternoon of Oct. 14 in Williamsburg following a morning JMU Board of Visitors there during which it was decided that athletic scholarships would be provided for Dukes football players. Some athletic grants-in-aid at then-Madison College were first provided during the early 1970s but none in football, and the program competed at the NCAA non-scholarship Division III level upon that classification's formation. JMU's first group of football scholarship signees joined the program for the 1979 season, and the Dukes competed in Division II that season and moved to Division I-AA (now the Football Champion Subdivision) for the 1980 campaign.
William & Mary, which was competing at the Division I-A level before reclassifying to Division I-AA in 1981, won the 1978 game 32-7 but not without a battle from the Dukes, who had a chance for an early lead. JMU limited the Tribe to one yard during the game's first possession and moved from its 32 to the William & Mary nine in 11 plays before failing to convert on a field goal attempt. William & Mary went on to lead 7-0 after one quarter, 19-0 at halftime and 25-0 after three quarters. JMU scored on Mike Damiano's nine-yard run with 14:08 left, capping a 14-play, 76-yard drive.
William & Mary compiled 378 yards and JMU 220. The Tribe used 12 ball carriers and had seven players catch passes. Butch Robinson ran for 47 yards, and Rich Hetherington caught four passes for 68 yards for JMU.
JMU finished 1978 with an 8-2 record and ranked ninth in Division III. The Dukes' quarterback was current team assistant coach John Bowers, who completed 10-of-21 passes for 106 yards at William & Mary.
National Exposure During JMU's Championship Season
The JMU and William & Mary teams were the center of Division I-AA attention Dec. 10, 2004 when they met in Williamsburg in a primetime Friday night ESPN telecast in the NCAA semifinals. Both teams were 11-2 overall after compiling 7-1 regular-season league records and losing to a Division I-A foe (William & Mary at North Carolina; JMU at West Virginia). William & Mary had won 27-24 during the season at JMU on a field goal as time expired. The Tribe lost during the regular season to Delaware but avenged the loss during the playoffs' quarterfinals, and JMU was coming off a dramatic 14-13 quarterfinal win at Furman.
With a chance to play for the national championship, JMU won 48-34, scoring 27 straight points after William & Mary overcame a 21-0 deficit to lead 26-21 following the opening series of the final half. The Dukes got 28 points after turnovers, scored twice during a two-minute span later during the third period, and sealed the win with a drive that used 8:36 of playing time to lead 48-26 with 8:01 left. JMU beat Montana 31-21 the next week in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for the Division I-AA title.
During the wet Friday evening in Williamsburg, Maurice Fenner ran 29 yards to the Tribe 34 on the first play after JMU fell behind, and D.D. Boxley made a dramatic diving end zone catch on a Justin Rascati pass on the next play for a 27-26 JMU lead. Boxley's finger tip grab is referred in JMU NCAA championship lore simply as "The Catch."
Bruce Johnson recovered a Tribe fumble four plays later at the William & Mary 48, and Chris Iorio's four-yard touchdown run raised the lead to 34-26. JMU got the ball on Demetrius Shambley's recovery at the Tribe 18 on the next play, and a 13-yard pass from Rascati to Antoinne Bolton ran the lead to 41-26. Alvin Banks' one-yard scoring run capped JMU's 15-play drive that consumed 8:36.
JMU took a 21-0 lead on two touchdowns after fumble recoveries and Clint Kent's 69-yard interception return for a score. William & Mary rallied behind national player of the year Lang Campbell, who during one stretch completed 17 straight passes and threw for 315 yards and three touchdowns.
Fenner ran for 117 yards in his first extended playing time since October, and JMU didn't have a turnover while taking advantage of five by William & Mary.
Other Early Non-Conference Meetings
In 1979, William & Mary won 33-0 at home after the game was scoreless for nearly 25 minutes. The Tribe got a 1-yard Alvis Lang touchdown run with 5:21 left in the first half and a field goal to lead 9-0 at halftime and raised the lead to 26-0 after three quarters. William & Mary used 10 ball carriers and ran for 384 yards, including 96 by Keith Best. JMU had 210 total yards and got 71 rushing yards from Butch Robinson.
In 1981, William & Mary used five JMU turnovers to build a 17-0 halftime lead and held on for a 31-19 home win despite a record-breaking effort by JMU quarterback Tom Bowles. Bowles set JMU game marks for passing yards (345), completions (22), passes (39) and yards of total offense (336), but the Dukes couldn't overcome three interceptions and two lost fumbles before halftime and seven turnovers overall. Tribe quarterback Chris Garritty completed 15-of-23 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns. JMU's Gary Clark set team game marks for receptions (10) and receiving yards (182), and Bryan Moore ran 19 times for 115 yards and a touchdown.
In 1982, JMU won in the series for the first time in the teams' first Harrisonburg meeting, posting a 24-18 homecoming victory. Warren Marshall capped a nine-play, 62-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run to give the Dukes a 17-10 lead with 13:53 to play, and Gary Clark caught a 34-yard scoring pass from Jon Roddy for a 24-10 JMU lead midway through the final quarter. William & Mary closed the margin with a touchdown on the game's final play and a two-point conversion. Brian Coe ran for 112 yards for the Dukes.
In 1983, Dave Murphy threw for three touchdowns, and William & Mary rallied from a 10-0 deficit for a 24-21 home win. Murphy's 30-yard scoring toss to Bobby Wright with 9:45 left put the Tribe in front to stay at 17-13. William & Mary had scored 10 points during the final 2:10 of the opening half to pull into a 10-10 tie. JMU's Brian Coe ran 17 times for 87 yards and had a nine-yard touchdown run, and Tom Bowles hit Gary Clark with a two-yard scoring pass with 0:45 left for the game's final touchdown.
In 1984, Merritt Gibson scored second-half touchdowns on an eight-yard reception and a one-yard run as William & Mary overcame a 10-6 halftime deficit to win 20-10 in Harrisonburg. Mike Reed's two-yard scoring run with 0:37 left in the second quarter capped an 80-yard drive and gave JMU its halftime margin. Tribe quarterback Stan Yagiello completed 26-of-36 passes for 290 yards, and JMU's Warren Marshall ran for 104 yards.
In 1985, Stan Yagiello threw for 405 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-14 William & Mary home win. JMU's Mike Jones intercepted a pass on the first William & Mary series, but the Tribe then scored on three straight possessions to lead 21-0 midway through the second period. Michael Clemons ran for two touchdowns and caught one of Yagiello's scoring tosses as the Tribe compiled 501 yards. Craig Blandford and Warren Marshall had four-yard scoring runs for JMU.
In 1986, Warren Marshall set JMU game records with 33 rushes for 264 yards as the Dukes beat third-ranked and then 6-0 William & Mary 42-33 in Harrisonburg. Marshall had touchdown runs of four, 16 and 16 yards and 11 carries of more than 10 yards. The Dukes, who ran for 384 yards, led 28-24 at halftime, 35-24 after three quarters and 42-24 with 9:04 left. JMU went in front to stay, 28-21, on Eric Green's 15-yard touchdown pass to Neal Wilkinson with 1:09 left in the first half. Ken Lambiotte completed 24-of-40 passes for 245 yards and three scores for William & Mary, which won at Virginia in its next game.
In 1987, JMU won in Williamsburg for the first time, 28-22, its fifth straight win during a 7-1 start to its first NCAA playoff season. Tony Graddy ran for 126 yards, and Chris Jacobs intercepted a William & Mary pass at the JMU 40 with 1:40 left after the Tribe pulled to within 28-22 and recovered an onside kick. Jacobs also recovered two fumbles, took part in eight tackles, downed a punt at the William & Mary 1-yard line with 38 seconds left and was named ECAC defensive player of the week. Graddy had a 27-yard touchdown run and Greg Medley scoring carries of four yards and one yard. JMU's Greg Lancaster had a one-yard scoring run after replacing quarterback Eric Green, who was ejected just before halftime.
In 1988, in a game played in a steady rain, William & Mary quarterback Craig Argo hit Tom Lewis with a 15-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the final quarter to break a 3-3 tie and give the Tribe a 10-3 win at JMU. A fumble recovery at the JMU 16 set up the decisive score. JMU led 3-0 in the first quarter after a fumble recovery at the Tribe 21 but squandered another scoring chance by fumbling after a nine-yard gain on the first play following a fumble recovery at the William & Mary 17. JMU compiled only 122 yards and five first downs. Argo threw for 143 of the Tribe's 276 yards.
In 1989, William & Mary overcame a 21-10 halftime deficit and held JMU to 75 yards during the final two quarters in a 24-21 home win. JMU gained 202 yards and got a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown by Anthony Archer during the first half but had only two more first downs. Robert Green's nine-yard touchdown run with 8:04 left put the Tribe in front to stay six plays after JMU lost a fumble at its 38.
In 1990, Eric Lambert's interception deep in William & Mary territory with 2:30 left allowed the ninth-ranked Tribe to hold on in a 31-21 win at JMU. Down 28-21, the Dukes reached the William & Mary 3-yard line but lost nine yards on a first-down fumble, and Lambert's 73-yard return on a fourth-down pass set up a game-clinching field goal. Chris Hakel threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns, and Robert Green ran for 155 yards for the Tribe, which compiled 508 total yards. JMU's Eriq Williams threw for 133 yards and ran for 127, including touchdown carries of 14 and 63 yards. Joe Sparksman ran for 141 yards, including a team- and stadium-record 95-yard scoring run.
In 1991, Eriq Williams threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes and ran for the decisive two-point conversion in JMU's 29-28 win in Williamsburg. Williams hit David McLeod on a 30-yard scoring pass with 0:31 left to set up the two-point carry and threw for four touchdowns and 307 yards in JMU's third straight win over a ranked foe. JMU trailed 28-13 before having late scoring drives of 73 and 55 yards. Williams' 41-yard touchdown pass and Joe Sparksman's two-point conversion run got JMU to within 28-21 with 10:58 to play. Kenny Sims ran for 107 yards and McLeod caught six passes for 156 yards for the Dukes, who overcame four turnovers.
In 1992, Kenny Sims ran for 155 yards and put JMU ahead to stay with a 10-yard touchdown run with 7:11 left as the Dukes beat the 10th-ranked Tribe 21-14 in Harrisonburg. JMU overcame a 14-3 halftime deficit. The Dukes got field goals of 48 and 37 yards from Trey Weis and a seven-yard Steve Agee touchdown carry before Sims' touchdown run capped a 66-yard drive and broke a 14-14 tie. Derek Fitzgerald ran for 140 yards and a touchdown, and Shawn Knight threw for 202 yards for William & Mary.
Meetings As Conference Foes
In 1993, the teams met in league play for the first time following their 1991 acceptance into the Yankee Conference, which evolved into Atlantic 10 Football and Colonial Athletic Association Football. William & Mary won 31-26 at home in a rain-soaked game during which Derek Fitzgerald ran 30 times for 139 yards and two touchdowns. The Tribe overcame Dwight Robinson's 90-yard return of the opening kickoff for a touchdown and a 20-17 half time deficit. Touchdown drives of 71 and 77 yards during its first two series of the final half gave William & Mary a 31-20 lead.
In 1994, in JMU's 33-7 home win Mike Cawley had 307 yards of total offense, and Kelvin Jeter ran for three touchdowns as the Dukes beat a nationally-ranked opponent for the third time in six games during an NCAA playoff season. Cawley completed 16-of-24 passes for 227 yards, and Jeter ran 13 times for 85 yards. JMU blocked two punts – one for a safety – and William & Mary penetrated the JMU 30 only twice. The Dukes' margin of victory is the largest in the series with both teams playing in Division I.
In 1995, Paul Harris' end zone recovery of a Tony Jordan punt block ignited an 18-point JMU fourth-quarter rally as the Dukes won 24-17 in Williamsburg. Kelvin Jeter's two-yard touchdown run with 5:26 left gave the Dukes a 21-17 lead, and they got John Coursey's third field goal of the game and interceptions by Quincy Waller and David Lee the rest of the way. Lee also had a third-period interception.
In 1996, JMU scored 23 points after turnovers and three after a successful onside kick in winning 26-21 at home. The Dukes overcame deficits of 14-0 and 21-14. Fumble recoveries set up touchdowns 54 seconds apart to pull JMU into a second-quarter tie; Tony Jordan returned an interception 94 yards a JMU touchdown; and the Dukes went in front to stay on a John Coursey field goal after recovering an on-sides following Jordan's score.
In 1997 in Williamsburg, Steve Fill threw for 300 yards and four touchdowns, and Alvin Porch ran for 159 yards and a score as William & Mary won 38-25 to snap a three-game series losing streak. JMU trailed only 14-13 at halftime, but Fill threw two scoring passes during the first seven minutes of the third quarter. Nelson Garner kicked field goals of 27 and 50 yards for JMU. The 50-yarder was JMU's longest field goal since 1984.
In 1998, Mike Cook threw for 219 yards and a touchdown and led a late time-consuming drive for a score as William & Mary won 24-12 in JMU's homecoming game. JMU got to within 17-12 with 7:23 left, but the Tribe used all but the game's remaining 45 seconds during an 81-yard, 13-play touchdown drive for a 12-point lead.
In 1999, Curtis Keaton ran for 207 yards and three touchdowns, including the clinching score with 1:09 left, as JMU won 30-20 in Williamsburg and kept its Atlantic 10 Football Conference record perfect at 5-0 during Coach Mickey Matthews' first season with team. Keaton, who had his first of three straight 200-yard rushing games, had scoring carries of 67 and eight yards in the third quarter as JMU took a 24-7 lead, and his 30-yard scoring run in the final minutes allowed JMU to seal the win after William & Mary got to within 24-20. JMU's drive to seal the victory covered 53 yards. Keaton ran seven straight times and gained 68 yards (JMU was penalized twice).
In 2000, B.J. Minor ran for two first-half touchdowns as JMU took a 21-0 lead, and the Dukes held on to beat William & Mary 28-14 for their 12th straight home victory. Delvin Joyce scored on a one-yard run after setting the Division I-AA career record for combined kick return yards during a 51-yard punt return, and Minor scored on runs of 19 and seven yards for JMU's halftime edge. The Tribe got back into the game with touchdowns on its first two possessions of the second half, but JMU responded with a 93-yard touchdown drive to lead 28-14. Charles Berry hit Lindsay Fleshman with a 29-yard touchdown pass for JMU's final score.
In 2001, Jonathan Smith ran 10 yards for the game's decisive points with 48 seconds left as the Tribe rallied for a 17-10 home victory. JMU led 10-7 after Brannon Goins scored on a one-yard run on the opening series of the second half, but the Dukes couldn't score again. William & Mary pulled into a 10-10 tie on Mike Nagelin's 24-yard field goal with 11:09 remaining to cap a 23-play, 82-yard drive and used eight plays to drive 71 yards for Smith's last-minute touchdown.
In 2002, Raymond Hines scored on a one-yard run in overtime to give JMU a 34-31 win on its senior day. Hines' scoring run came two plays after quarterback Jayson Cooke, playing after Matt LeZotte suffered a thumb injury, scrambled 23 yards to the William & Mary one and after the Tribe took its only lead on a field goal during the first overtime series. JMU led 14-0 after its first two series, but William & Mary stayed in the game behind the passing of Dave Corley, who threw for 213 yards and three touchdowns. However, the Dukes allowed only two pass plays of longer than 20 yards and got three passing scores of their own – all from different players (LeZotte, Cooke, Mike Connelly).
In 2003, in a 24-17 win in Williamsburg, JMU got first-half touchdowns from tailbacks Alvin Banks and Maurice Fenner and cornerback Cortez Thompson and all but sealed the win with a time-consuming drive for a late field goal. Banks had a one-yard touchdown run and Fenner an 11-yarder, and Thompson returned a punt 70 yards for a score during a first half that ended with JMU leading 21-17. Neither team scored in the second half until JMU's David Rabil capped an 11-play, 69-yard drive that used 4:19 of clock time with a 26-yard field goal with 1:07 left. Banks ran 32 times for 138 yards.
In 2004 in the team's regular-season meeting, Greg Kuehn's 46-yard field goal as time expired gave William & Mary a 27-24 win at JMU. The kick came on the fifth play of a 43-yard drive after JMU pulled into a 24-24 tie on a 27-yard scoring pass from Justin Rascati to D.D. Boxley with 0:45 left. William &Mary's Lang Campbell hit on four straight passes to move the Tribe from its 28 to the JMU 29 and set up Kuehn's kick. Campbell was 26-of-33 overall for 323 yards and two scores. The Tribe's final drive overshadowed a career-best rushing effort by JMU's Raymond Hines, who ran 36 times for 198 yards and JMU's late tying drive. The Dukes went 68 yards in 11 plays and converted on a fourth-and-six play from the Tribe 49.
In 2005, Paul Wantuck's 44-yard field goal with 0:03 left gave JMU the 30-29 win in the first night game under permanent lights at William & Mary. The Dukes got the ball at their 20 with 1:43 left and went 53 yards in nine plays to set up Wantuck's first career field goal. JMU got to within 29-27 on a 14-yard Justin Rascati scoring run with 4:39 left but missed on a conversion pass. William & Mary then got one first down before punting from its 43. Rascati completed five straight passes during the game-winning drive. The game had seven lead changes, and neither team led by more than the 29-21 edge William & Mary took with 13:31 left.
In 2006, Justin Rascati threw for 211 yards and two scores, and Eugene Holloman ran for 118 yards in JMU's 31-17 homecoming win. Rascati hit on 15-of-21 passes and hit Mike Caussin with an 11-yard scoring toss on JMU's first series and Ardon Bransford on a 55-yarder for a 31-10 lead with 3:49 left. The game was the fifth straight in which JMU scored at least 30 points, the first time the Dukes had posted five-straight 30-point outings. Akeem Jordan had his second-straight 18-tackle game to lead JMU's defense and was Atlantic 10 defender of the week.
In 2007, JMU scored the first nine times it had the ball and won 55-34 in Williamsburg in its highest scoring effort in the series and the series' overall highest scoring game. The Dukes got rushing scores on each of their first five series – three from Griff Yancey – and led 38-14 at halftime. Yancey had 132 rushing yards; Rodney Landers ran for 171 yards to set a JMU record for quarterback game rushing yards; and Antoine Bolton reached the 1,000-yard career rushing yards mark.
In 2008, during JMU's 10-1 regular season, Rodney Landers accounted for 357 yards and four touchdowns as top-ranked JMU clinched the CAA's NCAA playoff bid with a 48-24 home win. JMU had 540 yards, and William & Mary, which entered the game averaging 426 yards, was held to 294 with much of the difference a 318-76 JMU rushing edge. Landers completed 14-of-19 passes for 212 yards and three scores and ran 18 times for 145 yards and a touchdown. JMU led 24-10 at halftime and scored 21 straight points for a 45-10 lead early during the final quarter.
In 2009, Jonathan Grimes ran for 158 yards, and R.J. Archer threw for two touchdowns as fifth-ranked William & Mary won 24-3 in its homecoming game. Both teams ran 67 plays, but William & Mary compiled 385 yards of total offense to JMU's 216 yards and led 7-0 after one quarter, 10-3 at halftime and 17-3 after three quarters.
In 2010, Dae'Quan Scott ran for 125 yards and three touchdowns as JMU rallied from a 10-0 deficit to beat nationally top-ranked and eventual CAA champion William & Mary 30-24 in Harrisonburg. Working as a "wildcat" quarterback for much of the game, Scott scored on runs of 16, three and 30 yards, the final giving the Dukes a 28-21 lead with 12:09 left. JMU also got a touchdown on D.J. Bryant's two-yard return of Josh Roach's punt block and attempted only one pass during the entire game. Michael Callahan completed 24-of-40 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns for William & Mary.
In 2011, Dae'Quan Scott ran 26 times for 112 yards and a touchdown, and Justin Thorpe carried for 81 yards and completed three of four passes for 69 yards and a score as JMU won 20-14 in Williamsburg. Scott's three-yard touchdown carry gave JMU a 17-7 lead with 13:29 left, and Thorpe hit Kirby Long on a 52-yard scoring pass for a second-quarter Dukes touchdown. Michael Graham threw for 215 yards and two William & Mary scores, the second getting the Tribe to within 20-14 with 1:25 left.
In 2012, in the second overtime, Dae'Quan Scott scored on a three-yard run, and Jakarie Jackson broke up a pass on a two-point conversion try after William & Mary got to within a point as JMU won 27-26 at home. Both teams kicked field goals during the first overtime after William & Mary missed on a 31-yard field goal attempt with one second left in regulation. JMU trailed 14-0 before taking a 17-14 lead late during the third quarter and got 157 passing yards and 106 rushing yards from Justin Thorpe.
In 2013, William & Mary scored the game's final 17 points and won 17-7 in Williamsburg. JMU failed to capitalize on three Tribe turnovers, and William & Mary all but sealed the win on Jared Velasquez's 90-yard interception return for a touchdown and a 10-point lead with 7:43 left. JMU gained possession at the William & Mary 19-, 24-, and 34-yard lines after Tribe turnovers but didn't score after a 40-yard Michael Birdsong-to-Dae'Quan Scott pass early during the second quarter.
A Historical Look at the JMU-W&M Rivalry
The James Madison University football team has played William & Mary more often than any other program, and the Tribe this season will be the Dukes' homecoming guest for the fifth time. The in-state rivals first met in 1978 and have played every year since except for 1980. This season they are meeting for the 34th consecutive campaign.
Rarely has the series lacked for excitement as 18 of the 36 meetings have been decided by seven or fewer points and 23 meetings by 10 or fewer points. The teams have played two overtime games and had several other outcomes determined on a game's final play or with only seconds remaining.
The teams played in the 2004 NCAA Division I-AA semifinals before a national television audience in Williamsburg, and JMU's victory that December evening set up the Dukes' national championship game victory over Montana a week later in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The Series
JMU has a 20-16 series advantage and is 11-5 against the Tribe in Harrisonburg and 9-11 in games in Williamsburg. While William & Mary won 17-7 on its field last season, JMU has won three of the last four meetings, eight of the last 10 and 12 of the last 15. JMU has won the last four games in Harrisonburg.
The teams' first three meetings (1978, 1979, 1981) were in Williamsburg. They first played at JMU in 1982 in a homecoming game and have alternated home-and-home regular-season meetings since. William & Mary has scored 858 series points and JMU 855.
Series Opens On Historic JMU Date
In 1978, the teams met for the first time during the afternoon of Oct. 14 in Williamsburg following a morning JMU Board of Visitors there during which it was decided that athletic scholarships would be provided for Dukes football players. Some athletic grants-in-aid at then-Madison College were first provided during the early 1970s but none in football, and the program competed at the NCAA non-scholarship Division III level upon that classification's formation. JMU's first group of football scholarship signees joined the program for the 1979 season, and the Dukes competed in Division II that season and moved to Division I-AA (now the Football Champion Subdivision) for the 1980 campaign.
William & Mary, which was competing at the Division I-A level before reclassifying to Division I-AA in 1981, won the 1978 game 32-7 but not without a battle from the Dukes, who had a chance for an early lead. JMU limited the Tribe to one yard during the game's first possession and moved from its 32 to the William & Mary nine in 11 plays before failing to convert on a field goal attempt. William & Mary went on to lead 7-0 after one quarter, 19-0 at halftime and 25-0 after three quarters. JMU scored on Mike Damiano's nine-yard run with 14:08 left, capping a 14-play, 76-yard drive.
William & Mary compiled 378 yards and JMU 220. The Tribe used 12 ball carriers and had seven players catch passes. Butch Robinson ran for 47 yards, and Rich Hetherington caught four passes for 68 yards for JMU.
JMU finished 1978 with an 8-2 record and ranked ninth in Division III. The Dukes' quarterback was current team assistant coach John Bowers, who completed 10-of-21 passes for 106 yards at William & Mary.
National Exposure During JMU's Championship Season
The JMU and William & Mary teams were the center of Division I-AA attention Dec. 10, 2004 when they met in Williamsburg in a primetime Friday night ESPN telecast in the NCAA semifinals. Both teams were 11-2 overall after compiling 7-1 regular-season league records and losing to a Division I-A foe (William & Mary at North Carolina; JMU at West Virginia). William & Mary had won 27-24 during the season at JMU on a field goal as time expired. The Tribe lost during the regular season to Delaware but avenged the loss during the playoffs' quarterfinals, and JMU was coming off a dramatic 14-13 quarterfinal win at Furman.
With a chance to play for the national championship, JMU won 48-34, scoring 27 straight points after William & Mary overcame a 21-0 deficit to lead 26-21 following the opening series of the final half. The Dukes got 28 points after turnovers, scored twice during a two-minute span later during the third period, and sealed the win with a drive that used 8:36 of playing time to lead 48-26 with 8:01 left. JMU beat Montana 31-21 the next week in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for the Division I-AA title.
During the wet Friday evening in Williamsburg, Maurice Fenner ran 29 yards to the Tribe 34 on the first play after JMU fell behind, and D.D. Boxley made a dramatic diving end zone catch on a Justin Rascati pass on the next play for a 27-26 JMU lead. Boxley's finger tip grab is referred in JMU NCAA championship lore simply as "The Catch."
Bruce Johnson recovered a Tribe fumble four plays later at the William & Mary 48, and Chris Iorio's four-yard touchdown run raised the lead to 34-26. JMU got the ball on Demetrius Shambley's recovery at the Tribe 18 on the next play, and a 13-yard pass from Rascati to Antoinne Bolton ran the lead to 41-26. Alvin Banks' one-yard scoring run capped JMU's 15-play drive that consumed 8:36.
JMU took a 21-0 lead on two touchdowns after fumble recoveries and Clint Kent's 69-yard interception return for a score. William & Mary rallied behind national player of the year Lang Campbell, who during one stretch completed 17 straight passes and threw for 315 yards and three touchdowns.
Fenner ran for 117 yards in his first extended playing time since October, and JMU didn't have a turnover while taking advantage of five by William & Mary.
Other Early Non-Conference Meetings
In 1979, William & Mary won 33-0 at home after the game was scoreless for nearly 25 minutes. The Tribe got a 1-yard Alvis Lang touchdown run with 5:21 left in the first half and a field goal to lead 9-0 at halftime and raised the lead to 26-0 after three quarters. William & Mary used 10 ball carriers and ran for 384 yards, including 96 by Keith Best. JMU had 210 total yards and got 71 rushing yards from Butch Robinson.
In 1981, William & Mary used five JMU turnovers to build a 17-0 halftime lead and held on for a 31-19 home win despite a record-breaking effort by JMU quarterback Tom Bowles. Bowles set JMU game marks for passing yards (345), completions (22), passes (39) and yards of total offense (336), but the Dukes couldn't overcome three interceptions and two lost fumbles before halftime and seven turnovers overall. Tribe quarterback Chris Garritty completed 15-of-23 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns. JMU's Gary Clark set team game marks for receptions (10) and receiving yards (182), and Bryan Moore ran 19 times for 115 yards and a touchdown.
In 1982, JMU won in the series for the first time in the teams' first Harrisonburg meeting, posting a 24-18 homecoming victory. Warren Marshall capped a nine-play, 62-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run to give the Dukes a 17-10 lead with 13:53 to play, and Gary Clark caught a 34-yard scoring pass from Jon Roddy for a 24-10 JMU lead midway through the final quarter. William & Mary closed the margin with a touchdown on the game's final play and a two-point conversion. Brian Coe ran for 112 yards for the Dukes.
In 1983, Dave Murphy threw for three touchdowns, and William & Mary rallied from a 10-0 deficit for a 24-21 home win. Murphy's 30-yard scoring toss to Bobby Wright with 9:45 left put the Tribe in front to stay at 17-13. William & Mary had scored 10 points during the final 2:10 of the opening half to pull into a 10-10 tie. JMU's Brian Coe ran 17 times for 87 yards and had a nine-yard touchdown run, and Tom Bowles hit Gary Clark with a two-yard scoring pass with 0:45 left for the game's final touchdown.
In 1984, Merritt Gibson scored second-half touchdowns on an eight-yard reception and a one-yard run as William & Mary overcame a 10-6 halftime deficit to win 20-10 in Harrisonburg. Mike Reed's two-yard scoring run with 0:37 left in the second quarter capped an 80-yard drive and gave JMU its halftime margin. Tribe quarterback Stan Yagiello completed 26-of-36 passes for 290 yards, and JMU's Warren Marshall ran for 104 yards.
In 1985, Stan Yagiello threw for 405 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-14 William & Mary home win. JMU's Mike Jones intercepted a pass on the first William & Mary series, but the Tribe then scored on three straight possessions to lead 21-0 midway through the second period. Michael Clemons ran for two touchdowns and caught one of Yagiello's scoring tosses as the Tribe compiled 501 yards. Craig Blandford and Warren Marshall had four-yard scoring runs for JMU.
In 1986, Warren Marshall set JMU game records with 33 rushes for 264 yards as the Dukes beat third-ranked and then 6-0 William & Mary 42-33 in Harrisonburg. Marshall had touchdown runs of four, 16 and 16 yards and 11 carries of more than 10 yards. The Dukes, who ran for 384 yards, led 28-24 at halftime, 35-24 after three quarters and 42-24 with 9:04 left. JMU went in front to stay, 28-21, on Eric Green's 15-yard touchdown pass to Neal Wilkinson with 1:09 left in the first half. Ken Lambiotte completed 24-of-40 passes for 245 yards and three scores for William & Mary, which won at Virginia in its next game.
In 1987, JMU won in Williamsburg for the first time, 28-22, its fifth straight win during a 7-1 start to its first NCAA playoff season. Tony Graddy ran for 126 yards, and Chris Jacobs intercepted a William & Mary pass at the JMU 40 with 1:40 left after the Tribe pulled to within 28-22 and recovered an onside kick. Jacobs also recovered two fumbles, took part in eight tackles, downed a punt at the William & Mary 1-yard line with 38 seconds left and was named ECAC defensive player of the week. Graddy had a 27-yard touchdown run and Greg Medley scoring carries of four yards and one yard. JMU's Greg Lancaster had a one-yard scoring run after replacing quarterback Eric Green, who was ejected just before halftime.
In 1988, in a game played in a steady rain, William & Mary quarterback Craig Argo hit Tom Lewis with a 15-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the final quarter to break a 3-3 tie and give the Tribe a 10-3 win at JMU. A fumble recovery at the JMU 16 set up the decisive score. JMU led 3-0 in the first quarter after a fumble recovery at the Tribe 21 but squandered another scoring chance by fumbling after a nine-yard gain on the first play following a fumble recovery at the William & Mary 17. JMU compiled only 122 yards and five first downs. Argo threw for 143 of the Tribe's 276 yards.
In 1989, William & Mary overcame a 21-10 halftime deficit and held JMU to 75 yards during the final two quarters in a 24-21 home win. JMU gained 202 yards and got a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown by Anthony Archer during the first half but had only two more first downs. Robert Green's nine-yard touchdown run with 8:04 left put the Tribe in front to stay six plays after JMU lost a fumble at its 38.
In 1990, Eric Lambert's interception deep in William & Mary territory with 2:30 left allowed the ninth-ranked Tribe to hold on in a 31-21 win at JMU. Down 28-21, the Dukes reached the William & Mary 3-yard line but lost nine yards on a first-down fumble, and Lambert's 73-yard return on a fourth-down pass set up a game-clinching field goal. Chris Hakel threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns, and Robert Green ran for 155 yards for the Tribe, which compiled 508 total yards. JMU's Eriq Williams threw for 133 yards and ran for 127, including touchdown carries of 14 and 63 yards. Joe Sparksman ran for 141 yards, including a team- and stadium-record 95-yard scoring run.
In 1991, Eriq Williams threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes and ran for the decisive two-point conversion in JMU's 29-28 win in Williamsburg. Williams hit David McLeod on a 30-yard scoring pass with 0:31 left to set up the two-point carry and threw for four touchdowns and 307 yards in JMU's third straight win over a ranked foe. JMU trailed 28-13 before having late scoring drives of 73 and 55 yards. Williams' 41-yard touchdown pass and Joe Sparksman's two-point conversion run got JMU to within 28-21 with 10:58 to play. Kenny Sims ran for 107 yards and McLeod caught six passes for 156 yards for the Dukes, who overcame four turnovers.
In 1992, Kenny Sims ran for 155 yards and put JMU ahead to stay with a 10-yard touchdown run with 7:11 left as the Dukes beat the 10th-ranked Tribe 21-14 in Harrisonburg. JMU overcame a 14-3 halftime deficit. The Dukes got field goals of 48 and 37 yards from Trey Weis and a seven-yard Steve Agee touchdown carry before Sims' touchdown run capped a 66-yard drive and broke a 14-14 tie. Derek Fitzgerald ran for 140 yards and a touchdown, and Shawn Knight threw for 202 yards for William & Mary.
Meetings As Conference Foes
In 1993, the teams met in league play for the first time following their 1991 acceptance into the Yankee Conference, which evolved into Atlantic 10 Football and Colonial Athletic Association Football. William & Mary won 31-26 at home in a rain-soaked game during which Derek Fitzgerald ran 30 times for 139 yards and two touchdowns. The Tribe overcame Dwight Robinson's 90-yard return of the opening kickoff for a touchdown and a 20-17 half time deficit. Touchdown drives of 71 and 77 yards during its first two series of the final half gave William & Mary a 31-20 lead.
In 1994, in JMU's 33-7 home win Mike Cawley had 307 yards of total offense, and Kelvin Jeter ran for three touchdowns as the Dukes beat a nationally-ranked opponent for the third time in six games during an NCAA playoff season. Cawley completed 16-of-24 passes for 227 yards, and Jeter ran 13 times for 85 yards. JMU blocked two punts – one for a safety – and William & Mary penetrated the JMU 30 only twice. The Dukes' margin of victory is the largest in the series with both teams playing in Division I.
In 1995, Paul Harris' end zone recovery of a Tony Jordan punt block ignited an 18-point JMU fourth-quarter rally as the Dukes won 24-17 in Williamsburg. Kelvin Jeter's two-yard touchdown run with 5:26 left gave the Dukes a 21-17 lead, and they got John Coursey's third field goal of the game and interceptions by Quincy Waller and David Lee the rest of the way. Lee also had a third-period interception.
In 1996, JMU scored 23 points after turnovers and three after a successful onside kick in winning 26-21 at home. The Dukes overcame deficits of 14-0 and 21-14. Fumble recoveries set up touchdowns 54 seconds apart to pull JMU into a second-quarter tie; Tony Jordan returned an interception 94 yards a JMU touchdown; and the Dukes went in front to stay on a John Coursey field goal after recovering an on-sides following Jordan's score.
In 1997 in Williamsburg, Steve Fill threw for 300 yards and four touchdowns, and Alvin Porch ran for 159 yards and a score as William & Mary won 38-25 to snap a three-game series losing streak. JMU trailed only 14-13 at halftime, but Fill threw two scoring passes during the first seven minutes of the third quarter. Nelson Garner kicked field goals of 27 and 50 yards for JMU. The 50-yarder was JMU's longest field goal since 1984.
In 1998, Mike Cook threw for 219 yards and a touchdown and led a late time-consuming drive for a score as William & Mary won 24-12 in JMU's homecoming game. JMU got to within 17-12 with 7:23 left, but the Tribe used all but the game's remaining 45 seconds during an 81-yard, 13-play touchdown drive for a 12-point lead.
In 1999, Curtis Keaton ran for 207 yards and three touchdowns, including the clinching score with 1:09 left, as JMU won 30-20 in Williamsburg and kept its Atlantic 10 Football Conference record perfect at 5-0 during Coach Mickey Matthews' first season with team. Keaton, who had his first of three straight 200-yard rushing games, had scoring carries of 67 and eight yards in the third quarter as JMU took a 24-7 lead, and his 30-yard scoring run in the final minutes allowed JMU to seal the win after William & Mary got to within 24-20. JMU's drive to seal the victory covered 53 yards. Keaton ran seven straight times and gained 68 yards (JMU was penalized twice).
In 2000, B.J. Minor ran for two first-half touchdowns as JMU took a 21-0 lead, and the Dukes held on to beat William & Mary 28-14 for their 12th straight home victory. Delvin Joyce scored on a one-yard run after setting the Division I-AA career record for combined kick return yards during a 51-yard punt return, and Minor scored on runs of 19 and seven yards for JMU's halftime edge. The Tribe got back into the game with touchdowns on its first two possessions of the second half, but JMU responded with a 93-yard touchdown drive to lead 28-14. Charles Berry hit Lindsay Fleshman with a 29-yard touchdown pass for JMU's final score.
In 2001, Jonathan Smith ran 10 yards for the game's decisive points with 48 seconds left as the Tribe rallied for a 17-10 home victory. JMU led 10-7 after Brannon Goins scored on a one-yard run on the opening series of the second half, but the Dukes couldn't score again. William & Mary pulled into a 10-10 tie on Mike Nagelin's 24-yard field goal with 11:09 remaining to cap a 23-play, 82-yard drive and used eight plays to drive 71 yards for Smith's last-minute touchdown.
In 2002, Raymond Hines scored on a one-yard run in overtime to give JMU a 34-31 win on its senior day. Hines' scoring run came two plays after quarterback Jayson Cooke, playing after Matt LeZotte suffered a thumb injury, scrambled 23 yards to the William & Mary one and after the Tribe took its only lead on a field goal during the first overtime series. JMU led 14-0 after its first two series, but William & Mary stayed in the game behind the passing of Dave Corley, who threw for 213 yards and three touchdowns. However, the Dukes allowed only two pass plays of longer than 20 yards and got three passing scores of their own – all from different players (LeZotte, Cooke, Mike Connelly).
In 2003, in a 24-17 win in Williamsburg, JMU got first-half touchdowns from tailbacks Alvin Banks and Maurice Fenner and cornerback Cortez Thompson and all but sealed the win with a time-consuming drive for a late field goal. Banks had a one-yard touchdown run and Fenner an 11-yarder, and Thompson returned a punt 70 yards for a score during a first half that ended with JMU leading 21-17. Neither team scored in the second half until JMU's David Rabil capped an 11-play, 69-yard drive that used 4:19 of clock time with a 26-yard field goal with 1:07 left. Banks ran 32 times for 138 yards.
In 2004 in the team's regular-season meeting, Greg Kuehn's 46-yard field goal as time expired gave William & Mary a 27-24 win at JMU. The kick came on the fifth play of a 43-yard drive after JMU pulled into a 24-24 tie on a 27-yard scoring pass from Justin Rascati to D.D. Boxley with 0:45 left. William &Mary's Lang Campbell hit on four straight passes to move the Tribe from its 28 to the JMU 29 and set up Kuehn's kick. Campbell was 26-of-33 overall for 323 yards and two scores. The Tribe's final drive overshadowed a career-best rushing effort by JMU's Raymond Hines, who ran 36 times for 198 yards and JMU's late tying drive. The Dukes went 68 yards in 11 plays and converted on a fourth-and-six play from the Tribe 49.
In 2005, Paul Wantuck's 44-yard field goal with 0:03 left gave JMU the 30-29 win in the first night game under permanent lights at William & Mary. The Dukes got the ball at their 20 with 1:43 left and went 53 yards in nine plays to set up Wantuck's first career field goal. JMU got to within 29-27 on a 14-yard Justin Rascati scoring run with 4:39 left but missed on a conversion pass. William & Mary then got one first down before punting from its 43. Rascati completed five straight passes during the game-winning drive. The game had seven lead changes, and neither team led by more than the 29-21 edge William & Mary took with 13:31 left.
In 2006, Justin Rascati threw for 211 yards and two scores, and Eugene Holloman ran for 118 yards in JMU's 31-17 homecoming win. Rascati hit on 15-of-21 passes and hit Mike Caussin with an 11-yard scoring toss on JMU's first series and Ardon Bransford on a 55-yarder for a 31-10 lead with 3:49 left. The game was the fifth straight in which JMU scored at least 30 points, the first time the Dukes had posted five-straight 30-point outings. Akeem Jordan had his second-straight 18-tackle game to lead JMU's defense and was Atlantic 10 defender of the week.
In 2007, JMU scored the first nine times it had the ball and won 55-34 in Williamsburg in its highest scoring effort in the series and the series' overall highest scoring game. The Dukes got rushing scores on each of their first five series – three from Griff Yancey – and led 38-14 at halftime. Yancey had 132 rushing yards; Rodney Landers ran for 171 yards to set a JMU record for quarterback game rushing yards; and Antoine Bolton reached the 1,000-yard career rushing yards mark.
In 2008, during JMU's 10-1 regular season, Rodney Landers accounted for 357 yards and four touchdowns as top-ranked JMU clinched the CAA's NCAA playoff bid with a 48-24 home win. JMU had 540 yards, and William & Mary, which entered the game averaging 426 yards, was held to 294 with much of the difference a 318-76 JMU rushing edge. Landers completed 14-of-19 passes for 212 yards and three scores and ran 18 times for 145 yards and a touchdown. JMU led 24-10 at halftime and scored 21 straight points for a 45-10 lead early during the final quarter.
In 2009, Jonathan Grimes ran for 158 yards, and R.J. Archer threw for two touchdowns as fifth-ranked William & Mary won 24-3 in its homecoming game. Both teams ran 67 plays, but William & Mary compiled 385 yards of total offense to JMU's 216 yards and led 7-0 after one quarter, 10-3 at halftime and 17-3 after three quarters.
In 2010, Dae'Quan Scott ran for 125 yards and three touchdowns as JMU rallied from a 10-0 deficit to beat nationally top-ranked and eventual CAA champion William & Mary 30-24 in Harrisonburg. Working as a "wildcat" quarterback for much of the game, Scott scored on runs of 16, three and 30 yards, the final giving the Dukes a 28-21 lead with 12:09 left. JMU also got a touchdown on D.J. Bryant's two-yard return of Josh Roach's punt block and attempted only one pass during the entire game. Michael Callahan completed 24-of-40 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns for William & Mary.
In 2011, Dae'Quan Scott ran 26 times for 112 yards and a touchdown, and Justin Thorpe carried for 81 yards and completed three of four passes for 69 yards and a score as JMU won 20-14 in Williamsburg. Scott's three-yard touchdown carry gave JMU a 17-7 lead with 13:29 left, and Thorpe hit Kirby Long on a 52-yard scoring pass for a second-quarter Dukes touchdown. Michael Graham threw for 215 yards and two William & Mary scores, the second getting the Tribe to within 20-14 with 1:25 left.
In 2012, in the second overtime, Dae'Quan Scott scored on a three-yard run, and Jakarie Jackson broke up a pass on a two-point conversion try after William & Mary got to within a point as JMU won 27-26 at home. Both teams kicked field goals during the first overtime after William & Mary missed on a 31-yard field goal attempt with one second left in regulation. JMU trailed 14-0 before taking a 17-14 lead late during the third quarter and got 157 passing yards and 106 rushing yards from Justin Thorpe.
In 2013, William & Mary scored the game's final 17 points and won 17-7 in Williamsburg. JMU failed to capitalize on three Tribe turnovers, and William & Mary all but sealed the win on Jared Velasquez's 90-yard interception return for a touchdown and a 10-point lead with 7:43 left. JMU gained possession at the William & Mary 19-, 24-, and 34-yard lines after Tribe turnovers but didn't score after a 40-yard Michael Birdsong-to-Dae'Quan Scott pass early during the second quarter.
| Year | JMU W/L | Score | JMU Note | W&M Note |
| 1978 | L | 7-32 | ||
| 1979 | L | 0-33 | ||
| 1981 | L | 19-31 | ||
| 1982 | W | 24-18 | ||
| 1983 | L | 21-24 | ||
| 1984 | L | 10-20 | ||
| 1985 | L | 14-31 | ||
| 1986 | W | 42-33 | W&M Playoff Season | |
| 1987 | W | 28-22 | JMU Playoff Season | |
| 1988 | L | 3-10 | ||
| 1989 | L | 21-24 | W&M Playoff Season | |
| 1990 | L | 21-31 | W&M Playoff Season | |
| 1991 | W | 29-28 | JMU Playoff Season | |
| 1992 | W | 21-14 | ||
| 1993 | L | 26-31 | W&M Playoff Season | |
| 1994 | W | 33-7 | JMU Playoff Season | |
| 1995 | W | 24-17 | JMU Playoff Season | |
| 1996 | W | 26-21 | W&M Playoff Season | |
| 1997 | L | 25-38 | ||
| 1998 | L | 12-24 | ||
| 1999 | W | 30-20 | JMU Playoff Season | |
| 2000 | W | 28-14 | ||
| 2001 | L | 10-17 | W&M Playoff Season | |
| 2002 | W | 34-31, ot | ||
| 2003 | W | 24-17 | ||
| 2004 | L | 24-27 | ||
| 2004 | W | 48-34 | JMU NCAA Title | W&M Playoff Season |
| 2005 | W | 30-29 | ||
| 2006 | W | 31-17 | JMU Playoff Season | |
| 2007 | W | 55-34 | JMU Playoff Season | |
| 2008 | W | 48-24 | JMU Playoff Season | |
| 2009 | L | 3-24 | W&M Playoff Season | |
| 2010 | W | 30-24 | ||
| 2011 | W | 20-14 | JMU Playoff Season | |
| 2012 | W | 27-26, ot | ||
| 2013 | L | 7-17 |
Players Mentioned
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