Second Half Buoys No. 5 Dukes Over Towson, 51-30

Saturday, October 10

Towson, Md.

3 p.m.

James Madison University

6-0 , 3-0

Towson

2-3 , 0-2

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
James Madison	14	10	17	10	51
Towson	6	11	6	7	30

Photo Gallery Highlights Players Postgame Withers Postgame

10/10/2015 7:17:00 PM | Football

Box Score

TOWSON, Md. - Fifth-ranked James Madison used a 27-13 scoring advantage in the second half to close out a 51-30 victory over Towson in Colonial Athletic Association action on Saturday afternoon at Johnny Unitas Stadium.

With the victory, the Dukes moved to 6-0 (3-0 CAA) for the first time ever, while the Tigers dropped to 2-3 (0-2 CAA) on the year. JMU has now won a program-record 13 straight regular-season games, dating back to Oct. 4, 2014.

After a first half that saw JMU possess the ball for just 8:23 and tally a season-low 219 yards, the Dukes flipped the switch after halftime, piling up 264 yards, including 125 on the ground, to finish with 483 yards of total offense (278 pass, 205 rush).

The contest turned JMU's way midway through the third quarter, after Towson picked up a nine-yard touchdown pass to cut JMU's lead to 27-23. Freshman cornerback Charles Tutt fielded the ensuing kickoff at his own 8-yard line, snuck through a hole and sprinted 92 yards for the Dukes' first kickoff return for a touchdown since Dejor Simmons' 100-yard return versus Richmond on Oct. 12, 2013.

Ahead 34-23, JMU didn't look back, scoring touchdowns on the next two possessions, eventually pushing the score to 51-23 before the Tigers picked up a late score with less than five minutes left to complete the game's scoring.

Redshirt senior quarterback Vad Lee paced the Dukes' offense, going 24-for-32 for 278 yards through the air and tying JMU's single-game record with five passing touchdowns. Lee has thrown for 17 passing scores in 2015, already tied for the sixth-highest single-season total in program history.

Junior running back Khalid Abdullah continued his stellar season, carrying the ball 25 times for a game-high 131 yards, while junior wide receiver Domo Taylor caught a pair of first-quarter touchdown passes to stake the Dukes an early lead.

The Dukes' defense dug in after the first half as well, yielding just 90 yards to TU, including just 16 on the ground, in the second half. After Towson converted six of the 10 third-down attempts in the opening half, JMU allowed just one conversion on five tries after the break.

QUOTING COACH WITHERS:
"To go on the road and pick up a win is a good feeling, especially against a big, physical, well-coached football team. We got some of the details we needed to get done today and some that we didn't, so we still have a ways to go."

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE:
After entering Saturday's contest with just 25 total tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss, sophomore linebacker Kyre Hawkins racked up 11 tackles, including four solo stops, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks to lead the JMU defense as it held Towson to just 90 yards in the second half.

PLAY OF THE GAME:

Freshman Charles Tutt returns a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown midway through the third quarter to turn the tide in JMU's victory.

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT:
Senior defensive lineman Alex Mosley picked up four tackles, including a solo stop, as well as his first 1.5 sacks of the season on Saturday afternoon, playing a crucial role in the JMU defense's dominant second half.

LIGHTNING STRIKES:
The JMU offense again proved its quick-strike ability, averaging just over 1:34 on its five touchdown drives. The Dukes' longest touchdown drive of the game came early in the fourth quarter, when JMU marched 48 yards on nine plays in 2:12.

TWEET OF THE GAME:

Hampton Roads Alumni cheering on our @JMUFootball Dukes! #GoDukes #BeatTowson let's go 6-0! pic.twitter.com/OwdMaJjXmk
— Hampton Roads Dukes (@HRJMUalum) October 10, 2015

CLIMBING THE RECORD BOOK:
Redshirt senior quarterback Vad Lee continued his march up the JMU record books. After Saturday's performance, he ranks in the top five in five career categories at JMU:
Passing Touchdowns: 2nd, 47 (1st: Just Rascati, 51)
Passing Completions: 3rd, 411 (2nd: Mike Cawley, 479)
Passing Attempts: 4th, 651 (3rd: Justin Rascati, 728)
Passing Yards: 4th, 5,160 (3rd: Eriq Williams, 5,356)
Total Offense: 5th, 6,610 (4th: Rodney Landers, 6,765)

PHOTO OF THE GAME

Freshman Charles Tutt and sophomore Blaine Stewart celebrate Tutt's 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown midway through the third quarter of JMU's win.

CAA STATUS:
The Dukes remain tied atop the CAA standings after Saturday's action as the league's only undefeated team. Richmond is the only other conference foe to join JMU in first, having moved to 4-1 (2-0 CAA) with its win over Elon on Saturday.

NEXT UP:
The Dukes are on the road for the second straight week next Saturday, Oct. 17, as they travel to Elon, N.C., to take on Elon at 3 p.m. The Phoenix fell to 2-4 (1-2 CAA) on Saturday, dropping a 27-14 decision at Richmond.