#7 Dukes Rush Past Delaware For 43-20 CAA Victory

Saturday, October 1

Harrisonburg, Va.

1:30 p.m.

James Madison University

4-1 , 2-0

Delaware

2-2 , 0-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Delaware

James Madison

10/1/2016 5:13:00 PM | Football

Box Score @JMUFootball Box Score Press Conference Photo Gallery Highlights

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Junior quarterback Bryan Schor accounted for four total touchdowns to lead No. 7 James Madison to a 43-20 Colonial Athletic Association football victory against Delaware on Saturday afternoon at Bridgeforth Stadium.

The Dukes improved to 4-1 (2-0 CAA) in front of a capacity crowd of 25,236 fans, while the Blue Hens dropped to 2-2 (0-1 CAA).

Schor combined for 312 total yards of offense, passing 19-for-25 for 209 yards and a touchdown and rushing for 103 yards and three touchdowns, tying his career high. Senior running back Khalid Abdullah turned in his fourth straight 100-yard rushing game with a game-high 159 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 carries. Redshirt junior running back Cardon Johnson neared the century mark with 93 yards on the ground. Junior receiver Terrence Alls had his best game for the Dukes, making four catches for 70 yards, including his first career touchdown.

The Dukes tied their season high for total offense, gaining 607. It was the most ever given up by Delaware in the 24-game series. JMU racked up 398 rushing yards on 46 carries, averaging 8.7 yards per touch. The Dukes produced 32 first downs, 21 by way of the run game, which was one more than UD had as a team. JMU was 5-for-9 on third down while holding the Hens to a 4-for-12 success rate.

Redshirt senior linebacker Gage Steele headed the defense with 11 total tackles, combining with redshirt junior defensive lineman Simeyon Robinson for the lone sack of the contest. Junior linebacker Brandon Hereford continued his strong defensive performance, turning in eight tackles. JMU won the turnover battle, as sophomore cornerback Rashad Robinson's interception was the sole takeaway.

Schor put the Dukes ahead 7-0 late in the first quarter with his first of three rushing touchdowns. After a Delaware answer early in the second, the defense clamped down, holding the Blue Hens off the scoreboard until the fourth quarter. The Dukes reeled off three straight touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 26-7 halftime lead. JMU's 19 second-quarter points were the most by JMU against Delaware in the second quarter and the fourth-most in any quarter in the series.

After the break, Schor found the end zone from 18 yards out to cap off a six-play, 98-yard drive, giving the Dukes a 33-7 lead with 6:12 to go in the third. JMU put the game away with another long drive, this time on a 91-yard drive, as Abdullah scored his second touchdown from 41 yards out.

UD was led by Thomas Jefferson, who rushed for 92 yards and a touchdown. Wes Hills had 78 yards and a score and Jalen Randolph 71 and a touchdown. The Hens found success on the ground, particularly in the second half to finish with 312 rushing yards.

QUOTING COACH HOUSTON - COMPLETE PRESS CONFERENCE
"I'm extremely pleased with the performance of our team today. A tremendous amount of credit goes to my assistant coaches for having a really sound game plan for a very good Delaware team. They are a top tier program in the CAA and will win a lot of ball games this year, so to come out and play the way that we did today is a credit to our staff and kids. The team played very hard and executed well through all three phases of the game. To get a win in a big-time matchup at this point of the year is really special. I'm proud of my team and my coaching staff."

PLAY OF THE GAME

Bryan Schor, on the run, scrambles and finds Terrence Alls for a 33-yard reception to extend the JMU drive.

ONE OF THE MORE DOMINANT JMU WINS IN THE SERIES
JMU improved to 10-14 all-time against Delaware, notching its second straight win over the Hens. The Dukes tallied 43 points, the second-most against Delaware in 24 meetings and just one off the record, set Nov. 4, 2006 (W, 44-24). JMU also set a series record for total offense against UD, amassing 607 yards. It was the seventh time a Delaware team ever conceded 600 or more yards to any team in a game.

KHALID CONTINUES TO ROLL
Khalid Abdullah showed his prowess once again on Saturday, rushing for a game-high 159 yards and two touchdowns. More impressive, he did so on just 10 carries, for an average of 15.9 per carry. He also moved into eighth place all-time at JMU in career rushing yards, standing at 2,472 yards. He has scored 27 career rushing touchdowns, good for seventh all-time.

SATURDAY'S WIN A SCHOR THING
Bryan Schor continued his strong junior season, finding ample success in Saturday's win against Delaware. He tallied 312 yards off offense, going for 209 in the air and an impressive 103 on the ground, which included three rushing scores. He added a passing score for a career-best four touchdowns. Schor completed 14 of 17 (82%) attempts in the first half and finished the game 19-for-25 (76%). This season, Schor has completed 69 percent of his passes, throwing for 878 yards and six touchdowns.

THIRD-DOWN PLAYS PIVOTAL ROLE IN WIN
The third-down game was important in JMU pulling away from Delaware. The Dukes, who rank fourth nationally in third-down situations, were 5-for-9. The Hens struggled, gaining the first-down marker only four times on 12 tries. JMU entered the week ranking 24th in FCS in stopping teams on third down.

PHOTO OF THE GAME - COMPLETE GALLERY

JMU nation celebrates with streamers as the Dukes find the endzone.

TWEET OF THE GAME

Thank you, #GoDukes for a great On Campus trip this weekend.#CAAFB pic.twitter.com/fdEgRJ5Acj
— CAA Football (@CAAFootball) October 1, 2016

UP NEXT
JMU stays home again next week when it faces in-state foe William & Mary on Saturday, Oct. 8. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. and will be televised on Comcast SportsNet.