Aerial Assault Pushes Fourth-Seeded Dukes to Playoff Win Over UNH, 55-22

Saturday, December 3

Harrisonburg, Va.

2 p.m.

James Madison University

11-1 , 8-0

New Hampshire

8-5 , 6-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

New Hampshire

James Madison

Aerial Assault Pushes Fourth-Seeded Dukes to Playoff Win Over UNH, 55-22

12/3/2016 5:51:00 PM | Football

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HARRISONBURG, Va. – Junior quarterback Bryan Schor tied the program record with five passing touchdowns, and fourth-seeded James Madison scored seven touchdowns in the middle quarters to rout New Hampshire 55-22 in the second round of the FCS playoffs on Saturday at Bridgeforth Stadium/Zane Showker Field.

The Dukes (11-1) advance to next weekend's FCS quarterfinals, where they will host Sam Houston State on Friday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. The Bearkats defeated Chattanooga 41-36 on Saturday.

Making his return from injury, Schor had a career day, going 30-for-37 for 371 yards and five touchdowns. His passing yards was the fifth most in JMU single-game history and he became the first quarterback to throw five touchdown passes in two separate games.

For the second straight game against the Wildcats (8-5), senior receiver Brandon Ravenel and redshirt junior receiver Terrence Alls both tallied two receiving touchdowns, while junior tight end Jonathan Kloosterman added two of his own in the red zone. The two scores tied career highs for all three players.

Ravenel reeled in career highs of eight receptions for 155 yards – all in the first half – as he became the first JMU player since 2009 to go over 150. The senior also collected 108 yards and a touchdown on two kick returns to total 263 all-purpose yards. Alls also had career bests of seven catches for 126 yards.

The win was JMU's first in the postseason since a first-round victory at Eastern Kentucky in 2011. It was also the first playoff win at Bridgeforth Stadium since the 2008 quarterfinals against Villanova.

The Dukes trailed 7-3 after one quarter, but scored four passing touchdowns in the second frame to take a 31-7 lead into the halftime locker room. Alls hauled in an athletic catch in the back of the end zone before senior receiver Rashard Davis threw his first career touchdown pass to Ravenel, a 37-yard strike after a handoff from Schor. Kloosterman and Ravenel added 11- and 19-yard touchdown catches to close out the half.

The Wildcats' Dalton Crossan scored a 14-yard rushing touchdown on the opening drive of the third quarter, but Ravenel immediately responded with an 86-yard kickoff return touchdown. Alls and Kloosterman each grabbed their second receiving scores of the day later in the quarter to put the game out of reach at 52-15 at the end of the third.

HIGHLIGHTS

PRESS CONFERENCE

PHOTO OF THE GAME - view full photo gallery
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TWEET OF THE GAME

These @JMUFootball boys are Rollin. @B_RAVEnel_ONE @bryanschor on another level!
— Earl Watford (@EWatts78) December 3, 2016

DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS
JMU put in a strong defensive performance, limiting New Hampshire to 268 yards of total offense. The Dukes were led by junior linebacker Brandon Hereford, who had eight tackles. Redshirt senior linebacker Gage Steele returned a fourth-quarter interception for 25 yards in addition to tallying five tackles and a quarterback hurry. Redshirt senior defensive lineman Martez Stone added four tackles, a sack and a pass break-up.

DUKES IN THE POSTSEASON
JMU advanced to the quarterfinals for the fifth time in school history (1991, 1995, 2004, 2008), where they hold a 2-2 record. The Dukes are 3-0 against CAA foes in the playoffs, previously beating William & Mary 48-34 in the 2004 semifinals and Villanova 31-27 in the 2008 quarterfinals. JMU is 10-11 all-time in the playoffs.

CAREER WATCH
A number of Dukes moved up in the career charts with big numbers on Saturday. Brandon Ravenel now sits in third in career receptions with 157, and fifth in receiving touchdowns with 15. Bryan Schor moved into seventh in passing touchdowns with 30 career scores. Khalid Abdullah is now fifth in all-purpose yards with 3,064.

UP NEXT
Fourth-seeded JMU hosts fifth-seeded Sam Houston State on Friday, December 9 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2 from inside Bridgeforth Stadium. CLICK HERE for more information regarding tickets to next Friday's prime time game.