#12 Dukes Top CCSU 56-21 To Improve To 2-0

Saturday, September 10

Harrisonburg, Va.

4 p.m.

James Madison University

2-0

Central Connecticut State

0-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Central Conn. State

James Madison

9/10/2016 8:18:00 PM | Football

Box Score @JMUFootball Box Score Highlights Press Conference Photo Gallery

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison football continued its record-breaking offensive performance as the 12th-ranked Dukes topped Central Connecticut State 56-21 on Saturday evening at Bridgeforth Stadium/Zane Showker Field.

Scoring 136 points over the first two games of the season, JMU set a new program record for points scored over a two-game span, topping the previous record of 118 set between the Dukes' 2015 FCS playoff loss to Colgate and the 2016 record-breaking season opener against Morehead State.

JMU had a pair of running backs eclipse the century mark as redshirt junior Cardon Johnson rushed for a game-high 121 yards on 16 carries with two touchdowns. Senior Khalid Abdullah racked up 113 yards over 18 carries for a touchdown while also adding an 11-yard touchdown reception. Johnson went over 100 for the second straight game and sixth time of his career, while Abdullah, who became the 14th Duke in program history to run for over 2,000 career yards, hit 100 in a game for the fifth time at JMU.

JMU scored a touchdown on each of its first five drives to mount a 35-7 lead at halftime. The Dukes tacked on 21 additional points in the second half, which included back-to-back punt returns for touchdowns by senior wide receiver Rashard Davis and junior wide receiver John Miller. The two returns for scores tied the Dukes' single-game record for punt returns, originally set against Virginia back in 1983.

Junior quarterback Bryan Schor sparked the Dukes to a 21-0 lead with a pair of first-quarter touchdown passes as JMU outgained the Blue Devils 193-61 in the opening stanza. Schor opened Saturday's contest 12-for-12 and had a career-high three passing touchdown by the break. The Milford, Pa., native closed the night 17-for-21 for 205 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, while adding 33 rushing yards on six carries.

CCSU closed the gap in the third quarter with two touchdowns, including a 15-yard Schor interception return by Najae Brown for a score. The Dukes capped the fourth quarter with two scores, including Miller's 56-yard punt return. With Davis and Miller's returns, JMU has punt returns for touchdowns in back-to-back games for the first time since the 2008 season and has scored on all three returns this year.

Defensively, JMU was led by junior linebacker Brandon Hereford, who racked up a 12 tackles (seven solo) with two tackles for loss. Sophomore linebacker Dimitri Holloway added eight tackles. The JMU defense limited CCSU offense to 224 total yards, while holding it to 3-for-15 on third downs. JMU outgained CCSU by nearly 300 yards after rushing for 312 yards on 55 carries, averaging 5.7 per run.

QUOTING COACH HOUSTON - COMPLETE PRESS CONFERENCE
"I'm excited to be 2-0 to open the season. It's always great to get off to a fast start at the beginning of the year to build some momentum early on. I'm very pleased with the way our team came out and played in the first half against Central Connecticut State. They were bigger up front than we saw last week with a lot more athleticism across the board on both sides of the ball. I knew we would be a little more challenged, so I was pleased with the way we played in the first half."

PLAY OF THE GAME

Junior quarterback Bryan Schor eluded pressure and found senior wideout Brandon Ravenel for this 3-yard touchdown that answered a CCSU score and put the Dukes up 28-7.

TWEET OF THE GAME

Our Fight Song led by our two punt returners!! #Family #GoDukes!!!https://t.co/c1OGcSRyRR
— Mike Houston (@JMUCoachHouston) September 11, 2016

WELCOME TO THE 2,000 YARD CLUB, KHALID
In the 45-year history of the program, a short few have gained 2,000 rushing yards, but on Saturday, Khalid Abdullah became JMU's 14th 2,000-yard rusher. He now has 2,025 career yards on the ground and needs a little less than 300 yards to enter the career top 10.

RAVENEL MOVES UP THE CHARTS
Senior receiver Brandon Ravenel finished Saturday's game with six receptions for 61 yards, moving up the career charts in the process. Ravenel now ranks tied for fifth in career receptions (123) with Alan Harrison (2000-03) and became the eighth JMU player to reach 1,600 receiving yards, standing at 1,609 yards.

GUNNAR BOOTS IT AWAY
Redshirt senior punter Gunnar Kane entered Saturday ranking sixth on JMU's career list for punt average and showed his kicking strength with three punts for 142 yards, averaging 47.3 per boot. His game was capped by a 59-yard punt, as two of his three kicks landed inside the 20.

PHOTO OF THE GAME - COMPLETE PHOTO GALLERY

Junior running back Cardon Johnson turns away a defender en route to a 121-yard, two-TD performance. The effort marked Johnson's second 100-yard showing in as many games and the sixth such effort of his career.

UP NEXT
JMU hits the road for the first time next week when it treks to Chapel Hill, N.C., to face FBS-foe North Carolina out of the Atlantic Coast Conference on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 3:30 p.m. The game will be televised on Comcast SportsNet and the Raycom Sports Network.