Second-Half Surge Lifts #11 Dukes Over Maine, 31-20

Saturday, September 24

Orono, Maine

Noon

James Madison University

3-1 , 1-0

Maine

0-3 , 0-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

James Madison

Maine

9/24/2016 3:22:00 PM | Football

Box Score @JMUFootball Box Score Highlights Photo Gallery 2016 Schedule

ORONO, Maine – Running backs Khalid Abdullah and Cardon Johnson combined for 282 rushing yards and three touchdowns to lead 11th-ranked James Madison (3-1, 1-0 CAA) to a 31-20 comeback victory at Maine (0-3, 0-1) to open Colonial Athletic Association Football play on Saturday afternoon at Alfond Stadium.

Trailing 13-10 at the break, the defense produced four sacks and three interceptions, allowing JMU to outscore the Black Bears 21-7 over the final 30 minutes, including a 14-0 ledger in the fourth quarter. JMU limited UM to just 120 yards of total offense in the second half.

Abdullah, a senior, rushed for a career-high 172 yards and two touchdowns while Johnson, a redshirt junior, joined him over the century mark with 110 yards and a score. The rushing attack produced a pair of scoring plays over 50 yards, including an 85 yarder by Abdullah in the third. Junior quarterback Bryan Schor also passed 11-for-22 for 137 yards and a touchdown. Junior receiver John Miller made five catches for 55 yards and a touchdown, while senior Brandon Ravenel reeled in three receptions for a team-best 58 yards, which including a long of 34.

Defensively, junior linebacker Brandon Hereford had a team-best nine tackles while redshirt sophomore cornerback Jimmy Moreland and redshirt junior Simeyon Robinson each had seven stops. Robinson led the charge up front, with a career-best 4.5 tackles for loss, including 1.5 sacks. Robinson's tackle-for-loss total was the most since Stephon Robertson had 5.0 for loss on Oct. 26, 2013. The Dukes forced four second-half turnovers, three by way of interceptions and a turnover-on-downs after JMU had three consecutive sacks.

Down 13-10 entering the second half, redshirt junior corner Jordan Brown intercepted a pass deep downfield on the first play of the third quarter. Three plays later, Abdullah found a hole in the middle and ran 85 yards, a career long, for the touchdown. The fifth-longest run in JMU history put JMU ahead 17-13.

Maine regained the lead on the ensuing drive, but JMU took it back early in the fourth when Schor found a wide-open John Miller over the middle for a 19-yard touchdown pass to make it 24-20. Later in the fourth, senior safety Raven Greene made a one-handed interception to set up JMU near midfield. On the next play, Johnson scampered 52 yards for the score to close the scoring. Maine moved the ball on the next drive but JMU put the game away with three straight sacks to give the ball back to the Dukes.

QUOTING COACH HOUSTON
"Everybody knows in this conference there are no easy wins at all, especially on the road. To be able to come here and get the victory today is a significant achievement for our group."

PLAY OF THE GAME

Khalid Abdullah runs 85 yards for a touchdown early in the third quarter, his second TD of the day.

SECONDARY PARAMOUNT IN ROAD WIN
JMU thwarted two Maine drives in the third quarter, thanks to the secondary. On the initial play of the second half Jordan Brown intercepted a deep pass, leading to a JMU touchdown three plays later. Later in the third, Rashad Robinson picked off his second career pass to keep it a three-point game. Raven Greene made a spectacular one-handed pick in the fourth quarter, leading to a Duke touchdown on the following offensive play.

FOURTH-QUARTER SACKS
After not posting a sack in the first three games of the season, the JMU defensive responded with four huge stops against Maine, including three fourth-quarter sacks in the Black Bears' final drive of the game. With Main in JMU territory, Simeyon Robinson, Martez Stone, and Andrew Ankrah combined for three consecutive sacks for a loss of 21 yards to force a turnover on downs and stop any chance of a Maine comeback.

KHALID CONTINUES TO MOVE AMONG RUSHING LEADERS
Khalid Abdullah's career day saw him move onto JMU's top-10 career rushing yards list. Abdullah now has 2,313 career rushing yards, which ranks 10th all-time at JMU, as he surpassed Eugene Holloman's 2,311 yards (2006-08). He also has 25 rushing touchdowns (tied 7th) and 27 total touchdowns (8th) in his 37 career games.

100-YARD BACKS BECOMING A CONSTANT
For the third time this season for both players, both Khalid Abdullah and Cardon Johnson each ran for over 100 yards. Through four games, both players are averaging over 100 yards per game, as Abdullah has run for 444 yards (111.0 ypg) and six touchdowns, and Johnson has gone for 407 yards (101.8) and five rushing scores. Additionally, both average 6.5 yards per rush.

PHOTO OF THE GAME - view full photo gallery

Darrious Carter blows a play up in the backfield during the second half.

RAVENEL CATCHES HIS WAY UP THE CHARTS
Brandon Ravenel made three catches for 58 yards on Saturday, and he now ranks seventh all-time at JMU with 1,684 receiving yards. He is also fifth with 128 receptions.

WALKER MAKES MOST OF KICKOFF OPPORTUNITIES
Junior Robbie Walker proved vital in the Dukes' special team performance as a returner. The receiver fielded four kicks for a total of 84 yards, averaging 21 yards per return. Walker opened the contest with his long return of the day for 29 yards, setting up a JMU score on the opening drive for the fourth consecutive game.

CAA ROAD WINS TOUGH TO COME BY
Historically, winning has proven to be tough in the CAA, especially on the road. JMU lost its previous two conference openers which occurred on the road, marking the first time since a 32-7 win at Rhode Island (Sept. 22, 2012) that JMU opened conference play with a road victory.

TWEET OF THE GAME

HIGHLIGHTS | When you are THIS good - you only need one hand to catch an interception! #GoDukes #NewBreed https://t.co/1SXvXQIO8i
— JMU Football (@JMUFootball) September 24, 2016

UP NEXT
JMU returns home for the next two weeks, opening up a two-game homestand against Delaware on Saturday, Oct. 1. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. and it will be Family Weekend.