#1 JMU Hosts #17 New Hampshire in Playoff Rematch on Homecoming Weekend

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Top-ranked James Madison returns home this Saturday, Oct. 28, as it hosts 17th-ranked New Hampshire for Homecoming. It will be a purple out, so fans are encouraged to wear purple to the game.

Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at Bridgeforth Stadium/Zane Showker Field and will be streamed on MadiZONE HD SportsNet. It can also be heard on the JMU/Sprint Broadcast Network, with pregame coverage starting at 2:30 p.m.

The 2017 JMU football season is presented by CarMax and Saturday's game is sponsored by Sprint

FAN & PRESS LUNCHEON

SERIES HISTORY
Saturday marks the 18th meeting between JMU and New Hampshire, with the Dukes edging the 'Cats 9-8. JMU beat UNH twice last season with a 42-39 win in Durham, N.H., followed by a 55-22 victory at home in the second round of the FCS playoffs.

JMU MATCHES BEST START IN SCHOOL HISTORY
With last week's win in Williamsburg, JMU improved to 7-0 this season, tying the program record for best start in the 46-year history of the football. The Dukes also began 7-0 in 2015.

Should the Dukes down New Hampshire this weekend, the 8-0 mark would be the best start ever. JMU does have one unbeaten season, however, going 9-0-1 in 1975 prior to being a DI team. The Dukes opened that year with a tie before reeling off nine straight wins. JMU outscores opponents by an average of 40.7 to 11.4, which ranks second in FCS in win margin (+29.3). That trails only North Dakota State which scores 44.1 points per game and has a 34.5 win margin.

RECORD WIN STREAK STRETCHES TO 19 STRAIGHT
JMU's 46-14 win at William & Mary marked JMU's program-record 19th consecutive triumph, which extended the CAA record and longest mark in all of Division I.

USF, an American Athletic Conference team at FBS is second in DI with 12 straight. Miami is also in double digits, having won 11 in a row. No other FCS team has won more than eight (North Carolina A&T).

The Dukes have also claimed 14 straight league victories, which is just one shy of the all-time conference record of 15, set by UMass in 1965-67. The 19-game mark is tied for ninth all-time in FCS history, matching Duquesne (1995-96). JMU is the first FCS team with this long a win streak since Harvard won 22 straight from 2013-15. The Dukes last saw defeat on Sept. 24, 2016 - a 56-28 setback at ACC-foe North Carolina. JMU has also won 20 straight games against FCS opponents, with the last loss coming on Dec. 5, 2015 versus Colgate in the second round of the playoffs.

ROAD WARRIORS SET NEW PROGRAM MARK
JMU rolled to a 32-point win at William & Mary on Oct. 21, marking not only the biggest win in the 40-game history of the series but also set the record for longest road win streak for the Dukes. JMU has won eight in a row in true road games, dating back to Sept. 24, 2016. That includes seven straight CAA road wins during the stretch.

SCOUTING NEW HAMPSHIRE
The Wildcats enter this weekend with a 5-2 overall record and 3-1 mark in CAA play following a convincing 40-17 win over Towson just a week ago at home.

UNH scores 29.9 points per game while conceding 24.6 per outing. The Wildcats are third in the CAA in scoring and second in passing offense, at 283.7 pass yards per game. Trevor Knight ranks second in the league in passing (272.1), passing TDs (18) and total offense (296.0). Neil O'Connor leads the CAA in receptions (8.57), receiving yards (126.1) and receiving TDs (9).

Sean McDonnell is in his 19th season at the helm, holding a 146-85 record. He's led the 'Cats to 13 straight FCS playoff appearances, including the 2013 and 2014 semifinals.

TALE OF THE TAPE

JMU		UNH
40.7	Scoring Offense	29.9
11.4	Scoring Defense	24.6
+29.3	Scoring Margin	+5.3
231.1	Passing Yards	283.7
239.1	Rushing Yards	138.9
470.3	Total Offense	422.6
47% (47/99)	3^rd Down Offense	36% (39/109)
32% (35/109)	3^rd Down Defense	35% (38/109)
50% (3/6)	4^th Down Offense	62% (10/16)
50% (5/10)	4^th Down Defense	36% (5/14)
86% (30/35)	Red Zone Scoring	79% (23/29)
24/15/6	Sacks/INT/Fumb. Rec.	15/10/3

SIX TAKEAWAYS, RESULTING IN 33 PTS
Six takeaways and 33 points off turnovers led JMU to a dominant 46-14 win at William & Mary on Oct. 21 in Williamsburg.

Four interceptions and two fumble recoveries turned into 33 of JMU's 46 points in the rout at William & Mary. JMU's defense also didn't allow the Tribe to pass midfield the entire first half and held them scoreless through three quarters.

Jordan Brown (2 INT), Rashad Robinson (1 INT) and Jimmy Moreland (1 INT, pick-six) each led the CAA with four interceptions this season. Eight different players accounted for the team's six sacks, as JMU has matched the 2016 sacks total - 24.0.

WIN-STREAK TIDBITS

CAA-record and NCAA DI-best 19 straight wins
One win shy of tying CAA record of 15 straight conference victories (UMass - 1965-67)
Program-record eight straight road wins
20 straight wins over FCS competition
15 straight regular-season wins
12 straight wins at Bridgeforth Stadium
Secured 28th winning season at W&M

SCHOR TIES PASSING TD RECORD
Bryan Schor sits alongside two former greats atop the JMU career passing touchdown record after recording one passing score at W&M. Schor has thrown 51 passing touchdowns, which is tied with Vad Lee and Justin Rascati. That mark ranks 11th on the FCS active list.

UNANIMOUS NO. 1 BY THE COACHES
Since the preseason, the defending champions have been ranked No. 1 by both the coaches and the media. For the second straight week, the FCS Coaches Poll unanimously voted the Dukes No. 1 with all 26 first-place votes going to 6-0 JMU.

JMU also received 157 of 165 first-place nods (95%) in the STATS FCS Top 25. North Dakota State, which is also 7-0, has been No. 2 each week as well.

Seven CAA teams were ranked, as following JMU were Elon (#10/11), Villanova (#13/15), New Hampshire (#17/16), Richmond (#19/17), Stony Brook (#22/RV) and Delaware (#23/RV). Albany also received votes in the media poll.

TWEET OF THE WEEK

????SOLD OUT????

Thanks for helping @JMUFootball lead @NCAA_FCS in attendance, see you Saturday! #GoDukes https://t.co/rfgFsOLFEJ
— JMUSports (@JMUSports) October 24, 2017

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets at JMUTickets.com are SOLD OUT. However, some tickets remain on StubHub for purchase.

MADIZONE HD SPORTSNET
MadiZONE HD SportsNet, presented by the JMU Alumni Association is a free video production, provided online through Stretch Internet. Five of JMU's six home games will be streamed to MadiZONE, with the Oct. 14 Villanova game being streamed through CBS Sports Digital. Curt Dudley will provide play-by-play for all the home action, and he's joined in the booth by JMU senior and color commentator Bennett Conlin. Sideline coverage will also be provided by JMU sophomore Logan Campbell.

JMU SPRINT BROADCAST NETWORK
All 11 regular-season games, as well as any postseason matchups can be heard online on the JMU/Sprint Broadcast Network or on airwaves at WSVA 550AM and 92.1 FM. Dave Thomas is in his third season as the play-by-play man for the Dukes and is joined by Clint Estes on color commentary.

UP NEXT
JMU hits the road for its lone flight of the regular season at Rhode Island on Saturday, Nov. 4 in Kingston, R.I. Kickoff is set for a noon start at Meade Stadium. It will be the 13th meeting in the series, with JMU leading 9-3.

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