Ratke’s Game-Winning Field Goal Sends #1 JMU to FCS Semis with 31-28 Win

Friday, December 8

Harrisonburg, Va.

7 p.m.

James Madison University

13-0

Weber State

11-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Weber State

James Madison

Ratke’s Game-Winning Field Goal Sends #1 JMU to FCS Semis with 31-28 Win

12/8/2017 11:45:00 PM | Football

Box Score @JMUFootball Box Score Press Conference Highlights Photo Gallery #1 Photo Gallery #2

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Redshirt freshman kicker Ethan Ratke kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired to send top-seeded James Madison to the national semifinals with a thrilling 31-28 triumph against 11th-ranked Weber State in the NCAA FCS quarterfinals on Friday night at Bridgeforth Stadium/Zane Showker Field.

The Dukes (13-0) will await the winner of No. 5 seeded South Dakota State and 21st-ranked New Hampshire in next weekend's semifinals. That game will either be played on Friday Dec. 15 at 8 p.m. on ESPN2 or Saturday, Dec. 16 at 4:30 p.m. on ESPNU. The Wildcats ended their program-best season with an 11-3 overall record.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing 28-20 with 3:14 to play, JMU needed only four plays to go 52 when senior quarterback Bryan Schor connected with redshirt sophomore receiver Riley Stapleton on a 40-yard touchdown with 2:08 remaining. Junior running back Trai Sharp tied it up with a successful 2-point conversion rush.

JMU forced Weber into a three-and-out, giving the Dukes the ball back with 1:06 left. Schor found Stapleton on a 17-yard pass, setting them up at the WSU 39. Three plays later, Head Coach Mike Houston called timeout with one second left, setting up Ratke's game-winner, which was not just his career long but also the longest field goal in JMU postseason history.

GAME-WINNING FIELD GOAL - SPORTSCENTER HIGHLIGHTS

QUICK HITS

JMU scored 11 unanswered points in the final 2:08, sending the Dukes to the national semifinals for the fourth time in program history.
Ethan Ratke tied a program record with a career-best three field goals, including his 46-yard boot as time expired to win the game.
Junior running back Marcus Marshall eclipsed the century mark, rushing for 128 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 9.1 yards per rush on 14 carries. It was his second 100-yard game at JMU and the sixth of his collegiate career.
Bryan Schor was 21-of-45 for 359 yards and a touchdown, as he became JMU's all-time leader in career passing yards (6,727) and total offense (7,859).
His top-two receiving targets both went over 100 yards on the night, as redshirt sophomore Riley Stapleton had a career-high 189 yards and a score on eight catches, and redshirt senior Terrence Alls added 117 yards on six grabs. Stapleton tied his career high in receptions and his receiving yards total was the second-most in school history.
Defensively, redshirt senior linebacker Kyre Hawkins tallied a game-high 13 tackles and a tackle-for-loss, and senior linebacker Brandon Hereford finished with 11 stops.
Redshirt junior corner Jimmy Moreland also had eight tackles and two pass breakups, with his second breakup forcing the punt which set up JMU's game-winning drive. Junior corner Rashad Robinson intercepted his seventh pass of the season while also breaking up a pair of passes. He is now tied for the FCS lead in interceptions with Jordan Brown.
WSU quarterback Stefan Cantwell tallied three total touchdowns, passing for 238 yards and two score while leading the team with 47 rushing yards and a touchdown. Two receivers had over 80 yards, led by Kevin Smith's 85. That included his 81-yard touchdown in the second half.
JMU out-gained Weber State 549-329, including 359-238 through the air.

PRESS CONFERENCE

SCHOR SETS TWO MORE PROGRAM RECORDS

Bryan Schor set two career records in JMU's quarterfinal win, moving into first place in passing yards and total offense.
Schor surpassed Mike Cawley (6,482 – 1993-95) after throwing for 359 yards, which was the second-most yards of his career. He has now thrown for 6,727 career passing yards.
He also broke the record for total offense, as he moved ahead of Eriq Williams (7,678 – 1989-92). Schor has now gained 7,859 yards in his career.
Schor now owns four JMU career records, adding to his career passing touchdowns (60) and career completions (527) records.

MARCUS RUNS WILD

Marcus Marshall turned in his second 100-yard rushing game of the year, as he went off for 128 yards and two touchdowns.
He did so while averaging 9.1 yards per carry. He had a long of 43 and his touchdowns ranged from 15 and 20 yards out.
Marshall has scored a team-high eight rushing touchdowns this season, which matches his two-year total from Georgia Tech.

FCS SEMIFINAL TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for the next weekend's semifinal game will go on sale online Sunday morning. The ticket office will be open 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Priority Deadline will be Tuesday at 5 p.m.

PHOTO OF THE NIGHT - Photo Gallery #1 Photo Gallery #2
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