#1 JMU Opens Conference Play against Maine on Saturday

Saturday, September 23

Harrisonburg, Va.

1:30 p.m.

James Madison University

Maine

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9/19/2017 2:30:00 PM | Football

@JMUFootball Press Luncheon JMU Game Notes Maine Notes

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Top-ranked James Madison is home for the third straight weekend when it opens Colonial Athletic Association play against Maine on Saturday, Sept. 23.

Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. inside Bridgeforth Stadium/Zane Showker Field, and the game will be televised on MASN. It can also be seen live on MadiZONE HD SportsNet, presented by the JMU Alumni Association, and heard on the JMU/Sprint Broadcast Network. Radio pregame coverage begins at 12:30 p.m.

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

FAN & PRESS LUNCHEON

SERIES HISTORY
Saturday marks the 18th meeting between JMU and Maine, with the Dukes leading 12-5. JMU has won two straight and seven of the past eight, which included a 31-20 win in Orono last season. That win began JMU's current 15-game win streak, which leads all Division I teams.

3-0 START DOESN'T COME OFTEN
The Dukes improved to 3-0 to start a season, but that feat has not come often. It is only the fifth time in 46 years JMU is off to a 3-0 start, due in large to it playing a FBS school early each season. JMU last won its first three in 2015 when it reeled off a program-record seven straight wins to start the season.

HOUSTON'S SQUAD SCORES IN BUNCHES
Since the start of the 2016 season, JMU has turned in three of its top-5 scoring performances all-time. After scoring 80 in the opener versus Morehead State a year ago, the Dukes also scored 84 on Homecoming against Rhode Island - the program record for scoring. Last week, JMU put up 75 points, tying for fourth in the 46-year history of JMU football. In Houston's 18 games at the helm, JMU has tallied 861 points, averaging 47.8 points per game.

SCOUTING MAINE
The Black Bears come to town sporting a 1-1 record and 0-1 mark in CAA play, having come off their bye week. Maine opened the year with a 24-23 loss at #13 New Hampshire before dispatching Bryant, 60-12, in its home opener. UM averages 41.5 points per game, ranking second only to JMU, while conceding 18.0 points per outing. Josh Mack leads the country with 179.0 rushing yards per game, which was capped by his 255 yards and three touchdowns vs. Bryant. Joe Harasymiak is in his second year at the helm, holding a 7-6 record. He guided Maine to a 6-5 record in 2016. He was previously the defensive coordinator before taking over the head role.

TALE OF THE TAPE

JMU		Maine
53.7	Scoring Offense	41.5
12.7	Scoring Defense	18.0
+41.0	Scoring Margin	+23.5
254.7	Passing Yards	197.0
334.7	Rushing Yards	247.0
589.3	Total Offense	444.0
61% (23/38)	3^rd Down Offense	37% (11/30)
30% (13/44)	3^rd Down Defense	28% (8/29)
67% (2/3)	4^th Down Offense	50% (1/2)
40% (2/5)	4^th Down Defense	67% (2/3)
90% (18/20)	Red Zone Scoring	67% (8/12)
5/5/1	Sacks/INT/Fumb. Rec.	7/6/4

RUN DUKES! RUN!
The run game was impactful in week three against Norfolk State, as the Dukes piled on 472 rushing yards, averaging 7.3 per carry. The Dukes had six different players score rushing touchdowns in the win. Trai Sharp, who played just over a quarter, rushed nine times for 130 yards (14.4) and a touchdown while also tallying 45 receiving yards and a score. In the fourth quarter, Percy Agyei-Obese ran for his entire 103 yards, scoring his first career TD. Three other Dukes ran for over 50 yards in Marcus Marshall (64, 2 TD), Cardon Johnson (57) and Bryan Schor (54, TD). JMU is third in FCS in rushing offense, at 334.7.

DEFENSE DOMINANT
JMU's defense picked up where it left off last postseason, dominating the competition through three games. JMU concedes just 12.7 points per game. However only 17 of the 38 points allowed have come against the defense. No team has gone the length of the field for a touchdown against the starting defense, with the longest drive resulting in a field goal in the ETSU game. Over the past four games, dating back to the FCS title game, JMU has allowed only 191 rushing yards and 1.6 yards per carry. The secondary has been solid all year, having not allowed a passing touchdown yet in 2017. The Dukes rank in the top five nationally in four defensive categories, including passing efficiency defense (77.81 - 3rd), red-zone defense (50% - 4th), total defense (209.3 - 5th) and interceptions (5 - 5th).

NATION-LEADING WIN STREAK REACHES 15
JMU extended its program-record and NCAA Division I-best win streak to 15 straight games after beating Norfolk State 75-14 last weekend. That win secured a calendar year since JMU's last setback. The streak leads all teams both at the FBS and FCS levels. It is also tied for 19th all-time in FCS history and just two wins shy of tying Richmond's CAA record of 17 in a row (2008-09).

Aside of JMU, Oklahoma has won 13 in a row and USC has triumphed in 12 straight. No other FCS team has won more than five consecutive games (Princeton - 5). 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 16 straight games against FCS opponents, with the last loss coming on Dec. 5, 2015 versus Colgate in the second round of the playoffs. Additionally, JMU has won six straight road games since the UNC loss, which is one shy of the program record. The Dukes won seven straight between the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

A Duke forever, thanks "Uncle Ron" pic.twitter.com/ytPIV21Sx5
— JMUSports (@JMUSports) September 19, 2017

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for this week's game, as well as the entire season are available at JMUTickets.com. For JMU's six home games, season, mini-plan and single-game packages are available.

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 on Saturday, Sept. 30 when it travels to Newark, Del., to take on Delaware. It will be the 25th meeting between the teams, with the Blue Hens leading 14-10. JMU has won two straight, including a 43-20 win in Harrisonburg in 2016.