#1 JMU Heads to Delaware for Conference Showdown

Saturday, September 30

Newark, Del.

3:30 p.m.

James Madison University

Delaware

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9/26/2017 3:15:00 PM | Football

@JMUFootball JMU Game Notes Houston Press Conference

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Top-ranked James Madison hits the road this weekend, traveling to Newark, Del., to face Delaware on Saturday, Sept. 30.

Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at Delaware Stadium and will be televised on Comcast SportsNet Plus, CSN-Philadelphia and SportsNet New York. It will also be streamed on Hens All-Access and can 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.

FAN & PRESS LUNCHEON

SERIES HISTORY
Saturday marks the 25th meeting between JMU and Delaware, with the Blue Hens leading 14-10. JMU has won just four times in Newark, Del., going 4-8 all-time on the road versus the Blue Hens. Last time out, the Dukes won a thriller, 24-21, in 2015 with a last-minute touchdown.

SCHOR APPROACHES CAREER RECORD
Entering the Delaware road trip, Bryan Schor ranks in the top eight in five career categories. Most notably, Schor is quickly approaching JMU's career passing touchdowns record, as he sits at 48. He is just three shy of the record (51), held by Vad Lee and Justin Rascati. Schor is also fifth in completions (363), sixth in both passing yards (4,794) and total offense (5,765) and eighth in pass attempts (514). He needs 206 yards to become JMU's fifth quarterback ever to reach 5,000 passing yards.

DEFENSE DOMINANT
JMU's defense has quickly proven to be one of the tops in all of FCS football. JMU concedes just 12.0 points per game. However, only 27 of the 48 points allowed have come against the defense. Over the past five games, dating back to the FCS title game, JMU has allowed only 328 rushing yards and 2.1 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 five defensive categories, including leading the country in red-zone defense (50%). They are also third in both interceptions (8) and pass efficiency defense (74.70) and fourth in both scoring defense (12.0) and total defense (231.8).

JMU is also just outside the FCS top 10 in passing defense (155.0) and takeaways (9). Individually, Jimmy Moreland ranks second nationally in passes defended (2.0) and Rashad Robinson is sixth in interceptions (3).

SCOUTING DELAWARE
The Blue Hens come off their bye week with a 2-1 record heading into their CAA opener. Delaware is coming off a 41-14 win over Cornell in its last time out on Sept. 16, and is 2-0 at home in 2017.

UD averages 21.0 points per game while conceding 14.7 per outing. The Hens rank second in the CAA in rush defense (62.0) and third in total defense (280.7). Kareem Williams and Thomas Jefferson collectively average 130.0 rushing yards per game. Joe Walker has passed for 510 yards and three scores this season.

Danny Rocco is in his first season at UDel and 12th overall as a head coach. Previously serving stints at Liberty and most recently Richmond, he is 92-43 for his career.

TALE OF THE TAPE

JMU		Delaware
47.2	Scoring Offense	21.0
12.0	Scoring Defense	14.7
+35.2	Scoring Margin	+6.3
261.2	Passing Yards	174.7
298.8	Rushing Yards	186.0
560.0	Total Offense	36.7
55% (28/51)	3^rd Down Offense	47% (22/47)
32% (21/65)	3^rd Down Defense	31% (11/36)
50% (2/4)	4^th Down Offense	0% (0/0)
40% (2/5)	4^th Down Defense	50% (3/6)
88% (21/24)	Red Zone Scoring	71% (10/14)
9/8/1	Sacks/INT/Fumb. Rec.	5/5/4

MARSHALL OVER THE CENTURY MARK
For the first time in his JMU career, Marcus Marshall used a tremendous fourth quarter against Maine to go over 100 yards for the first time as a Duke. Marshall rushed four times for 84 yards in the fourth quarter to finish with 135 yards, averaging 7.1 yards per carry. He ranks fourth in the CAA with 79.5 rushing yards per outing and tied for fourth with three rushing touchdowns.

ARCHIE NABS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Making his second appearance and earning his first career start, Ezrah Archie had a breakout game to earn CAA Rookie of the Week honors. He led all players with eight catches for 90 yards and a touchdown in JMU's 28-10 win over UM. He made a career-long, 31-yard catch in the first quarter and his performance was capped off by a three-yard touchdown catch to seal the win. JMU has now won three weekly awards, as both Cardon Johnson and Kyre Hawkins were Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week after week one.

WIN STREAK EXTENDED ~ NOW AT 16 STRAIGHT
It didn't come easy but JMU's second-half rally against Maine extended its program-record and NCAA Division I-best win streak to 16 straight games. The streak leads all times at both the FBS and FCS levels, as Oklahoma has won 14 in a row and USC has triumphed in 13 straight. No other FCS team has won more than six games (Princeton).

The 16-game mark is tied for 17th all-time in FCS history, tying Sam Houston State (2010-11) and Georgia Southern (1989-90). The Dukes are just one victory shy of the CAA's all-time record of 17, set back in 200809 by rival Richmond. 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 17 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.

TWEET OF THE WEEK

Today's attendance - 25,330

Thank you #JMUNation pic.twitter.com/0jyMfG4NZz
— JMUSports (@JMUSports) September 23, 2017

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 is on a bye next week before returning to action on Saturday, Oct. 14 when it hosts Villanova at Bridgeforth Stadium. It will be the 26th meeting between the teams, with the Dukes leading 14-11 (8-4 at home). JMU has won two straight against Villanova, including a 20-7 win on the road back on Nov. 12, 2016 to clinch the outright CAA title.