Dukes Drop Opener, 24-13, at NC State

Saturday, September 1

Raleigh, NC

Noon

James Madison University

0-1

NC State

1-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

James Madison

NC State

9/1/2018 5:16:00 PM | Football

Box Score Box Score Highlights Houston Postgame Photo Gallery

RALEIGH, N.C. – Second-ranked James Madison scored the game's first touchdown and limited NC State to only 2.9 yards per rush, but a 17-point spurt in the second quarter gave way for a 24-13 Wolfpack win on Saturday afternoon at Carter-Finley Stadium.

NCSU improved to 1-0 on the young season while the Dukes fell to 0-1, marking their first season-opening loss since the 2014 campaign at Maryland.

QUICK SUMMARY

JMU passed for 202 yards, 197 of which came from junior Ben DiNucci, who also threw a touchdown pass in his debut with the Dukes.
DiNucci also led JMU in rushing, going for 79 yards, which included a game-long 24-yard run
Redshirt junior Riley Stapleton led the team with a career-high nine catches for 88 yards and a touchdown, which put JMU up 7-0 late in the first.
Senior Marcus Marshall ran for 65 yards, including a long of 26 yards, while playing against his hometown team.
The Wolfpack overcame the early deficit with three scoring plays in the second quarter, with a field goal and two passing touchdowns by Ryan Finley – the latter coming with only 18 seconds to go in the first half.
Redshirt sophomore Ethan Ratke cut into NC State's lead with a pair of second-half field goals – both from 19 yards out – to make it 17-13 with 6:59 to play.
NCSU answered with an 84-yard drive over 11 plays, capped off by a rushing touchdown by Reggie Gallaspy with just over a minute to go.

STARTING ON A HIGH

Three receivers – redshirt junior Mack Cullen and redshirt freshmen Josh Sims and Kyndel Dean – all made their first career catches Saturday.
Sims was second for JMU with four catches for 32 yards and Cullen and Dean each reeled in a pair of passes.
Junior Adam Smith led the Dukes with a career-high 10 tackles (7 solo) in his first start at safety, while four others produced at least seven stops.
Redshirt junior Ron'Dell Carter paced the defense up front, with career bests of seven tackles and three tackles-for-loss. He also added the team's lone sack.
Redshirt junior Dimitri Holloway tallied nine tackles and a forced fumble in his first game since last year's opener, and redshirt freshman KeShaun Moore put together a career-high eight stops and a tackle for loss in his first career game.
Redshirt sophomore D'Angelo Amos also registered a career-high seven tackles at safety while adding a breakup.
Also making his first start at defensive line, sophomore Mike Greene recovered a fumble in the first quarter off the Holloway force.
Freshman Mateo Jackson came off the bench to record five stops in his first career outing.

DINUCCI EFFICIENT IN START

DiNucci completed a career-best 23 passes on 27 attempts (85.2%) with a touchdown after earning the starting job for the Dukes.
He completed his first 15 passes of the game and also ran the ball 14 times – a career high.
His 197 passing yards was 31 shy of his career high from last season's game against Oklahoma State when he played at Pitt.
DiNucci was only four yards off his career mark in rushing – he had 83 last season against North Carolina.

VIEW THE FULL PHOTO GALLERY

OTHER GAME NOTES

JMU, playing in its 47th year, is now 25-21-1 all-time in season openers.
The Dukes nearly doubled NC State in the run game, out-rushing the 'Pack 163-83.
NCSU had 25 first downs, to JMU's 23, and held a 392-365 total yards advantage
Finley threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns, and Jakobi Meyers had a huge receiving game, with 14 catches for 161 yards. CJ Riley and Thayer Thomas each caught second-quarter touchdowns.
The teams were even in yards per play, at 5.4 per snap.
JMU won the time-of-possession battle, with the offense on the field for 31:42, and each team forced one turnover, later resulting in a touchdown.

COACH HOUSTON POSTGAME COMMENTS

UP NEXT
The Dukes stay out on the road next weekend as it travels across the Commonwealth of Virginia to face Norfolk State on Saturday, Sept. 8. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at William "Dick" Price Stadium.