Second-Half Surge Propels #2 JMU Past Chattanooga, 37-14

Saturday, September 21

Chattanooga, Tenn.

4 p.m.

James Madison University

3-1

Chattanooga

1-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

James Madison

Chattanooga

Second-Half Surge Propels #2 JMU Past Chattanooga, 37-14

9/21/2019 7:59:00 PM | Football

Box Score Box Score Highlights Photo Gallery

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Ben DiNucci accumulated more than 300 yards of offense and Percy Agyei-Obese turned in a career day on the ground with over 100 yards and two scores to lead second-ranked James Madison to a 37-14 win at Chattanooga on Saturday evening at Finley Stadium.

The Dukes closed non-conference play with a 3-1 record, while the Mocs fell for the third straight outing, dropping to 1-3.

DiNucci threw 19-of-25 for 264 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 49 more to pace the offense with 313 yards of offense. Agyei-Obese had 19 carries for a career-high 114 yards (6.0 avg.) and a pair of touchdowns, marking his second career game over 100 yards.

Six receivers had multiple receptions, led by Brandon Polk, who hauled in four receptions for a game-high 84 yards and a touchdown, which came on a 48-yard strike in the third. Riley Stapleton had a team-best five catches for 73 yards, and his brother, Dylan Stapleton, added three receptions for 36 yards.

In the kicking game, Ethan Ratke was a perfect 3-for-3, with a long of 44, to tie the JMU all-time record with 39 career field goals. He sits atop the field-goals mark with John Coursey, who made 39 between 1993-96.

JMU held Chattanooga without a point after the opening stanza, limiting the Mocs to 245 total yards. The rush defense excelled once again, holding UTC to 84 rushing yards and 2.9 per carry. Dimitri Holloway turned in a team-high seven tackles (all solo), while Ron'Dell Carter added five tackles, a season-best 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Mike Greene also had 2.0 tackles for loss, and D'Angelo Amos recorded his first career interception in the second half.

KEY MOMENTS
JMU led 14-0 early on rushing touchdowns by Agyei-Obese and Jawon Hamilton, but the Mocs tied it up, scoring two touchdowns in a span of 22 seconds to knot it at 14-14 after the first. Ratke's first two field goals gave JMU 20-14 halftime lead.

Leading 23-14 in the third, Chattanooga was threatening in the red zone before Amos picked off Nick Tiano's pass inside the five to preserve the nine-point lead. Six plays later, DiNucci connected on a hitch pattern to Polk, who turned and ran for a 48-yard score to extend the lead to 30-14.

GAME FACTS

JMU more than doubled up Chattanooga in the total-offense department, gaining 532 yards, to the hosts 245. That included holding the Mocs to just 133 yards over the final three quarters.
JMU tallied 7.0 tackles for loss, while Chattanooga only had two stops behind the line of scrimmage.
The Dukes finished 8-of-13 on third down, holding UTC to a 4-of-13 mark.
JMU cashed in on all four red-zone trips, while the Mocs were 2-of-3.
Tiano led Chattanooga with 161 passing yards with a touchdown and interception, and no Mocs running back gained more than 27 rushing yards.

UP NEXT
JMU opens Colonial Athletic Association play on Saturday, Sept. 28 with a trip south to Elon. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Rhodes Stadium.