Dukes Steamroll Towson on Senior Day, Win 10th Conference Title

Saturday, November 20

Harrisonburg, Va.

2 p.m.

James Madison University

10-1 , 7-1

Towson

4-7 , 3-5

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Towson

James Madison

Dukes Steamroll Towson on Senior Day, Win 10th Conference Title

11/20/2021 7:15:00 PM | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison quarterback Cole Johnson broke the program's single-season passing touchdown record and the Dukes celebrated their seniors in style, cruising to a 56-10 victory against Towson to win a share of the conference championship on Saturday at Bridgeforth Stadium.

The Dukes closed the regular season with a 10-1 overall record and 7-1 mark in league play, tying Villanova for the 2021 conference title. The Tigers saw their season end at 4-7 and 3-5.

With the win, JMU secured its 10th conference championship in program history and the ninth and final time as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (previously the Yankee and Atlantic 10).

Johnson tied his own JMU-record by throwing for six touchdowns to reset the single-season record for passing touchdowns. He has registered 32 touchdowns through the air this season, surpassing Vad Lee's 2014 record of 30. He finished 21-of-25 for 363 yards, as Johnson rose to fifth on the JMU career passing charts (5,685).

Antwane Wells Jr. and Kris Thornton both had big days in the passing game, as the duo combined for 14 receptions for 223 yards and four scores. Wells Jr. made nine grabs for 107 yards and a career-best three touchdowns, while Thornton had five catches for a game-high 116 yards and a score.

One Duke also produced a hat trick of touchdowns, as Solomon Vanhorse had a career-high three touchdowns, scoring on a kickoff return, a catch and a rush. He finished with a game-high 171 all-purpose yards, including 139 on kickoff returns.

Other notable players in the receiving game, included Scott Bracey, who had three catches for 53 yards, and Reggie Brown, who caught two passes for 71 yards and a score.

Three Dukes led the way with eight tackles apiece in MJ Hampton, Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey and Kelvin Azanama. Azanama added 1.5 tackles for loss, while Tucker-Dorsey picked off his second pass of the season. Bryce Carter made 3.0 tackles for loss with a sack and forced fumble. The Dukes forced Towson into four total turnovers, as Mateo Jackson recovered a fumble and both Seth Naotala and Que Reid had interceptions in the win.

JMU opened the game with a bang, as Vanhorse returned the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown. After Tucker-Dorsey's interception, Johnson found Wells Jr. on the first of his three touchdown catches to make it 14-0 less than four minutes in.

After a Towson score made it 14-7 after one, the Dukes blew the game wide open in the second, with four more touchdowns.

JMU's 83-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Thornton was a career-long play for both players. The Dukes found the end zone three more times through the air with two more to Wells Jr. and another to Brown, making it a 42-7 game at the break.

Vanhorse completed his trio of scores with a 10-yard catch and three-yard rush in the third, as JMU led by as a many as 49, at 56-7. Towson closed the scoring with a fourth-quarter field goal, just their fourth made kick of the season.

Jerry Howard paced the Tiger offense with a game-high 162 rushing yards. Towson's two quarterbacks combined just 14-of-30 for 151 yards and three interceptions, though Caleb Smith was a bright spot, making seven receptions for 87 yards and a score.

GAME NOTES

JMU captured its third straight conference championship and its sixth over the past seven years with Saturday's win.
The Dukes will head to the FCS playoffs for the 18th time in school history and for a program-record eighth straight season.
JMU out-gained Towson 439-293, including a 381-151 advantage in the passing game.
Both teams struggled on third down, as JMU was 2-of-7 and Towson was just 3-of-13.
JMU had 8.0 tackles for loss, as well as a +3 lead in the turnover margin (4-1).
The Dukes were a perfect 4-for-4 in the red zone, scoring touchdowns on each trip.
Nine different JMU players had at least one rush and seven made at least one catch in the win.
With Saturday's performance, both Wells Jr. and Thornton lead the CAA with 11 receiving touchdowns each, as that number ranks tied for second in JMU single-season history with Brandon Polk (2019).
Wells Jr. also reached 100 career receptions, needing just eight more to move into JMU's all-time top 10. He's also six yards shy of 1,000 receiving yards for the season.
Johnson completed the regular season with four games over 300 passing yards and four games with at least five total touchdowns. He needs just 47 more passing yards to mark the fifth passer over 3,000 yards in a season.

WHAT'S NEXT?
JMU will find out its postseason fate on Sunday, Nov. 21 during the FCS Playoffs Selection Show, which airs at 12:30 p.m. on ESPNU. A total of 24 teams will be selected to the field, with JMU expected to earn a first-round bye.