Dukes Head to Fargodome for Final Battle with Bison in FCS Semifinals

HARRISONBURG, Va. – A trip to Frisco and the national title game is on the line, as #2 James Madison tangles with #3 North Dakota State on Friday, Dec. 17 in the FCS Semifinals.

Kickoff from the Fargodome is set for 9:15 p.m. ET (8:15 p.m. CT) and will be televised nationally on ESPN2 while being streamed on ESPN3. Friday's matchup bookends a day of four college football games, following the first two bowl games and the Division III national title bout. Pregame radio coverage on the Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network begins at 8 p.m. ET (7 CT).

JMU's run through the 2021 FCS Playoffs is presented by Excel Heating & Cooling.

#2 James Madison (12-1) at #3 North Dakota State (12-1)
Friday, December 17, 2021
Fargo, N.D. | Fargodome

Game Information
TV: ESPN2
Online: ESPN3 (cable subscription required)
Radio: WSVA 92.1 FM/550 AM
Listen: Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network
Live Stats
JMU Game Notes

BREAKING DOWN THE DUKES AND BISON

Friday marks the fifth meeting all-time, with NDSU leading the series 3-1.
All previous meetings have occurred during the FCS postseason, with two games in the Fargodome and two in Frisco at the national title game. No team has scored more than 28 in any previous matchup.
JMU is 1-1 in games played in Fargo, falling 26-14 in the 2011 Second Round before taking down the Bison 27-17 in the 2016 semifinals.
That 2016 win is still to this day the only road team to ever win in the Fargodome in the FCS playoffs.
The Bison claimed a pair national championships against the Dukes, winning 17-13 for 2017 title and 28-20 for the 2019 crown.
In its previous four meetings, NDSU averages 22.0 points per game, as opposed to JMU's 18.5.

DUKES VERSUS THE VALLEY

It wouldn't be a deep playoff run for the Dukes without running into a Missouri Valley Football Conference team.
Friday is the 10th meeting for JMU against the Valley, with the Dukes holding a 5-4 record - all in the playoffs.
JMU has faced NDSU (1-3) more than any over MVFC squad.
The Dukes are also 1-1 against Youngstown State, with the win in 2016 locking up their second national title.
JMU is also 1-0 against South Dakota State, Northern Iowa and North Dakota - all of which JMU beat at home.
JMU is facing a Valley team for the fifth time in six seasons (2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021).

JOHNSON FOURTH FOR THE PAYTON AWARD

Cole Johnson finished fourth in the final voting for the 2021 Stats Perform FCS Walter Payton Award.
It's the highest JMU finisher since Vad Lee also took fourth place in the 2014 campaign.
Johnson, who set JMU's single-season mark for passing touchdowns (39) and passing yards (3,569), leads the FCS in pass efficiency rating (176.9) while ranking 2nd in yards per pass attempt (9.2), 4th in both passing touchdowns and completion percentage (67.5) and 15th in passing per game (274.5) and total offense (291.8).

DUKES SMOTHER MONTANA FOR QUARTERFINAL WIN

JMU got big contributions in both the passing and run game while making key defensive stops en route to a 28-6 quarterfinal win vs. Montana.
Latrele Palmer has a career day, rushing for 167 yards and a touchdown, surpassing 100 yards in the first half alone.
Cole Johnson threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns. Kris Thornton had six receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown, while Antwane Wells Jr. made five grabs for 80 yards.
Devin Ravenel led the Dukes with a career-high 87 receiving yards and a score, which came on an 82-yard strike in the first.
JMU had a season-high 13 pass breakups and 15 passes defended, picking off a pair passes.
Wayne Davis and Jordan Swann each recorded their first INT of the season, while Sam Kidd and Greg Ross produced a career-high 3 PBU's each.
JMU out-gained Montana 487-302, including a 295-143 lead through the air.

CIGNETTI WINS HIS 100TH

JMU Head Coach Curt Cignetti captured win #100 for his career in last Friday's win.
In his 11th season as a head coach, Cignetti is 100-30 record, including a 33-4 mark at JMU.
He previously went 14-9 at Elon and 53-17 at IUP.
At Bridgeforth, he's 22-1 all-time, which includes a 21-1 mark as JMU head coach. He also earned a win in Harrisonburg while at Elon in 2018.
Cignetti has taken eight of his 11 teams to the postseason, which include a trip to the national title game in 2019.

PAIR OF 1000-YARD RECEIVERS

For the first time in JMU's 50-seasons history, it produced a pair of 1,000-yard receivers.
Antwane Wells Jr. and Kris Thornton are the best receiving duo in all of FCS football.
They have combined for 155 catches, 2,247 receiving yards and 28 total touchdowns.
Wells Jr. has 78 receptions for 1,197 and 14 touchdowns, while Thornton has made 77 grabs for 1,050 yards and 13 scores through the air. He also has a rushing touchdown.
It's also the first season ever that two JMU receivers have scored 10+ touchdowns.
Wells Jr. is closing in on all three single-season records, needing just 1 touchdown, 11 receiving yards and five receptions.
Thornton is also in reaching distance of the current records as well, as both could be #1 and #2 at season's end.
Both rank top-6 all-time at JMU in career receiving TD's, with Wells Jr. in fourth (20) and Thornton tied for sixth (16).
Wells Jr. is also ninth all-time at JMU with 1,800 receiving yards and 10th with 111 catches.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: ESPN2
Online: Watch ESPN (cable subscription required)
Listen: Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network

On the radio – WSVA 92.1 FM/550 AM
Online: www.wsvaonline.com

Broadcast Talent

Online: Wes Durham (pxp), Barrett Brooks (analyst), Lauren Sisler (sideline)
Radio: Dave Riggert (pxp), Clint Estes (analyst)

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