JMU and North Dakota Clash Sunday Night in FCS Quarterfinals

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Sunday Night Football awaits.

The #1 James Madison football team will be in action in primetime on Sunday, May 2 when it faces #7 North Dakota, co-champions of the Missouri Valley Football Conference, in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship.

The game kicks off at 6 p.m. at Bridgeforth Stadium and will be nationally televised on ESPN2. It can also be heard on the JMU Glo Fiber Broadcast Network, with pregame coverage beginning at 5 p.m.

JMU run through the FCS playoffs is presented by Excel Heating and Cooling.

James Madison Dukes (6-0) vs. North Dakota (5-1)
Sunday, May 2, 2021
Harrisonburg, Va. | Bridgeforth Stadium

Game Information
TV: ESPN2
Online: ESPN3
Radio: WSVA 92.1 FM/550 AM
Listen: JMU Glo Fiber Broadcast Network
Live Stats
JMU Game Notes

NEW OPPONENT, FAMILIAR CONFERENCE

First meeting between JMU and North Dakota
Ninth matchup for JMU against the Missouri Valley Football Conference
JMU 4-4 against MVFC, all coming in the FCS postseason
Has previously faced North Dakota State (1-3) four times, Youngstown State (1-1) twice and both South Dakota State (1-0) and Northern Iowa (1-0) once.
North Dakota is the third Valley team to travel to Harrisonburg, with JMU winning the previous two meetings against SDSU in the 2017 semifinals (51-16) and UNI in the 2019 quarterfinals (17-0).
JMU is facing a team from the MVFC for the fourth time in five seasons.

JMU'S POSTSEASON HISTORY

JMU is currently making its 17th run in the playoffs and for a program-record seventh straight year.
The Dukes are 21-14 all-time in the postseason and have won two national championships (2004, 2016). They also advanced to two other title games (2017, 2019), falling just short in both to North Dakota State.
JMU is 13-4 at home in the postseason, 6-8 on the road and 2-2 in neutral-site games.
It has won 10 straight home playoff games, stretch back to the 2016 season.
JMU is a national seed for the sixth time ever and for the second consecutive playoff. The Dukes were also the No. 1 seed in both 2008 and 2017, No. 2 in 2019, No. 4 in 2016 and No. 5 in 2015.
JMU has won at least one playoff game the past five years and is attempting to claim multiple playoff victories for the sixth time ever this weekend.
It went 4-0 in both national-title runs, 3-1 in its 2017 and 2019 runner-up finishes and 2-1 in 2008.

DUKES OUTLAST VMI IN FIRST ROUND

JMU rushed for over 300 yards and built a three-score lead in the first half to upend VMI 31-24 in the FCS Playoffs first round.
Jawon Hamilton rushed for a career-high 171 yards and a touchdown, which included a program and FCS-playoffs record run. Percy Agyei-Obese joined him over the century mark with 110 yards and a score.
Cole Johnson threw for 204 yards with two touchdowns, with Antwane Wells Jr. turning in 132 receiving yards, including a 62-yard touchdown grab.
JMU's defense forced VMI into three turnovers, all interceptions. MJ Hampton led the way with eight tackles, and Que Reid made seven stops.
The Dukes tallied 209 of their 305 rushing yards in the first half to take a 21-3 halftime lead.
The teams combined for 912 total yards.

JAWON'S FCS-PLAYOFF RECORD

Jawon Hamilton had a career-day on the ground with his 171 rushing yards in the VMI win.
In the first quarter, he set a JMU program record, as well as the FCS-playoff record for longest play from scrimmage when he busted off a 99-yard touchdown.
That run broke JMU's 30-year record for longest run, a 95-yard carry by Joe Sparksman on Nov. 10, 1990.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: ESPN2
Online: ESPN3
Listen: JMU Glo Fiber Broadcast Network

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

Broadcast Talent

Video: Matt Barrie (pxp), Mike Golic Jr. (analyst)
Radio: Dave Thomas (pxp), Clint Estes (analyst), Allie Barefoot (sideline)

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