Top-10 Clash Awaits, JMU Treks to Utah Saturday to Face #9 Weber State

HARRISONBURG, Va. – #3 James Madison gets ready for game three of its 50th season of football, as it travels west to Ogden, Utah for a top-10 matchup at #9 Weber State on Saturday, Sept. 18.

It will mark the furthest the Dukes have traveled for a game, as they have never played in the Mountain Time Zone.

Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET (6 p.m. MT) at Stewart Stadium and will be streamed on ESPN+. The game can be heard on the Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network, with pregame coverage beginning at 7 p.m. It will also be the first game for Dave Riggert, who is the new radio voice of the Dukes.

The 2021 season is sponsored by CarMax.

#3 James Madison (2-0) at #9 Weber State (1-1)
Saturday, September 18, 2021
Ogden, Utah | Stewart Stadium

Game Information
Online: ESPN+ ($)
Radio: WSVA 92.1 FM/550 AM
Listen: Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network
Live Stats
JMU Game Notes

BREAKING DOWN THE SERIES

Saturday marks the third meeting between the teams, with JMU holding a 2-0 series lead.
However, it's the first regular-season matchup, as the first two both occurred in the FCS playoffs.
JMU won the first outing in come-from-behind fashion, rallying for a 31-28 victory on Dec. 8, 2017 in the quarterfinals. The teams combined to 35 fourth-quarter points, as Weber built a 28-20 lead with 3:14 to play.
Riley Stapleton's 40-yard touchdown, coupled with Trai Sharp's 2-point conversion, knotted the game at 28, and after a three-and-out, Ethan Ratke converted on a then-career long 46-yard field goal as time expired.
Two years later in the 2019 semifinals, JMU punched its ticket to Frisco with a 30-14 win against the Wildcats.
The Dukes built an early 17-0 lead and made it 24-7 at the half on a 34-yard touchdown to Stapleton as the clock hit zeros. The Dukes led by as many as 23 in the second half, and limited WSU to just over 250 yards.

RATKE SETS RECORDS, EARNS NATIONAL HONORS

Ethan Ratke set one all-time FCS record while tying another to earn both conference and national accolades.
He was selected as CAA Co-Special Teams Player of the Week before being named Stats Perform FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week.
Ratke was 2-for-2 on field goals and 7-for-7 on extra points, as he set the FCS all-time scoring record by a kicker, with 417 career points.
His second of two field goals also matched the all-time FCS record of 75, which was set in 2007 by Montana's Dan Carpenter.
He needs just one field goal to hold the record solo, and he's also 12th all-time in scoring by any FCS player.

WELLS HAS CAREER DAY, HONORED BY CAA

Following a career outing, Antwane Wells Jr. was named CAA Offensive Player of the Week.
The wide receiver tallied career highs of eight receptions for 179 yards and two scores in JMU's 55-7 win to open CAA play.
He caught touchdown passes of 73 and 51 yards, with the first being a career-long catch.
Wells' 179 yards are the fourth-most by any receiver in FCS this season and his total was just 13 yards shy of the JMU single-game record.

JMU'S ACTIVE STREAKS

19 straight wins at Bridgeforth Stadium
Out-gained opponents in 19 straight games
Out-rushed opponents in 10 straight games
Rushing touchdown in 10 straight games
Held opponents under 50% on 3rd in 10 straight
Ethan Ratke 23 straight games with a field goal
18 consecutive regular-season wins
14 straight wins vs. CAA teams, including playoffs
12 straight home regular-season wins by 14+ points
13 straight CAA wins

JOHNSON'S HOT START TO 2021

Cole Johnson is off to a roaring start in 2021, putting up back-to-back big passing games.
Through two starts, he is 44-for-58 for 677 yards and nine touchdowns.
Johnson ranks second nationally in completion percentage (75.2%), passing touchdowns (9), and pass efficiency (225.1).
He's also fifth in passing per game (338.5) and leads the FCS in yards per pass attempt (11.67).
He was named CAA Offensive Player of the Week after JMU's season-opening win.

NOWHERE TO RUN

JMU put together an all-time performance in week one, allowing -57 rushing yards to Morehead State.
Through two games, JMU is allowing 9.0 rushing yards per game, which is second nationally only to Villanova's 4.5.
The Dukes lead the country with 22 tackles for loss and are also ninth with 3.5 sacks per game.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Online: ESPN+ ($)
Listen: Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network

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

Broadcast Talent

Online: Dave Fox (pxp), Alema Harrington (analyst), Frank Dolce (sideline)
Radio: Dave Riggert (pxp), Clint Estes (analyst)

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