Dukes Venture West for First-Time Matchup with Utah State

Saturday, September 23

Logan, Utah

8 p.m. ET (6 p.m. MT)

James Madison University

Utah State

Dukes Venture West for First-Time Matchup with Utah State

9/19/2023 3:15:00 PM | Football

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison travels to Logan, Utah, to take on Utah State out of the Mountain West Conference on Saturday, Sept. 19.

Kickoff from Maverik Stadium is set for 8 p.m. ET (6 p.m. MT) and will be streamed on the Mountain West Network, free of charge. Pregame radio coverage on the Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network begins at 6 p.m. ET (4 p.m. MT).

James Madison (3-0, 1-0 SBC) vs. Utah State (1-2, 0-1 MWC)
Saturday, September 23, 2023
Kickoff: 8:00 PM ET
Logan, Utah | Maverik Stadium

Game Information
Television: Mountain West Network
Radio: WSVA 92.1 FM/550 AM | Sirius XM 984
Listen: Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network
Live Stats
JMU Game Notes

DUKES FACE OFF WITH AGGIES FOR FIRST TIME

This weekend is JMU's furthest trip of the season and its second time in the state of Utah.
The Dukes face off with the Aggies for the first time, and it's also their first meeting against a member of the Mountain West.
JMU last traveled to Utah on Sept. 18, 2021, while a member of the FCS and defeated Weber State, 37-24, in Ogden.

NATION'S BEST AGAINST THE RUN

JMU leads the FBS in rushing defense by a wide margin through just three weeks of the season, allowing 22.7 per game to its opponents.
This comes after holding Troy to -12 rushing yards in last Saturday's win in the conference opener. In week two's win at Virginia, JMU conceded 18 rushing yards.
JMU is one of only four FBS teams to allow 50 rushing yards on average or less. Joining the Dukes are Air Force (44.3), Nebraska (46.3) and Kansas State (50.0).
JMU also leads the country in yards per rush allowed, at an incredible 0.77 yards per attempt. Only seven squads allow two rushing yards or less per attempt this year.
Aiding the rushing defense are JMU's tackles for loss and sacks numbers, as the Dukes average 9.7 TFL (5th in FBS) and 4.33 sacks (tied for 6th in FBS)

DEFENSE PUSHES JMU PAST TROY IN SUN BELT OPENER

JMU opened Sun Belt Conference play with a gritty 16-14 win at defending conference champion Troy on Sept. 16.
The Dukes registered 10 tackles for loss and six sacks, led by Mikail Kamara, who had career highs of 3.0 TFL and 2.0 sacks. Jamree Kromah and Jalen Green record 1.5 sacks each, while James Carpenter added 1.5 TFL.
As a team, JMU limited Troy to -12 rushing yards, which is negative 0.6 per carry. Sun Belt leader Kimani Vidal was held to only 2.5 per carry and 27 total yards. JMU's sacks accounted 44 yards lost for Troy's run game.
JMU took a 13-7 lead late in the first half and added a field goal early in the third to make it 16-7.
Troy answered early in the fourth with a long touchdown drive, but a missed field goal with 5:35 left and a stalled final drive that would reach as deep as the JMU 33 gave JMU the road victory.
The win for JMU snapped Troy's eight-game conference win streak.

CAMDEN WISE HONORED BY SUN BELT

JMU kicker Camden Wise was voted Sun Belt Conference Special Teams Player of the Week.
Wise converted all three field goal attempts and made one extra point to lead all scorers with 10 points. His third field goal proved to be the eventual game-winning points.
Wise is 5-for-5 on field goals and 9-for-9 on point after attempts this season.
This is Wise's first career weekly conference award, and the second straight week JMU has won Special Teams Player of the Week. Aiden Fisher garnered the award on Sept. 11 following the Virginia win.

10TH LONGEST WIN STREAK IN FBS

Following its win Saturday night at Troy, JMU extended its win streak to six straight, dating back to last year.
That's the 10th-longest active streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision and second-best in the Sun Belt only to Marshall, which has won seven in a row.
Georgia paces the FBS with 20 straight wins going back to the 2021 campaign.

VOTES FROM THE COACHES

After a 3-0 start, JMU is receiving votes in the US LBM Coaches Poll.
JMU received an extra vote this week, with three, following its 16-14 win at Troy.
Despite the win, the Dukes lost its lone AP Top 25 vote.
This is the first week this year JMU isn't receiving a top-25 nod from a media member.
However, JMU is still the only Sun Belt team receiving any votes entering week four.

NATIONAL TV GAME NEXT WEEK…

JMU returns home for the first time since the season opener on Sept. 30 when it hosts South Alabama for Family Weekend.
Kickoff is set for noon at Bridgeforth Stadium, and the game has been picked up nationally by ESPNU.
This will be JMU's second nationally-televised home game since moving up to FBS.
It's also the second time JMU will appear on ESPNU this season, joining week two at UVA.
As for the matchup, this will be the first all-time meeting between JMU and South Alabama

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Television: Mountain West Network
Listen: Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network

On the radio – WSVA 92.1 FM/550 AM | Sirius XM 984
Online: The Varsity Network

Broadcast Talent

Mountain West Network: Dave Fox (pxp), Alema Harrington (analyst), Frank Dolce (sideline)
Radio: Dave Riggert (pxp), Drew Painter (analyst), Corey Spector (sideline)