James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
Saturday, October 5
Monroe, La.
7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT)
James Madison University
at
ULM
JMU Opens Sun Belt Play Saturday Night at ULM
10/2/2024 8:45:00 AM | Football
HARRISONBURG, Va. – After wrapping up an unbeaten non-conference slate, James Madison turns its attention to Sun Belt Conference play this week, as it travels to Monroe, La., on Saturday, Oct. 5 to face ULM in the inaugural meeting for the teams.
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Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT) at Malone Stadium, and the game will be nationally televised on ESPNU. Pregame radio coverage on the Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network begins at 5 p.m.
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The 2024 JMU football season is presented by CarMax.
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BREAKING DOWN THE SERIES
JMU IN CONFERENCE OPENERS
TWO-GAME SCORING RECORD FOR THE DUKES
63+ IN BACK-TO-BACK GAMES, COMPARISON WITH 2019 LSU
ALONZA REPEATS WEEKLY HONORS
DUKES ROLL PAST BALL STATE
DAY OF FIRSTS ON FAMILY WEEKEND
ALONZA ROLLIN' ON ALL CYLINDERS
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV:Â ESPNU
Online: Watch ESPN (cable subscription required)
Listen:Â Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network
Â
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT) at Malone Stadium, and the game will be nationally televised on ESPNU. Pregame radio coverage on the Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network begins at 5 p.m.
Â
The 2024 JMU football season is presented by CarMax.
Â
James Madison (4-0, 0-0) at ULM (3-1, 1-0)
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Kickoff: 7 PM ET
Monroe, La. | Malone Stadium
Game Information
TV:Â ESPNU
Online: Watch ESPN (cable subscription required)
Radio: WSVA 92.1 FM/550 AM
Listen:Â Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network
Live Stats
JMU Game Notes
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Kickoff: 7 PM ET
Monroe, La. | Malone Stadium
Game Information
TV:Â ESPNU
Online: Watch ESPN (cable subscription required)
Radio: WSVA 92.1 FM/550 AM
Listen:Â Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network
Live Stats
JMU Game Notes
BREAKING DOWN THE SERIES
- While Saturday marks the first meeting for the Dukes and Warhawks, it will be JMU's second trip to the state of Louisiana.
- JMU is 1-0 in the Bayou State, earning a 24-10 win at McNeese State in Lake Charles on Sept. 14, 1996.
JMU IN CONFERENCE OPENERS
- Saturday will be the 32nd conference opener for the Dukes since they joined a league back in 1993.
- JMU is 23-8 in conference openers, which includes winning its past nine between 2015 and 2023 across the Colonial Athletic Association and the Sun Belt Conference.
- Saturday night also marks the fifth time over the past six seasons JMU has opened league play on the road.
- Last season, JMU put on a defensive clinic and held off defending Sun Belt champion Troy, 16-14, on Sept. 16, 2023.
- The year prior in JMU's first Sun Belt game, JMU rallied back from down 28-3 at App State, scoring 29 unanswered for a thrilling 32-28 win on Sept. 24, 2022 in Boone.
- JMU conference openers by league: 2-0 in Sun Belt (2-0 road); 21-8 in CAA (11-3 home, 10-5 road)
TWO-GAME SCORING RECORD FOR THE DUKES
- JMU has lit up the scoreboard the past two weeks, scoring the most points in consecutive games against scholarship football programs, with 133.
- JMU first beat ACC foe North Carolina, 70-50, on Sept. 21, and followed it up by cruising to a 63-7 victory against Ball State out of the MAC.
- It ranks as #1 and #2 for most points JMU has scored against FBS opponents.
- The game at UNC was also highest-scoring game in school history, passing the 108 points JMU and Richmond combined for in 2015.
- The Dukes' all-time two-game scoring record against any team came in 2016 when they scored 136 points in the first two games, notching 80 against non-scholarship Morehead State and 56 versus Central Connecticut.
63+ IN BACK-TO-BACK GAMES, COMPARISON WITH 2019 LSU
- Alonza Barnett III and Joe Burrow have something in common.
- They are the last two quarterbacks to lead their respective teams to consecutive games with at least 63 points.
- While JMU scored 70 and 63 in its last two games, Joe Burrow guided the 2019 national champion LSU squad to 65 and 66 on Sept. 14 and Sept. 21.
- While JMU accomplished the feat against FBS foes, LSU's first 63+ game occurred versus an FCS opponent.
ALONZA REPEATS WEEKLY HONORS
- JMU quarterback Alonza Barnett III was a repeat winner of Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week while earning a spot on the Davey O'Brien Award Great 8 for week five.
- In JMU's win over Ball State, he tallied 324 total yards and six total touchdowns for his best performance inside Bridgeforth Stadium.
- He was 20-of-28 for 280 passing yards and five touchdowns while adding 44 on the ground and one more score.
- It's the second straight season a JMU quarterback has been named Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks, as Jordan McCloud did so late in the season. He won three last season.
- Adding in Todd Centeio's four in 2022, JMU quarterbacks have now combined for nine Offensive Player of the Week awards since joining the Sun Belt.
- All three are also multi-time honorees on the Davey O'Brien Award Great 8 as well.
DUKES ROLL PAST BALL STATE
- JMU dominated all three phases, not punting one time and holding Ball State to 250 yards en route to a 63-7 win on Family Weekend.
- Aiding Alonza Barnett III's six-touchdown performance were his four receivers who combined for five touchdown catches.
- Taylor Thompson caught a career-high five passes for 91 yards and a touchdown, while Yamir Knight made four grabs for 44 yards and his first two career touchdowns. Omarion Dollison and Cam Ross also combined for 94 yards and a score each.
- JMU also rushed for 236 yards, averaging 6.9 per carry. Wayne Knight had a career day with 63 yards on just six rushes, while Jobi Malary had 50 yards and a touchdown on five touches. George Pettaway also added 35 yards and a TD.
- The defense produced points for the second straight week, as Eric O'Neill returned an interception for a touchdown to open the second half. JMU, which leads the country in turnover margin (+10), had three interceptions, as Terrence Spence had his third in two weeks and DJ Barksdale snagged the other.
- JMU averaged 8.3 per play, while Ball State was limited to 3.5 per snap.
- The Dukes also finished 9-of-10 on third down and 1-of-1 on fourth down.
DAY OF FIRSTS ON FAMILY WEEKEND
- Multiple players experienced career firsts in Saturday's win over Ball State.
- Eric O'Neill is known for sacks, which he had two, but his 27-yard pick-six was his first career touchdown.
- Yamir Knight caught each of the first two touchdowns from Alonza Barnett III, which was the first two career scores for the sophomore.
- DJ Barksdale had an excellent game at nickel, and his interception was the first of his career.
ALONZA ROLLIN' ON ALL CYLINDERS
- Alonza Barnett III has emerged as one of the nation's top signal callers due in large to his past two performances.
- In JMU's two wins versus North Carolina and Ball State, the redshirt sophomore has combined for 13 total touchdowns and 811 total yards.
- He's thrown for 668 yards and 10 touchdowns while rushing for 143 yards and three scores.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV:Â ESPNU
Online: Watch ESPN (cable subscription required)
Listen:Â Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network
- On the radio – WSVA 92.1 FM/550 AM
- Online: The Varsity Network
- ESPNU: Jay Alter (pxp), Rocky Boiman (analyst)
- Radio: Dave Riggert (pxp), Harry O'Kelly (analyst)
Players Mentioned
NICKEL
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WR
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RB
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QB
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DL
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CB
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TE
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