JMU Drops Sun Belt Opener at ULM

Saturday, October 5

Monroe, La.

7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT)

James Madison University

4-1 , 0-1

ULM

4-1 , 2-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

James Madison

ULM

10/5/2024 11:45:00 PM | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

MONROE, La. – James Madison and ULM put on a defensive slugfest, and the Warhawks overcame an early 10-point deficit for a 21-19 victory against the Dukes on Saturday night at Malone Stadium.

The Warhawks moved to 4-1 on the year and 2-0 in Sun Belt play, while the Dukes suffered their first setback of 2024, dropping to 4-1 overall and 0-1 in league games.

JMU took an early 10-0 lead after one quarter, but a pair of touchdowns, one by the ULM defense, gave the hosts a 14-13 lead at halftime. JMU moved the ball but was unable to finish off drives, while ULM extended its lead to 21-13 early in the fourth.

The Dukes eventually answered with a 15-play, 75-yard drive, however, the two-point conversion failed as they trailed 21-19 with 4:04 remaining. JMU regained possession with 0:32 on the clock but turned the ball over on downs to fall 21-19.

Aiden Armenta finished 17-of-30 for 147 passing yards and a touchdown with an interception to lead the ULM offense.

Ahmad Hardy rushed for a game-high 82 yards and a touchdown, while Jake Godfrey made seven catches for 60 yards and a score. ULM's defense combined for three sacks and was led in tackles by Wydett Williams Jr. with nine.

For JMU, Alonza Barnett III was 20-of-47 for 251 yards while rushing for 49 yards and a score. George Pettaway gained 62 yards on the ground, while Tyler Purdy recorded a rushing touchdown and chipped in with 16 yards. Taylor Thompson tied his career high of five catches for 59 yards. Yamir Knight led all receivers with 67 yards on four receptions.

Defensively, Khairi Manns made a pair of tackles for loss with a sack and pass breakup, as JMU has seven tackles for loss as a team. Jacob Thomas came away with an interception, 1.5 TFL and seven stops.

HOW IT HAPPENED

JMU opened the scoring on the opening drive, as Barnett III connected on a 29-yard pass to Knight before evading a sack and running it in from 27 yards out to make it 7-0 just over two minutes in.
After a Thomas interception, JMU settled for three by way of a Noe Ruelas 48-yard field goal, giving JMU a 10-0 advantage through one.
After converting on fourth down, Hardy hit a seam up the middle and scored untouched from 38 yards out, as ULM trimmed the JMU lead to 10-7 with 5:52 remaining in the first half.
Late in the second, JMU had favorable field position off a muffed punt by ULM, but two plays in, Barnett III fumbled and Daniel Knudsen picked up the loose ball and returned it 82 yards for a scoop-and-score, giving the hosts a 14-10 lead.
JMU drove into field-goal range in the final seconds of the half, and Ruelas converted from 39 yards out to get within a point, at 14-13, at the break.
Neither team was able to muster points and combined for 127 total yards in the third, as JMU was stopped in ULM territory late in the stanza to keep it a 14-13 score heading to the fourth.
ULM opened the fourth with the half's first score, converting a fourth down and a third and long, capping off the 11-play drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Armenta to Jake Godfrey. ULM led JMU 21-13 with 10:30 to play.
The Dukes responded with a 1-yard rush from Purdy to cap off a 15-play, 75-yard scoring drive with 4:04 remaining. The two-point conversion failed with an incomplete pass as JMU trailed 21-19.
James Madison forced a ULM punt and took over at their own 14 with 0:32 left to play. Facing a fourth down, an incomplete pass from Barnett resulted in a turnover on downs to hand the ball back to the Warhawks.

GAME NOTES

The loss snapped a nine-game win streak in conference openers for JMU (2015-23).
The Dukes outgained the Warhawks 399-257.
ULM held an advantage in time of possession by a margin of 31:04 to 28:56.
JMU went 7-for-16 (.438) on third downs and converted on 1-of-5 (.200) tries on fourth.
The Dukes came away with one interception and one fumble recovery, scoring three points off ULM turnovers.
Thomas' first-quarter interception was the second of his career while Chase Regan notched his first career fumble recovery on a muffed punt.
With his 48-yard field goal in the first quarter and a 39-yarder to close the first half, Ruelas has now made 22 field goals in his career.

UP NEXT
JMU is back in action on Thursday, Oct. 10 when it hosts Coastal Carolina in a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at Bridgeforth Stadium. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN2.