Dukes Fall in Double Overtime to Marshall on Senior Day

Saturday, November 30

Harrisonburg, Va.

8 p.m.

James Madison University

8-4 , 4-4

Marshall

9-3 , 7-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Marshall

James Madison

11/30/2024 11:59:00 PM | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison closed the regular season with a 35-33 double-overtime setback to Marshall for Senior Day on Saturday night at Bridgeforth Stadium.

JMU (8-4, 4-4 Sun Belt) surged to a 17-0 lead at halftime, but touchdowns by Marshall (9-3, 7-1 Sun Belt) separated by seven seconds tied the game heading to the fourth. After teams traded touchdown drives in the fourth, Marshall's potential game-winning field goal was snuffed by a bad hold to force overtime.

Field goals by both teams sent the game to double overtime, where JMU reclaimed the lead, at 33-27, on an Alonza Barnett III touchdown pass to Wayne Knight. The two-point try was no good, and on Marshall's possession, a third-down conversion set up a Tyshawn Chapman 10-yard touchdown run.

With the game on the line, Braylon Braxton found Charles Montgomery for the two pointer to give Marshall the win and the Sun Belt East Division title.

The win sends Marshall to the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Football Championship, where it will face West Division champion Louisiana (10-2, 7-1 Sun Belt). The Dukes await their postseason fate for Bowl Season, with that game being announced no later than Sunday, Dec. 8 by the bowl committee.

JMU out-gained Marshall by a 382-261 margin, which included a 244-141 advantage in the run game. Marshall used excellent field position, coupled with a pick-six in the third quarter to tie the game, setting up the thrilling finish.

JMU was led by senior Jobi Malary, who rushed for a season-best 106 yards and a touchdown, averaging 6.6 per carry. It was the Portland State transfer's first 100-yard game with the Dukes and the fourth of his career.

Two others ran for at least 50 yards, as Knight had 61 yards while Pettaway tallied 53 with a touchdown. Knight also caught two passes for 20 receiving yards and a touchdown, which occurred in double OT.

Barnett finished 14-of-19 for 138 passing yards and two touchdowns with an interception while rushing for 24 more. Senior Omarion Dollison caught a game-high four passes for 46 yards and his team-leading sixth receiving touchdown.

The defense was paced by Eric O'Neill's season-best 2.5 sacks, as he closed the regular season with a team-leading 12 sacks on the year. Senior Khairi Manns led all players with a season-high 10 tackles, to go with 1.0 tackle for loss, while senior Taurus Jones also turned in a season-best eight total stops with a TFL. Jacob Thomas added eight tackles while Immanuel Bush registered his first solo sack of the season. JMU also had six pass breakups, led by two each from seniors Terrence Spence and Jordan Taylor.

For Marshall, Braxton was 13-of-24 for 120 yards and a touchdown but was limited to just 15 rushing yards and a score. Jordan Houston ran for 50 yards, and Toby Payne's lone catch was a 16-yard touchdown reception. Defensively, AG McGhee and Jaden Yates each had nine tackles, while the FBS sack leader, Mike Greene, added one sack to finish the regular season with 16.0.

JMU opened the game with three straight scoring drives, which included touchdown drives of 75 and 90 yards to grab a 17-0 lead midway through second quarter. The Dukes out-gained Marshall by a 269-51 margin in the first half, which included 111-29 on the ground.

After rushing for 64 yards as a team on the opening possession, which included an explosive rush by Knight punched it in from five yards out to open the scoring. After a stop, JMU went 90 yards, as Barnett found Dollison on a nine-yard pass, making it 14-0 with 4:17 remaining in the first.

The Dukes extended the lead to 17-0 at halftime, as they drove it 83 yards into the redzone before Noe Ruelas converted a 23-yard field goal, for his 13th field goal of the year.

Marshall got right back into with a dominant third quarter, tying the game at 17 apiece.

After being held to a field goal on its opening drive of the second half, the Herd used solid field position to pull within 17-10, as Braxton connected on a 16-yard touchdown pass to Payne with 2:18 remaining in the third. Seven seconds later, Jadarius Green-McKnight picked off Barnett for a 25-yard pick-six to square the ballgame at 17-17.

Malary sparked JMU's offense into the fourth quarter, as he gained 46 yards himself and capped off a 65-yard drive with a seven-yard rushing score, giving the locals a 24-17 advantage. Marshall answered, punching it in on a Braxton one-yard keeper with 5:04 left.

The Herd stopped JMU and drove in field-goal range, but a fumble by the holder on regulation's final play sent the game to overtime.

GAME NOTES

Marshall was 5-for-15 on third down, while JMU was held to 4-for-13. Both teams went 2-for-2 on fourth down.
Marshall forced the game's only turnover on the third-quarter pick-six to win the turnover battle.
Time of possession was controlled by JMU, at 35:33 to 24:27.
The regular-season finale was JMU's first double overtime game since Oct. 13, 2012 against William & Mary. It was additionally JMU's first double OT loss since Oct. 6, 2001 at Villanova.
JMU finished 5-1 at home for the third straight season, as it is 15-3 at Bridgeforth Stadium since reclassifying to the Football Bowl Subdivision.
JMU took a 14-0 lead after gaining 165 yards on its opening two drives, marking the fourth time JMU has taken at least a 14-0 lead to open a game this season.
With its 14-0 lead after one, JMU outscored opponents 109-45 in opening stanzas during the regular season.
JMU's second scoring drive, which went 90 yards, was the fourth-longest touchdown drive of the season.
JMU had the game's first 14 first downs of the game before Braxton's 20-yard run with 2:40 left in the first half.
JMU limited Marshall to 141 rushing yards, which was over 60 yards under the team's average.