Image provided by: JMU Athletics Communications
Written by Bennett Conlin
App State (7-4, 5-2 SBC) defeated the Dukes (10-1, 6-1 SBC) 26-23 in overtime, ending JMU football’s undefeated season and giving fans of each team a long It will be memorable. .
There is no doubt that this loss was disappointing for the Dukes. JMU hosted College GameDay, and he was a key play to earn one of the most memorable wins in program history.
Instead, the Mountaineers grabbed a decisive win and ultimately took care of business in a huge one-possession game. Here are three key takeaways from this thriller.
sunbelt rules
this The game lived up to the hype. The offense didn’t perform that well in his first three quarters, but each defenseman made some nice plays in the first 45 minutes. In the final quarter and overtime, the Dukes’ offense woke up and the Mountaineers withstood the haymakers and delivered a counterpunch of their own.
As expected, it was a high-level soccer match considering both teams had a combined record of 16 wins and 4 losses against other opponents. App State’s four losses were all by one point, as the Mountaineers haven’t been far from a top-25 team this season.
JMU fought hard to grab a chance to win, even though they were trailing by double digits against a talented team. Elijah Surratt’s clutch play on JMU’s final drive will forever be remembered. He contributed a 4-of-18 conversion to keep the Dukes’ hopes alive, followed by a beautiful touchdown throw and catch, a solid two-point conversion, and a great first-down catch in overtime. Sarat is legal.
The touchdown that clinched the victory for App State was a near fumble that gave JMU the victory, and the final play of the game gave each team hope for victory. In the end, it was the Mountaineers who made a nice play and broke multiple tackles to give Harrisonburg the win.
The Mountaineers appeared in a tough road environment and played solid soccer. Again, it was a really high-level college football game.
By most accounts, interactions between JMU and App State fans have been positive. Although it was a disappointing loss for JMU, the Sun Belt move is a good fit for the program, and Saturday’s atmosphere and game proved that.
Editor’s note: Thank you to Christopher William Jewelers for their advertising support this season.
Running game struggles again
Jordan MacLeod was off. JMU’s quarterback played well down the stretch, but missed an open throw and threw an awful interception in his first third quarter.
His “off game” was further magnified by JMU’s non-existent running game. Including the sack, JMU ran for 61 yards on 33 attempts. Woof.
Major injuries along the offensive line (both of the team’s starting tackles are out) haven’t helped the running game, but regardless of the health of the offensive line, the rushing attack has really struggled this season. Saturday was no different. JMU is unable to run the ball consistently, putting incredible pressure on McCloud and the passing game.
When McLeod is off, the Dukes don’t have a rushing game to compensate for their erratic passing game. On Saturday, McLeod faced a secondary that had a strong showing. result? They had a lackluster attack for most of the game.
If the Dukes can retain Curt Cignetti, expect the running game to be a top priority this offseason. JMU could use running back and offensive line reinforcements in the transfer portal.
limited pressure
Through the first nine games of the season, JMU recorded at least three sacks in every game. Against UConn, JMU only recorded one. In his game against App State this week, JMU only recorded one.
The Dukes have played without star pass rusher Jaylen Green for the past two games, and his absence has been noticeable on a team that doesn’t allow many sacks to begin with. On Saturday, JMU didn’t apply much pressure, giving App State’s Joey Aguilar time to break down the defense. He threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns.
Late in the game, JMU blitzed for the win against Aguilar. App State’s talented quarterback continually got the ball out quick and nullified JMU’s onslaught.
Without Green, JMU’s defense wasn’t as dominant up front. That speaks to Green’s talent. His absence is significant.
Bonus point: The season isn’t over yet.
JMU’s undefeated season is over. However, the season is not over.
With Saturday’s win over Coastal Carolina, the Dukes finished first in the Sun Belt East for the second consecutive season. That’s a big deal.
It is possible that JMU could qualify for the Sun Belt Championship through legal action. But even if that doesn’t happen, JMU has a chance to play in a bowl game if there aren’t enough 6-on-6 teams to fill all 82 open bowl slots.
JMU has a chance to finish the season 12-1 with a district title and the first bowl win in school history. Even if we lose, it’s special. There is still a lot of work left to do before the final game of the season.