HARRISONBURG, Va. (JMU Athletics) – On its first offensive drive, James Madison used a balanced drive to march for the opening touchdown. The second time they had the ball, the Dukes went explosive, scoring a quick-strike 7 on a 52-yard pass play.

There wasn’t much the JMU offense couldn’t do Saturday against Georgia State.

“That’s one thing we’ve been emphasizing for the past couple of weeks – getting off to a fast start,” quarterback Alonza Barnett III said. “Once this offense is clicking, it’s dangerous.”

Coming off an open date, Barnett III played one of his sharpest games of the season and the Dukes scored touchdowns on their first three drives as the home team rolled to 38-7 Sun Belt Conference win over the Panthers.

Barnett threw for 241and three scores and running back George Pettaway ran for 95 and a touchdown. It was his fifth game with over 80 rushing yards this season.

Barnett went 20 for 30 passing, didn’t throw an interception and effectively adjusted offensive line protections. That was especially important after starting center Tanner Morris left the game with an injury in the second quarter.

Barnett’s teammates and coaches said he had especially strong practices the past two weeks, and that was on display Saturday.

“It was fun to watch. The confidence was there,” Chesney said. “We’ll go how he goes. And his confidence and his ability to lead showed up. He stood in that pocket and delivered in crucial moments, the o-line protected and then guys made plays downfield.”

Running back Wayne Knight scored the first two touchdowns of his career, one rushing and one receiving, and six players caught at least three passes for the Dukes, and three had scoring receptions.

“When I put the ball in my playmakers’ hands, they make it easy for me and they do the rest,” Barnett said.

After struggling on third down, going 2 for 12 against Southern Mississippi its last time out, JMU converted its first seven third downs, helping it score at least 30 points for the sixth time this season. It has won all six of those outings.

Defensively, playing without injured Jacob Dobbs, the unit’s leader, JMU stifled Georgia State from the onset. Defensive lineman Eric O’Neill had a pair of sacks and the Dukes dropped Panthers quarterback Zach Gibson four times.

“We were able to play fast and play how we wanted to play because we knew what they were doing,” O’Neill said. “We were playing free and it helped a lot.”

The Dukes (7-2 overall, 3-2 SBC) also got a pair of big plays on special teams. Terrence Spence blocked a Panthers’ field goal try to end the first half, and Tyler Brown recovered a muffed punt in the third quarter, the game’s only turnover.

The 10th straight sellout crowd at Bridgeforth Stadium – 25,709 showed up Saturday, the ninth largest attendance total in stadium history – saw JMU waste no time taking control of the game.

After forcing a punt on Georgia State’s first possession, the Dukes moved the ball 68 yards on nine plays, getting the scoring started with Pettaway’s 1-yard touchdown run.

Following a second Panthers’ punt, Barnett fired a 25-yard pass downfield to Omarion Dollison, and Dollison took it another 27 to the end zone for a 14-0 lead 11:41 into the contest.

After Georgia State (2-7, 0-5) put up its first points, JMU responded with two more touchdowns before halftime and went to the locker room ahead 28-7.

The Panthers had the chance to trim that margin, but Spence came flying off the edge to record the eighth career kick block for Spence. It was his second of the season.
“They could have stolen three there and a little momentum,” Chesney said. “It was a big deal for him to knock that down.”

Knight’s 18-yard touchdown reception and a 38-yard field goal from Noe Ruelas extended JMU’s lead to 38-7 through three quarters.

That was how it ended.

JMU has now won back-to-back games, keeping itself in contention for the Sun Belt East Division title and gaining momentum for a pivotal stretch run. The Dukes visit rival Old Dominion next weekend, then play at App State before finishing at home Nov. 30 against Marshall.

GAME NOTES:
• JMU out-gained GSU by a 452-259 margin, including a 211-46 lead in the ground game.
• JMU averaged 5.7 yards per carry while GSU was held to just 1.7 per rush.
• JMU held Georgia State to 4/15 on third down and 1/4 on fourth down.
• The 52-yard touchdown pass from Barnett to Dollison was their third connection of at least 50 yards this season.
• Alonza Barnett has four games with at least three passing touchdowns this season.
• JMU accrued nine tackles for loss and four sacks, while allowing GSU to have four and one, respectively.
• Josiah Robinson led GSU’s defense with 11 tackles, 2.5 TFL and a sack with two breakups. Gibson threw for 213 yards on 24-of-37 passing with a touchdown.

— JMU Athletics —