Dukes Get Swagger Back

November 9, 2009 • By Dan Lobdell, The Breeze
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22-14 Win Over Maine Powered by Six Forced Turnovers, Special Teams

HARRISONBURG, Va. — JMU football is back from the dead with its 22-14 win Saturday against Maine. The Dukes have won two in a row and continue fighting for a winning season.

Junior defensive tackle Ronnell Brown said the team regained its identity in its previous game, a 20-8 win at Delaware. “And with that, there was no doubt going into this game that we were back at where we were before: being the top dog,” Brown said.

The team’s confidence showed in the six turnovers forced and the 22-0 lead in the third quarter. But a touchdown drive and a desperation play by Maine cut the lead to eight in the fourth quarter.

Staring at a fourth-and-three with just more than six minutes remaining, Black Bears’ coach Jack Cosgrove called for a fake punt. Wide receiver and punter Mike Brusko led defensive back Troy Harris on a fade down the right sideline, and Harris turned on the jets for an 82-yard score.

But it was not enough as Maine’s last two drives ended in interceptions, giving the Dukes the win in front of 15,303 fans at Bridgeforth Stadium.

A flurry of action in the second quarter gave Madison a lead it never relinquished.

A snap over Maine punter John Waxman’s head went out the back of the end zone to give JMU a 2-0 lead.

The ensuing free kick went out of bounds for an illegal procedure on Maine, giving JMU the ball at midfield. Redshirt freshman quarterback Justin Thorpe scored on a career-long 42-yard touchdown on the drive’s third play.

Thorpe would also lead a nine-play, 66-yard drive to start the second half for JMU’s (4-5 overall, 2-4 Colonial Athletic Association) last points of the day. After an illegal procedure penalty pushed the ball back to the 31, Thorpe connected with sophomore tailback Scott Noble down the right sideline for a touchdown.
Madison coach Mickey Matthews was upset JMU penalties gave Maine (4-5, 3-3) the opportunity to get back into the game.

“I’m not sure who had the most yards, either us or the officials,” Matthews said of his team’s 11 penalties for 105 yards.

Two penalties set up Maine’s first touchdown, a 13-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Warren Smith to Brusko early in the fourth quarter.

The last two games, at Massachusetts on Saturday and Towson Nov. 21 at home, will decide if JMU’s 14 seniors end their careers below .500 on the season.

“We’re not gonna make the playoffs,” Moats said. “But we always had our goals. The first goal was the national championship; that’s out the window. Playoffs is out the window. Conference championship was out the window. So, our next thing was winning season. That’s still reachable, and we’re gonna make sure we get that.”

Contact Dan Lobdell at breezesports@gmail.com.

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