Saturday Night Lights
Dukes can clinch A-10 South with win
By Brian Hansen, sports editor
Posted on November 2, 2006

There’s something special about playing under the lights in November. Throw in a chance to capture at least a share of the Atlantic 10 South division title and a nationally televised game against a division rival and you have all the ingredients of a great college football game.

“I can’t wait,” JMU senior quarterback Justin Rascati said. “It’s my last regular-season home game; I want to go out with a bang. It should be a great atmosphere.”

The JMU football team comes into Saturday’s game 7-1 overall and an undefeated 5-0 in conference. A win on Saturday would give JMU a minimum of a two-game lead with two to play, moving them one step closer to the Division I-AA playoffs.

“We’re confident,” JMU coach Mickey Matthews said. “We feel like we’re going to win every week. This week is no different.”

Madison will take on the University of Delaware (4-4, 2-3), a team that has beaten them four of the last five meetings, with three of those victories coming by double digits. Last season, running back Omar Cuff ran all over the Dukes (236 yards and four touchdowns), as the Blue Hens downed the Dukes 34-28. Cuff, however, is questionable to play in Saturday’s game.

“We anticipate he will [play],” Matthews said. “They run the ball a lot more when he plays, and if he’s out they may throw it 50 or 60 times.”

Delaware is third in the conference with 232.9 yards per game. They are led by quarterback Joe Flacco, who has thrown for 1,863 yards and 13 touchdowns. However, last year Delaware exposed JMU on the ground by designing plays to specifically block junior safety Tony LeZotte and forced others to tackle Cuff.

“We need to stop the run first and then hopefully we can make them one dimensional,” senior defensive end Kevin Winston said. “If we don’t stop the run, it will make it a tough game.”

Offensively, the Dukes should be able to take advantage of a Blue Hens’ defense that is giving up 24.9 points per game and an A-10 worst 391.1 yards per game.

“We expect to hit the big plays every week,” Rascati said. “We want to continue to do that, and find there weaknesses and just exploit them.”

Madison comes into the game more beat up than they’ve been all season with several players sitting out Tuesday’s practice. Sophomore center Scott Lemm sat out after spraining his ankle against the University of Richmond. Lemm is questionable, and if he can’t go, senior Mike Parham will shift over from guard to center with one of two freshmen, Dorian Brooks or Rahmad Powell, filling in at guard. Freshman guard Vernon Eason will return at the other guard position after sitting out last week’s game.

Senior running back Alvin Banks and junior Eugene Holloman are expected to play but continue to have nagging ankle injuries. Senior running back Maurice Fenner will return from his two-game suspension and will be available to play.

“We’re a little banged up right now,” Matthews said. “This is the most injured we’ve been all season.”

Delaware last visited Harrisonburg in 2004, when the Dukes won a 20-13 thriller. The winning score came on an 87-yard punt return by Cortez Thompson and JMU’s defense sealed the deal on a fourth-and-goal stop from inside their 5-yard line. The win helped propel the Dukes into their 2004 national title run. Matthews expects the atmosphere to very similar Saturday.

“A night game at JMU is special because of the atmosphere we have here,” Matthews said. “This year will be no different. We’ll have a packed house, on regional television. It should be really exciting.”