Dukes vanquish Blue Hens, await Tribe

Goal-line stand preserves win

Carolyn Walser / senior photographer Senior cornerback Cortez Thompson's 87-yard punt return for a touchdown provided the decisive points in JMU's 20-13 win over Delaware.

The game billed as the biggest in JMU football history came down to the final minute.

The sixth-ranked University of Delaware had driven from its own 27-yard line all the way to the JMU 3, where the Dukes’ defense came up with a goal-line stand — inducing three straight incompletions from Delaware quarterback Sonny Riccio with 42 seconds to play, closing out the 20-13 JMU win.

"This is the biggest one," coach Mickey Matthews said. "We beat the defending national champions. It doesn’t get much better than that."

After the Blue Hens tied it up at 13 apiece with a field goal in the closing minutes of the third quarter, the JMU special teams made its two biggest plays of the afternoon. First, senior wide safety Rodney McCarter blocked JMU’s second kick of the day when he got a hold of a Delaware-attempted field goal.

"Never in my years have I seen anyone with such a knack for blocking kicks," Matthews said. "[McCarter’s] explosion is just uncanny."

The Dukes failed to capitalize on the block, going three and out and punting on the ensuing possession.

Then, with three minutes to go, redshirt senior cornerback Cortez Thompson returned a punt 87 yards, dashing down the sideline for the game-winning score.

"It was a return left call and I just tried to make the best of it," Thompson said. "I had Clint [Kent] in front of me and he gave me two good blocks and he got me there."

Saturday, the Dukes were dominated in most offensive categories.

In total offense, JMU gained 166 yards to Delaware’s 466. Madison was out-rushed, compiling 63 yards to the Hens’ 174 – 162 of those yards coming from freshman Omar Cuff.

"I know we finished with more points, and that’s all I care about," redshirt junior defensive tackle Frank Cobbs said.

However, JMU did rack up 349 return yards off three punts, two kickoffs and three interceptions. Delaware managed 34.

"We spent an unusual amount of time on the kicking game [in practice] — all phases," Matthews said. "Returns, blocking kicks, coverage because we thought they were great at returning kicks."

The Dukes missed injured tailbacks redshirt sophomores Alvin Banks and Maurice Fenner. Banks has been out since the Hofstra University game Oct. 2 with a broken bone in his leg. Fenner separated his shoulder last week against the Virginia Military Institute.

In their stead, JMU turned to redshirt junior Raymond Hines and redshirt freshman Antoinne Bolton. Bolton posted his first 100-yard game of his career against VMI, while Hines put up his second of the year.

Against UD, the tandem was held to a minimum. Hines finished with 26 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown. Bolton had 3 yards on three touches.

"They are a great defense and they blitzed us a lot," redshirt sophomore quarterback Justin Rascati said. "We were without with two of our backs and our starting right guard. I don’t know if they stopped us totally, but they did a good job."

With the win, JMU moves into sole possession of first place in the Southern Division of the Atlantic 10, at 6-0 (8-1 overall). Delaware falls to 5-1 in the A-10 and 6-3 overall — suffering losses to the University of New Hampshire in the season opener and last week to the Naval Academy.

The Dukes’ only loss came from West Virginia University Sept. 25.

"The moment I realized we were good was the after the West Virginia game," Matthews said. "Ten minutes after that game, I realized we were pretty good by the players’ reaction."