James Madison’s defense kept Maine out of the end zone for all but the game’s initial series, including on a play from the three-yard line to end the contest, to lead the Dukes to a 14-10 victory Saturday in the season-finale for both football teams.
Maine pulled to within 14-10 early during the final quarter and ran 16 plays during the closing possession before JMU stopped a Black Bear receiver as time expired.
The victory was JMU’s second straight and raised the Dukes’ overall record to 6-5 and their Colonial Athletic Association mark to 3-5. It also gave JMU its seventh-consecutive winning season and its eighth-straight year with a .500 or better record.
Maine finished the year 4-7 overall and 3-5 in the CAA.
The Bears, with quarterback Warren Smith completing eight passes, reached the JMU’s 15-yard line with less than a minute to play after starting the series from their 32. Smith then scrambled for nine yards to the JMU 6 on third and 10 and hit running back Pushaun Brown with a pass to the 3-yard line for a first down with 17.3 seconds left.
JMU sophomore linebacker Chad Byers (Charlottesville, Va./Blue Ridge School) stopped Smith on a keeper at the three with 12.4 seconds left on the following play, and Maine took its final timeout. Smith then hit wide receiver Jeff Falvey with a pass in the right flat, but JMU junior safety Jonathon Williams (Ridgeway, Va./Magna Vista) and junior cornerback Taveion Cuffee (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial/Fork Union) stopped the receiver for no gain.
W&M rebounds from JMU loss, blows out Richmond
The sixth-ranked William and Mary football team claimed the Colonial Athletic Association title with a 41-3 victory against No. 18/20 Richmond in front of a sold-out crowd at Zable Stadium on senior day Saturday afternoon. In addition to claiming the league championship, W&M recorded it second-consecutive undefeated season at home and earned its 11th-straight win in Williamsburg.
Although W&M (8-3, 6-2) and Delaware (9-2, 6-2) both finished the conference slate with 6-2 records, the Tribe earned the league’s championship and automatic bid to the NCAA FCS Playoffs due to its 17-16 win versus the Blue Hens last month. The Tribe now awaits the NCAA FCS Playoff selection show, which will air on ESPNU on Sunday at 10 a.m.
En route to claiming the Capital Cup, which is awarded annually to the winner of the W&M-UR game, the Tribe outgained the Spiders, 616-263. Its offensive figure represents the most yards by the College since totaling 630 yards against Towson in 2006. The defensive effort marked the third consecutive game, and sixth time this season, in which W&M has allowed less than 300 yards of total offense.
Senior quarterback Mike Callahan was honored as the Capital Cup Most Outstanding Player, as he completed 17-of-22 passes for a career-high 331 yards with two touchdowns. W&M utilized a balanced rushing attack as four players recorded more than 50 yards on the ground – senior Terrence Riggins (78), junior Jonathan Grimes (73), senior Courtland Marriner (60) and sophomore Meltoya Jones (54). Marriner found the end zone twice, while Riggins also scored. Grimes also hauled in four catches for 86 yards, while sophomore wide receiver Ryan Moody registered a game-high five receptions for 101 yards. It was Moody’s second-consecutive 100-yard receiving performance.
VMI finishes with tough loss
Despite holding an advantage in total offense and time of possession throughout the afternoon, the VMI football team fell to Gardner-Webb, 10-7 Saturday in the Big South and regular season finale for both teams.
The Keydets closed out the 2010 campaign with a 3-8 overall mark and 2-4 in the Big South Conference. Gardner-Webb finished 4-7 overall and 2-4 in the league.
VMI could not overcome four interceptions thrown and two unsuccessful field attempts that derailed a chance to close out the season with a road win for first time since 2002. Two of the VMI interceptions led to Gardner-Webb’s scoring – a first half field goal and a second half touchdown. The Keydets also came up empty on all three red zone scoring chances.
Bulldog junior receiver James Perry made a leaping grab between two defenders in the left corner of the end zone to haul in a 27-yard touchdown pass with 10:55 left in the fourth quarter that proved to be the deciding score of the contest.
The Keydets outgained the Bulldogs 271-218 and held a 126-59 advantage on the ground. The 59 rushing yards given up by the Keydets was the lowest allowed an opponent this season. VMI also converted 7 of 15 third down conversions while holding a 32:25 to 25:13 advantage in time of possession.
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