#18 Massachusetts scored 18 unanswered points in the second half and came away with a 21-14 Colonial Athletic Association road win against #15 James Madison against at Bridgeforth Stadium, Oct. 30. With their third-straight loss, the Dukes fell to 4-4 overall and 1-4 in the league while the Minutemen improved to 5-3 and 3-2 in conference play.
UMass jumped out on top to open the contest with the opening drive, taking the ball 60 yards on eight plays over 3:05. However, the Dukes’ defense stiffened again in the red zone and held the Minutemen to a field goal attempt. Caleb Violette hit the 33-yard field goal attempt to give UMass a 3-0 lead with just over three minutes gone in the game.
The Minutemen found their way back deep into JMU territory on their second drive, with a second and goal at the JMU 1. The Dukes held for the first two plays and on fourth down, forced an incomplete pass to get the ball back and stop the threat, keeping the margin at 3-0.
Two possessions later, Madison found its way on to the scoreboard with an 11-play, 70-yard march. Utilizing the ground game, the Dukes moved into scoring position and capitalized with a 8-yard scoring run by redshirt-senior Jamal Sullivan (Ruther Glen, Va./Caroline). Redshirt-freshman Ben Hopewell (Waynesboro, Va./Wilson Memorial) hit the point-after attempt and JMU had a 7-3 lead midway through the second quarter.
UMass punted on its next possession and pinned JMU back on its own three to start the drive. The Dukes pushed the ball of its own end zone and put together another scoring drive that ate up the remainder of the half. Madison went the full 97 yards for the touchdown with Sullivan taking it in from two yards this time on the 11th play of the drive. Hopewell again hit the point after and the Dukes led 14-3 with just 17 seconds to go in the half, a lead they took into the intermission.
The Minutemen got their first possession of the second half and moved into scoring territory again, including converting a 4th-and-8 with quarterback Kyle Havens hitting wide receiver Anthony Nelson with a 19-yard pass on the sideline to get a first down at the Dukes’ 9. From there, Madison held them out of the end zone for the third straight red zone drive, forcing a 25-yard field goal by Violette to cut the lead to 14-6 JMU with 3:04 to go in the third.
The visitors got back in the offensive end, spurred by Nelson’s 53-yard punt return to the JMU 17-yard line. From there, it took before Havens found wide receiver Julian Talley for a 2-yard touchdown reception to make it 14-12. The Minutemen went for two and Havens connected with wide receiver Dan Sheeran in the back of the end zone and the game was knotted at 14 with just over 13 minutes remaining in the game.
On the next drive, Madison moved the ball out of its own end before UMass held on JMU’s fourth-and-1 at the Dukes’ 48 and took over the ball there. The Minutemen then put together their third-straight scoring drive, finished off by 1-yard touchdown pass from Havens to tight end Andrew Krevis. Violette’s extra point made it 21-14 UMass with 7:29 to play.
JMU outgained UMass 359-302, as the Dukes rushed for 180 yards and threw for 179 on the game. The Dukes also held a time of possession advantage, holding the ball for 32:10 as compared to the Minutemen’s 27:50.
Redshirt-senior quarterback Drew Dudzik (Clifton, Va./Centreville) put together a career-high 277 yards of total offense, rushing 12 times for 98 yards and going 13-for-25 through the air for 179 yards. Sullivan rushed 21 times for 73 yards and two scores.
UMass was led on the ground by Jonathan Hernandez with game highs of 28 rushes for 137 yards. Havens was 15-for-19 for 163 yards and two scores, with Talley having game highs of four catches for 66 yards and one touchdown.
JMU heads on the road next week for a CAA televised game at Richmond. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.
Richmond falls at ‘Nova
No. 14 Richmond limited No. 5 Villanova to just 55 total yards in the second half, and had two shots at making it a one-score game, but the Wildcats led 21-0 at the half and beat the Spiders 28-7 Saturday at Villanova Stadium.
A touchdown run by Kendall Gaskins capped a six-play, 58-yard drive with 3:26 left in the third quarter and trimmed to the Villanova (6-2, 4-1) lead to 21-7. The Spiders (4-4, 2-3) forced the Wildcats to three-and-outs on their next two possessions, but Richmond had both drives stall in enemy territory.
The Spiders, who have been in QB turmoil since the loss of starter Aaron Corp to a season-ending knee injury four weeks ago and back-up John Laub still out (wrist), saw true freshman Montel White start for the third-straight week Saturday. White, though, missed the second half after injuring his eye in the first half and punter Nick Hicks was called into action for the second time this season.
Hicks kept Richmond’s scoring drive alive by executing a perfectly-designed fake punt and hitting CB Tremayne Graham for 32 yards down the sidelines on fourth-and-three at midfield. He followed that with an 18-yard strike to TE Kevin Finney before Gaskins carried the final yard for the TD.
Hicks finished the day eight-of-17 passing for 117 yards and an interception. White was three-of-eight for 51 yards and an interception in the first half. Tre Gray reeled in five catches for 62 yards.
The Spiders saw two early chances to jump on Villanova fall through their hands, literally. Brandon Scott had an interception go through his hands on Villanova’s first play of the game. On their second drive, LB Eric McBride was not able to hold an interception, which could have been returned for a touchdown.
Not capitalizing on those two plays, Richmond not scoring after having the ball first-and-goal at the one and the elusiveness of Villanova QB Chris Whitney were the difference.
Whitney, who escaped Richmond tacklers all afternoon, racked up 116 yards rushing on 11 carries and scored on a 45-yard run to put the Wildcats on the board with 5:46 left in the first quarter.
After Villanova seized a 14-0 lead late in the first quarter, White marched the Spiders downfield, hitting Gray for completions of 20 and 12 yards, before Kevin Grayson hauled in a 19-yard pass down the near sideline. That gave Richmond a first-and-10 at the 11.
A run by Tyler Kirchoff gave the Spiders first-and-goal at the 1. Gaskins was then stopped twice, and on third-and-goal White had Gaskins open in the end zone but couldn’t complete the play-action pass. Kirchoff lost his footing on the fourth-down play and the Spiders turned it over on downs.
White was intercepted on Richmond’s next drive, and Villanova scored three plays later to make it 21-0.
Villanova, which won its 15th-straight home game, increased its lead in the all-time series with Richmond to 21-9 and has won three-straight.
The Spiders return home next Saturday to start a two-game stand at Robins Stadium. Saturday’s game versus James Madison in the Farm Bureau Insurance Fall Classic kicks off at 3:30 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic.
Army holds off VMI
After a sluggish first half, the VMI offense made things interesting after halftime, but couldn’t overcome the Army Black Knights and the Keydets fell, 29-7, before a crowd of 32,410 at Michie Stadium Saturday afternoon.
The rushing tandem of sophomore Jared Hassin and senior Patrick Mealy combined for 265 of Army’s 316 yards rushing for the game and the Black Knights raised their overall season mark to 5-3 and matched their win total of 2009.
VMI dropped to 3-5 on the year in the non-conference tilt which was VMI’s second consecutive trip to Army in as many years.
The Keydets never led throughout the afternoon, but closed within 19-7 as the game headed to the fourth quarter. After an Alex Carlton 41-yard field goal pushed the Black Knight lead to 22-7, the Keydets marched to Army 32 before the game took a decisive turn back in favor of the hosts.
Facing a first and 10, VMI freshman quarterback rolled right and eluded a heavy Army rush before uncorking a pass that was picked off by senior free safety Travis Donavan at VMI 21 and returned 37 yards. As Donavan was being wrestled to the turf after crossing midfield, he pitched the ball back to a trailing teammate, senior Jordan Trimble who ran the remaining 42 yards to the end zone for a touchdown to effectively douse the Keydet hopes for the remainder of the afternoon. The extra point by Carlton proved to be the game’s final point, and Army held on to its 29-7 margin for the remaining nine minutes of the game.
Army held a 381-282 advantage in total offense, including a 316-123 margin on the ground. But the Keydet offense was able to generate better numbers in the second half with 206 yard total offense and 13 first downs after posting just three first downs in the first half.
VMI had the ball just 11:34 in the first half, but boosted that number to 17:59 after halftime.
The two teams traded possessions to start the game, but on Army’s second drive, the Black Knights converted two key 4th down conversions – one from the VMI 25 and the second which resulted on a 1-yard Trent Steelman run, giving the Black Knights the 7-0 advantage on the drive that was assembled in 12 plays for 80 yards and ate up 5:38 on the game clock. A 16-yard pass to Hassin from Steeleman to the VMI 9 set up the game’s first score four plays later.
VMI took over with the ball inside its own five to begin the second quarter. The ensuing Marc Ray punt against the wind gave Army great field possession after a Josh Jackson 8-yard return to the VMI 33. The Black Knights quickly added another touchdown only two-plays later on a Hassin 38-yard run slashing down the right sideline, extending the Black Knight lead to 14-0 early in in the second-quarter.
Following a 26-yard punt by Ray on VMI’s next drive, Army once again took over in VMI territory at the Keydet 45. The VMI defense held on a 4th and 2, taking over on downs on their own 12 after after a personal foul called on the VMI defense after the play whistle. Kordenbrock, VMI’s third quarterback of the first half, then led the most productive VMI drive of the second quarter, guiding a 7-play, 33-yard drive that stalled on the Army 43.
Army would add to its lead with 2:35 left before intermission, as VMI had a 3rd and 17 from its own 7-yard line. Kordenbrock, throwing from his own end zone, completed an 11-yard pass to senior wideout Mario Scott that was wiped out by a VMI holding penalty resulting in a safety to give Army the 16-0 lead with 2:35 left in the half.
Army seemed poised to add to the lead with a 3rd & 1 from the VMI 21, but an explosive sack by redshirt junior Kris Ware forced the Black Knights to settle for a Carlton 43-yard field and Army assumed a 19-0 lead at the break.
In the first half half, VMI managed just 76 yards of total offense to 217 for Army. VMIwas plagued by penalties, committing 7 for 56 yards, to just three penalties for 25 yards for the hosts.
VMI took the ball to start the second half and produced a 22-yard Kordenbrock pass to T.J. Talley VMI 49, however a Gabe Itoka fumble later in the drive caused the drive to stall at the Army 48, resulting in a 41-yard Ray punt that pinned Army at its own 11.
The Keydet defense forced an Army punt on the ensuing drive, setting the stage for VMI’s most productive drive of the afternoon. A key play on the drive was 10-yard pass from Kordenbrock to Brian Barnson a on 3rd and 9 to bring the ball to the VMI 39. Three plays later on a 2nd and 10 from the VMI 39, Kordenbrock found Tracy Hairston on a crossing route for a 30-yard gain, putting the ball on the Army 31. Moving the ball to the Army 1 after a Chaz Jones 11-yard rush, VMI finally punched it in to get on the board on a Jones one-yard run on fourth down with 4:18 left in the third quarter, pulling the Keydets within 19-7.
VMI caught a break on the ensuing Army possession, as a fumble by the Army quarterback Steelman was recovered by VMI’s Charlie Jones, giving the Keydets the ball at their own 44. The drive started out well, as Kordenbrock found Itoka on a screen pass that went for 17-yards, but the drive stalled at the Army 40, resulting in a VMI punt.
Army then used its longest offensive play from scrimmage this season on the ensuing, a 54-yard run by Hassin to bring the ball from their own 19 to the VMI 27. The big play resulted in another Carlton field goal from 41-yards out to extend the Black Knight lead to 22-7 with 12:15 to play.Hassin led all ground gainers with 158 yards on 14 carries while Mealy piled up 97 yards on 18 attempts.
Kordenbrock completed 15 of 27 passes for 139 yards for the visitors and VMI utilized eight different receivers led by Itoka with five catches for 35 yards.
Donavan led Army on the defensive charts with nine tackles while VMI redshirt-junior outside linebacker Eric Church had a career-high 16 tackles including 11 solo plays and a tackle-for-loss.
VMI returns home for its final game at Foster Stadium against Coastal Carolina next Saturday. Kickoff is 1:30 and the game will be carried live on ESPN3.com.
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