HARRISONBURG — The James Madison defense never got the memo.

When the nation’s top scoring offenses met Friday night in the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs at Bridgeforth Stadium, it was supposed to be a shootout. The two teams were expected to go score for score while parading up and down the field.

Sam Houston State entered averaging better than 53 points, 570 total yards and 385 passing yards per game, but the Dukes held the Bearkats to season lows in all three categories — seven points, 270 total yards and 158 passing yards.

Behind a smothering and physical defense, fourth-seeded JMU blasted fifth-seeded Sam Houston State 65-7.

“Defensively, I thought it was as impressive of a performance as I’ve seen in a long time,” JMU coach Mike Houston said.

Madison (12-1) moves on to the national semifinals for the first time since 2008 and Sam Houston State (12-1) bows out of the tournament before the semis for the first time since 2013. Next week, the Dukes will meet the winner of today’s quarterfinal between top-seeded North Dakota State and eighth-seeded South Dakota State.

“I thought they played really well defensively,” Sam Houston State coach K.C. Keeler said.

More Photos From Friday's JMU Win

JMU senior defensive tackle Martez Stone set the tone on the game’s first play when he stuffed Sam Houston State running back Corey Avery at the line of scrimmage for no gain. The Bearkats would go three-and-out.

“We talk about it all the time,” JMU defensive coordinator Bob Trott said. “To set the tone and play fast. We always want to start fast because it builds and it makes a difference.

“And they took the ball first. It was only the second time all year that our offense didn’t have the ball first. We go out against an offense like that and get the three-and-out, it’s pretty big.”

Things didn’t get better for Avery and Sam Houston State on the next series. JMU junior safety Jordan Brown knocked the ball out of Avery’s hands as he approached the end zone, and Dukes sophomore cornerback Charles Tutt recovered it.

Avery’s goal-line fumble was as close as Sam Houston State got to putting the ball in the end zone until the 11:49 mark of the fourth quarter.The Bearkats’ air raid offense and the nation’s leading passer could never get going.

Sam Houston State quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe, who entered only one touchdown throw shy of Colt Brennan’s Division I single-season record, was limited to a 13-of-44 performance for only 143 yards and no touchdown passes.

Keeler said Briscoe hadn’t practiced all week after suffering an elbow injury in Sam Houston State’s second-round win over Chattanooga. Keeler didn’t know Briscoe would play in the game until Friday.

He was sacked twice — once each by Stone and linebacker Dimitri Holloway. Briscoe was also intercepted twice — by cornerback Curtis Oliver and safety Raven Greene.Oliver also had a career-high and tied for a game-high with three pass breakups.

“It got really physical on the outside with the receivers,” Keeler said. “It was a concern on film that they were very grabby and very physical and it was one of my concerns going into the game.”

Oliver and Tutt played at slot cornerback while Jimmy Moreland and Taylor Reynolds played at boundary cornerback. Greene and Brown were used at safety giving Madison six defensive backs to use in passing situations to slow Briscoe’s bevy of wide receivers.

“I think the biggest thing was knowing that we had someone over the top that had our back,” Oliver said. “Other than that, we just came out and did what we do. We go against a good group of receivers each week in practice, so I thought we were ready.”

Trott said he was happy with how Madison’s corners managed to have success in man coverage.

“We got some talent and we can run,” Trott said. “The corners and defensive backs can cover really well.”

While Sam Houston State struggled to move the ball, JMU didn’t.The Dukes high-powered offense continued to find the end zone drive after drive.JMU was paced by a tandem of running backs and junior quarterback Bryan Schor.

Schor threw for 251 yards and a touchdown and ran for a touchdown. Senior running back Khalid Abdullah carried 22 times for 141 yards and three touchdowns while sophomore Trai Sharp ran 23 times for 144 yards and two scores.

Abdullah said the offense won all the battles it needed to at the line of scrimmage.

“We knew it was going to be a physical defense and we had planned for it,” Abdullah said. “You go out there, try to run hard and hope they would miss tackles. That was the game plan.”

Schor’s rushing touchdown and passing touchdown were sandwiched around two special teams scores in the first half. Senior punt returner Rashard Davis had a 72-yard punt return touchdown and Bryce Maginley scooped and scored after Adam Smith blocked a punt.JMU led 42-0 at halftime.

The game was never in doubt.