No. 2 JMU Cruises Past URI In Regular-Season Finale

The outright Colonial Athletic Association title was secured last week in a blowout victory over Richmond, and a fourth undefeated league campaign is also now in the books. The second-ranked Dukes are riding an 11-game winning streak into the FCS playoffs, the real proving ground for a program that has captured eight of its last 10 postseason games and the 2016 national championship.

Saturday's 55-21 cruise past the University of Rhode Island was decided early. D'Angelo Amos ripped off an 85-yard punt return for a touchdown and Jawon Hamilton notched a 44-yard run for a score to help build what was a 31-0 halftime lead. JMU was all but running the clock from there, the final result never really in doubt.

"We were coming here to win this game," Amos said. "It wasn't a petty game or anything like that. We respect them and we were going to play our game regardless."

Adam Smith's fifth interception in his last six games swung the tide for good, as the Rams turned it over at the Dukes goal line in what was just a 3-0 game. Hamilton barreled 72 yards down the right sideline on the next play and Ben DiNucci found Riley Stapleton from 1 yard out to end the first quarter with a touchdown. It was a 10-0 lead for JMU, and the visitors were never in any real danger again.

"They had put together a pretty good drive there early," Dukes coach Curt Cignetti said. "We seized the momentum and ran with it and really had it at the end of the half."

URI went three and out on its ensuing possession and Davey Schaum-Bartocci slammed a 52-yard punt down the middle of the field. That left Amos in acres of space when he made the catch at his own 15, and the redshirt junior defensive back zipped between the hashes to the end zone. It was the fifth career punt return score for Amos, a new CAA record, and a 17-0 Dukes cushion.

"Just try to get vertical and get what I can," Amos said. "Look for my guys, see where they're at and work off their blocks. That was rewarding them the best way I could."

Percy Agyei-Obese's 4-yard touchdown run preceded Hamilton's score in the second quarter, part of a season-high 390 rushing yards for JMU. Agyei-Obese hammered away for 105 yards on 22 carries while Hamilton totaled 143 yards on just nine carries. DiNucci chipped in 84 rushing yards and was an efficient 8-for-9 passing to key the offense.

"Without those guys up front we wouldn't be here today with the stats looking the way they looked," Hamilton said. "We all just put this thing together and go from there."

This was always an unlikely spot for the Dukes (11-1, 8-0 CAA) to suffer a letdown after crushing the Spiders. JMU has now won 10 straight games in the series, each of the last seven by 17 points or more. URI (2-10, 0-8 CAA) finished winless in league play for the first time since 2012.

"This team is always locked in," Agyei-Obese said. "Every game is a new game."

The lone real lowlights for the Dukes came on defense.

Leading tackler Dimitri Holloway exited the game in the third quarter with a left hand injury and didn't return. Defensive tackle Adeeb Atariwa was also ejected in the second half for targeting and will be suspended for the opening half of JMU's playoff opener.

"We have higher goals," Cignetti said. "We're anxious to get going now with the second part of the season. I think everybody is thinking the same way."

BOX SCORE

James Madison 10 21 7 17—55

Rhode Island 0 0 14 7—21

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

JMU—Ratke 42 field goal, 6:06

JMU—R. Stapleton 1 pass from DiNucci (Ratke kick), 0:00

Second Quarter

JMU—Amos 85 punt return (Ratke kick), 13:20

JMU—Agyei-Obese 4 run (Ratke kick), 7:05

JMU—Hamilton 44 run (Ratke kick), 3:10

Third Quarter

URI—Warren 2 pass from Priore (Carrick kick), 12:15

JMU—Agyei-Obese 3 run (Ratke kick), 7:21

URI—Dorsey 89 kick return (Carrick kick), 7:08

Fourth Quarter

JMU—Ratke 31 field goal, 14:49

URI—Parker 14 pass from Priore (Carrick kick), 10:26

JMU—Polk 39 pass from DiNucci (Ratke kick), 8:40

JMU—Kirlew 52 run (Ratke kick), 2:31

Individual Stats

RUSHING—JMU: Hamilton 9-143, Agyei-Obese 22-105, DiNucci 9-82, Kirlew 4-51, Vanhorse 3-9. URI: Jones 14-32, Antrum 3-(-3), Dorsey 1-(-4), Priore 6-(-31).

PASSING—JMU: DiNucci 8-9-0-129. URI: Priore 23-42-0-208.

RECEIVING—JMU: Polk 1-39, R. Stapleton 4-37, Brown 1-27, Hamilton 2-26. URI: Parker 5-66, Coulter 7-65, Erby 2-34, Jones 3-32, Warren 2-7, Lee 1-6, Piers 1-1, Frimpong 1-(-1), Roark 1-(-2).