HARRISONBURG – His distribution of the ball was point-guard like, and not just any point guard.

Think Jason Kidd or Steve Nash, artfully placing passes to setup his teammates.

“I’ve just got to put it out there for ‘em,” Ben DiNucci said.

The James Madison senior quarterback completed 78 percent of his throws for 240 yards and four touchdowns in the No. 2 Dukes’ 63-12 blow past victory over Morgan State in non-conference action on Saturday at Bridgeforth Stadium.

All four of his touchdown throws against the Bears went to different receivers. All six touchdowns he’s thrown for this season have gone to different pass catchers.

“I said all summer and at the end of fall camp that we’ve got guys that are making plays everywhere,” DiNucci said.

DiNucci fit one where only slot receiver Devin Ravenel could snag it on a 19-yard corner route to open the scoring. The signal-caller then trusted Penn State transfer receiver Brandon Polk, who sprinted past the opposing corner, to secure a 48-yard catch as he crossed the goal line.

Running backs were involved, too. DiNucci checked down to Jawon Hamilton, waiting near the left sideline, where he had enough space to turnaround, show off his speed and use a block from Polk on a 50-yard score. The last of DiNucci’s tosses were most difficult, though, as he maneuvered to his right and lofted – with enough arc on it – a pass to find Solomon Vanhorse streaking under it for a 19-yard touchdown reception that put JMU ahead 35-3 with 33 seconds remaining in the first half.

“Ben is back there basically picking and choosing who he wants to throw to,” Polk said. “And then it’s just the weapons we have across the field, even the running backs, as you saw Jawon split it and score, so it’s just the weapons across the field.”

The lead was large enough that DiNucci only had to play one series in the second half before Dukes coach Curt Cignetti turned the game over to backup quarterbacks Cole Johnson and Gage Moloney. Both Johnson and Moloney each threw a touchdown, too.

“We hit a point in the game there where we just opened it up a little bit and were clicking,” Cignetti said. “Some of it was long stuff and some of it was tempo, two-minute drill. Ben started out, missed a couple there early and then he got clicking.

“… I thought all three quarterbacks did a nice job and it was great to have that production from the pass game.”

JMU gained 507 total yards to Morgan State’s 337 total yards.

Morgan State coach Tyrone Wheatley said the Bears (0-2) were doomed against the Dukes (2-1) from the start after fumbling away a fourth-and-1 try on the opening possession.

JMU linebacker Dimitri Holloway ripped the ball away from Morgan State quarterback DJ Golatt Jr., and recovered it when Golatt Jr. tried to sneak for the yard from his own 34-yard line.

“It hurts,” Wheatley said. “But like anything else, you have to overcome the pain.

“But it took the wind out of the sails a bit, the fumble or strip whatever you want to call it.”

Holloway’s forced fumble and recovery was the first turnover Madison forced this season. It was also the first of three on the night with safeties Adam Smith and Que Reid notching interceptions later on.

DiNucci turned Holloway’s fumble recovery into seven points when he connected with Ravenel less than six minutes into play. Ravenel was the third receiver to make a catch on JMU’s first series.

“It just opens it all up,” Ravenel said. “We don’t have to go to one person. We have so many weapons at receiver and you can go to anyone really. You can’t cover one person.”

BOX SCORE

Morgan State 0 3 0 9—12

James Madison 7 28 14 14—63

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

JMU—Ravenel 9 pass from DiNucci (Ratke kick), 9:22

Second Quarter

JMU—Agyei-Obese 1 run (Ratke kick), 14:57

JMU—Polk 48 pass from DiNucci (Ratke kick), 12:05

MSU—O’Shea 39 field goal, 8:00

JMU—Hamilton 50 pass from DiNucci (Ratke kick), 6:16

JMU—Vanhorse 19 pass from DiNucci (Ratke kick), 0:33

Third Quarter

JMU—Agyei-Obese 5 run (Ratke kick), 12:51

JMU—Curry Jr. 7 pass from Moloney (Ratke kick), 1:00

Fourth Quarter

MSU—O’Shea 25 field goal, 9:36

JMU—Ravenel 43 kick return (Ratke kick), 9:29

MSU—Bailey 72 pass from Harris (kick fail), 8:46

JMU—Kirlew 9 pass from Johnson (Ratke kick), 3:00

Individual Stats

RUSHING—MSU: Johnson 16-50, Harris 8-20, Golatt Jr. 4-16, Parker 3-1, Howell 4-(-8). JMU: Palmer 5-58, Vanhorse 7-48, DiNucci 3-35, Douglas 8-27, Agyei-Obese 6-25, Hamilton 3-7, Kirlew 2-5, Johnson 2-4.

PASSING—MSU: Harris 11-21-1-253, Golatt Jr. 1-2-1-5. JMU: DiNucci 18-23-0-240, Johnson 6-8-0-51, Moloney 1-2-0-7.

RECEIVING—MSU: Bailey 4-172, Gravette 3-38, Johnson 2-10, White 1-20, Ransom 1-16, Wolfolk 1-2. JMU: Polk 6-67, Ravenel 3-40, Dean 3-34, Curry Jr. 3-33, Brown 3-7, Stapleton 2-26, Hamilton 1-50, Vanhorse 1-19, Kirlew 1-9, Adu 1-8, Carlton 1-5.