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James Madison routs South Dakota State 51-16, advances to second straight FCS national championship

Posted at 8:03 PM, Dec 16, 2017
and last updated 2017-12-16 20:03:39-05

HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Dukes are headed back to Frisco. For the second straight year, James Madison will play for a national title after handling the South Dakota State Jack Rabbits 51-16 on Saturday night.

JMU football (Photo courtesy: JMU Athletics)

JMU forced a school and postseason record 10 turnovers in the game, including five in the first quarter. Senior cornerback Jimmy Moreland had three interceptions alone, while Jordan Brown hauled in two, and Raven Greene had a pick-six.

SDSU hung close in the first half, trailing 14-10, until a quarterback sneak from the one-yard line by Bryan Schor gave the Dukes a 21-10 lead at the break.  Schor threw for two touchdowns as well.

Marcus Marshall, a Georgia Tech transfer, exploded for 203 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. In a five-minute span, Marshall broke for a 65-yard touchdown, and an 87-yard scamper that put this game away for good for JMU.

The win extends the Dukes winning streak to 26 straight games, dating back to last season.

The defending national champions will face North Dakota State in the national championship game in Frisco, Texas on January 6th.