For the second consecutive week, the Towson Tigers executed an effective game plan against an opponent ranked in the top 10 of the Football Championship Subdivision.
But in the end, the Tigers fell short again.
James Madison, ranked No. 7 in the FCS, struggled to move the ball, but still managed to escape with a 17-13 victory before an announced 9,049 at Johnny Unitas Stadium. While Tigers' coach Rob Ambrose will take several positives from the loss, he knows his team still has a way to go before toppling some of the heavyweights of the Colonial Athletic Association. Towson has now lost four consecutive games and travels Saturday to Richmond, which is also winless in the CAA.
"Yes, we are getting better," Ambrose said. "It is a plan and we are moving forward. The kids are playing harder and smarter and doing the things we need to do to stay in games and not get blown out. I can't tell you how much pride I have for the guys that wear this color right now. I can't tell you how proud I am to be an alum of this institution right now."
James Madison (4-1 overall, 1-1 CAA) entered the game determined to bounce back from last week's disheartening 13-10 loss to second-ranked Delaware. The Dukes are ranked second in the CAA in total defense and have only allowed 39 points in four games. Two of three touchdowns the Dukes allowed all season came in a 21-16 victory over Virginia Tech on Sept. 11. The Dukes also rank second in the CAA with a plus-four turnover ratio with five interceptions and six fumble recoveries.
However, the Tigers (1-4, 0-3) managed to move the ball and quarterback Chris Hart and running back Dominique Booker combined for 146 rushing yards . Towson also did not commit a turnover for the second consecutive game.
Jamal Sullivan led James Madison with 88 yards on 26 carries.
Trailing 17-13 with six minutes remaining, Hart hit Erron Banks on a 15-yard pass on a 4th and 13. Towson moved the ball to the Dukes' 24 with 3:47 remaining, but Hart overthrew Banks on a 4th and 9.
The Tigers were effective moving the ball on the game's opening possession, marching 67 yards on 12 plays to take a 3-0 lead on Nick Wallace's 23-yard field goal. The Dukes answered with 5:19 left in the first quarter when quarterback Drew Dudzik threw a 44-yard strike to Dae'Quan Scott in the corner of the end zone.
The Dukes extended the lead to 14-3 with 24 second left in the first quarter on a 1-yard run by Dudzik. That drive was helped by unsportsmanlike conduct and personal foul penalties against the Tigers with the Dukes inside their red zone.
The Tigers gained some momentum with less than three minutes left in the first half on a 21-yard touchdown run by Booker that cut the lead to four. The Tigers continued to move the ball in the second half and Wallace's 38-yard field goal — his longest as a Tiger — cut the score to 14-13 with 8:36 left in the third quarter.
The Dukes increased the lead to four on a seven-play, 94 yard drive, capped by a 21-yard field goal by Ben Hopewell.
"It was by far the best offensive game we played all year," James Madison coach Mickey Matthews said. "It was the first time we gave our defense a good rest during the game. I thought we played pretty well. If Towson doesn't turn the ball over, they're gonna be in every game this year."
Chris Hart
"Everybody played hard from the snap to the whistle," Hart said.