James Madison Pulls Away From Southern Miss for 54-23 Win

James Madison scored touchdowns on its first two possessions after halftime and added 24 points in the fourth quarter to beat Southern Miss 54-23 on Thursday at Renasant Stadium in Hattiesburg.

The Golden Eagles rallied from an early 10-point deficit and took a 14-13 lead with 37 seconds left in the first half. John White, making his first career start at quarterback, capped an 11-play, 53-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. Steven Robinson put Southern Miss ahead with a 2-yard run to finish a 10-play, 82-yard drive.

James Madison answered before halftime. The Dukes covered 53 yards in 29 seconds, and Morgan Suarez kicked a 40-yard field goal as time expired for a 16-14 lead.

JC Evans ran for a 16-yard touchdown and then scored from 2 yards out in the third quarter, extending James Madison’s advantage to 30-14. Evans accounted for four touchdowns overall, including three rushing scores. He completed 19 of 26 passes for 251 yards. Corey Scott led the Dukes with six catches for 138 yards.

White completed 22 of 35 passes for 266 yards and a touchdown. Kaden Saunders caught six passes for 122 yards, while Mario Sanders had six receptions for 98 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown catch with 9:10 remaining. Southern Miss failed on the ensuing two-point attempt. Robinson led the Golden Eagles with 54 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries; Jamarice Wilder added 42 yards. Mathis Haygood recorded a team-high 13 tackles.

The loss ended Southern Miss’ two-game winning streak and left the team 3-6 overall and 2-3 in Sun Belt play. James Madison improved to 8-2 and 5-2. The Dukes’ fourth-quarter scoring capped the win before 24,182 fans.

Southern Miss is scheduled to visit Louisiana Tech in Ruston next Saturday, Nov. 14. The listed kickoff time is 4 p.m.

Source: Original Article