NORFOLK, Va. — In a thrilling matchup on Saturday, Alonza Barnett III played a pivotal role for James Madison, connecting on a 68-yard touchdown pass to Yamir Knight which allowed the Dukes to establish an unassailable lead. Barnett also showcased his dual-threat capabilities, scoring on rushes of 50 and 8 yards, ultimately leading James Madison to a 35-32 victory over Old Dominion.

Barnett completed 18 of 27 passes for a total of 192 yards while also contributing 70 rushing yards on 13 carries. His teammate George Pettaway had a strong performance as well, carrying the ball 19 times for 82 yards. Additionally, Wayne Knight contributed with 74 yards on the ground, including a short 2-yard touchdown run that marked the conclusion of an impressive 70-yard opening drive for JMU.

With this win, James Madison improved to 8-2 overall and 4-2 in the Sun Belt, putting them in a tie with Georgia Southern, who previously defeated the Dukes with a score of 28-14 on October 19. JMU is now one game behind the Marshall Thundering Herd, sitting at the top of the East Division, as they prepare to face Marshall in their regular-season finale on November 30.

The game saw a series of notable plays, including three consecutive runs by Aaron Young gaining 6, 51, and 8 yards. This set the stage for quarterback Colton Joseph, who scrambled for a 10-yard touchdown just before the end of the second quarter. Following a quick three-and-out by the Dukes, Joseph would connect with Isiah Paige on a long 43-yard pass, paving the way for a 23-yard field goal by Ethan Sanchez that gave Old Dominion a 24-21 lead at halftime.

During the third quarter, Knight made a significant impact by outracing the defense to catch a long pass from Barnett near the 35-yard line, which he took to the end zone for the go-ahead score with just 2:38 remaining. Barnett then extended the lead further by rushing in a touchdown from the 8-yard line, putting JMU ahead 35-24 with only 2:30 left on the clock.

Old Dominion managed to respond with a nine-play, 75-yard drive, culminating in a 3-yard touchdown run by Joseph, who also connected on a 2-point conversion with Pat Conroy to narrow the gap to a mere three points with only 58 seconds remaining. However, Logan Kyle’s recovery of the ensuing onside kick secured the victory for James Madison.