In Harrisonburg, Virginia, Tyler Purdy’s touchdown proved to be the deciding score as the James Madison Dukes triumphed over the FCS-member Gardner-Webb team with a final score of 13-6 on Saturday night. The Dukes struggled in the first half but bounced back strongly in the third quarter, scoring on their first two possessions to take a 10-3 lead. Fueled by Purdy’s short run for a touchdown and a 48-yard field goal by Noe Ruelas following an interception by Chauncey Logan, James Madison took control of the game.
In the fourth quarter, both teams exchanged field goals before Gardner-Webb mounted a determined 15-play drive that consumed over 8 minutes. However, their efforts fell short as they turned the ball over on downs. Despite converting on fourth down twice during the drive, Gardner-Webb’s quarterback, Tyler Riddell, failed to connect on a crucial fourth-down attempt from the 14-yard line with just 2:37 remaining.
James Madison’s quarterback, Alonza Barnett III, played a solid game, completing 14 of his 22 passes for 135 yards. Running back George Pettaway also contributed significantly with 10 carries for 84 yards. On the opposing side, Tyler Riddell of Gardner-Webb completed 17 of 30 passes for 160 yards but was intercepted twice. Edward Saydee led the rushing attack for the Runnin’ Bulldogs with 22 carries for 87 yards.
The victory marks James Madison’s 2-0 start to the season, while Gardner-Webb falls to 0-2. The Dukes effectively ran out the clock with a 23-yard run by Barnett in the closing moments of the game. It was a hard-fought contest that ultimately saw James Madison emerge victorious over Gardner-Webb.