Game-Day Blog: Three Keys For The JMU-Villanova Game

HARRISONBURG – James Madison’s football team plays three of its final four games on the road, all against teams with winning records. So winning today’s matchup with down-and-out Villanova is even more important.

With a win, the Dukes would be 5-2 and would only need to go 2-2 down the stretch to put themselves in line for their first playoff appearance since 2008.

It all starts, however, with beating the Wildcats for the first time since, you guessed it, 2008.

Here are three keys to today’s game.

1) How many yards will JMU’s running game rack up against Villanova?

The Dukes come in with the Colonial Athletic Association’s top rushing attack, piling up 241 yards per game on the ground. Villanova’s defense has been terrible in general, but the Wildcats’ have been particularly susceptible to the run, giving up a league-worst 176.5 yards per game to go with 14 rushing touchdowns, also the most allowed in the CAA.

JMU sophomore running back Jordan Anderson turned in the best back-to-back offensive showing the Dukes’ have had since 1999. Anderson has run for 374 yards and broken off three touchdowns of 45 yards or more in his last two outings.

Defensive linemen Marlon Johnson and Antoine Lewis will have to play a monster game up front to help keep the Dukes’ running backs – Anderson and Dae’Quan Scott – out of the second level of Villanova’s defense.

2) Will quarterback Dustin Thomas return to action for Villanova?

Coach Andy Talley called the redshirt freshman a gunslinger after Thomas’ debut saw him fling three interceptions in a loss to Temple. As bad as that was, the Wildcats have been missing Thomas since he separated his left (non-throwing shoulder) in the second game of the year, a loss to up-and-coming Towson.

Thomas has the mobility and the play-makers mentality to keep the Wildcats in a game. He also has the youthful exuberance to make the kind of mistakes that can take Villanova right out of games. Still, its best chance at upsetting JMU is to have Thomas on the field today.

3) Against a subpar opponent, will the Dukes’ defense actually defend some passes?

The defense really has only turned in one strong effort this year. That was a seven-sack performance in a 31-7 rout of rival Richmond. The defensive front battered UR quarterback Aaron Corp so badly that day, it was hard to tell how well JMU’s secondary was playing – he didn’t get off many clean throws.

Last week, it wasn’t hard to evaluate the defensive backs. They were terrible, allowing Maine quarterback Warren Smith to absolutely pick them apart, especially on third down. JMU didn’t cover quick throws out wide or crossing routes to the tight end. It struggled to get pressure with Maine running roll-outs.

Villanova is only averaging 154.2 yards per game through the air. (Only JMU gains less via the forward pass, 90.2 ypg.). And the Wildcats have thrown just four touchdown passes this year, ahead of only Madison’s three.

JMU will be without its two starting defensive tackles (both lost for the year with knee injuries), its starting free safety and two back-up linebackers. But it should have enough to stifle Villanova's throwing game. Shouldn't it?