1987 & 1991 XXPLAYOFFS Marshall 41, JMU 12 Nov. 28, 1987 ~ Huntington, W.Va. Eventual national runner-up Marshall got a 387-yard, four-touchdown passing effort from Tony Peterson to end JMU’s first playoff season. The Thundering Herd scored on four straight possessions after punting on its first series and held JMU without a first down during the opening quarter. Marshall led 24-0 at halftime and 34-0 before JMU scored early during the final period. Peterson hit on 22 of 34 passes, and the Herd compiled 499 total yards to JMU’s 281. The Dukes scored during the final period on a six-yard run by Rodney Stockett and on a 17-yard pass from reserve quarterback Greg Lancaster to Leon Taylor. Stockett set up his score with a 70-yard kickoff return. Tony Graddy ran 13 times for 78 yards, Greg Medley nine times for 34 yards and Stockett five times for 22 yards for JMU. Eric Green completed five of 17 passes for 66 yards and Lancaster sevTony Graddy en of 13 for 100 yards. Neal Wilkinson caught four passes for 63 yards. JMU 0 0 0 12 – 12 Marshall 10 14 3 14 – 41
Playoff History 1987
JMU 42, Delaware 35 (2 ot) Nov. 30, 1991 ~ Newark, Del. JMU won a post-season game for the first time as Kenny Sims ran for three touchdowns, including a 25-yarder on the opening play of the second overtime. The Dukes played the first overtime game in their history and won on the home field of the No. 1 seed in the East Region. Sims scored on nine-yard runs during the first and second quarEriq Williams ters, and his overtime touchdown followed a scoreless first extra period during which he fumbled at the Delaware three. Sims ran 26 times for 153 yards, his seventh 100-yard game of the season. Eriq Williams ran for 118 yards and a touchdown and threw for 71 yards and a score for JMU. The Dukes also got two key special teams plays from J.C. Hall, who recovered a second-quarter on-sides kick and blocked a 33-yard Delaware field goal try during the opening series of the first overtime. After leading 21-7 at halftime, JMU had margins of 28-14 and 35-21, but Delaware scored twice during a 4:31 period to pull into a 35-35 tie with 5:14 left in the fourth quarter. The Hens lost a fumble with 2:01 left after reaching the JMU 35 and missed on a 55-yard field goal try at the end of regulation. JMU 7 14 7 7 0 7 – 42 Delaware 7 0 14 14 0 0 – 35
Marshall 41, JMU 12
1991
JMU 42, Delaware 35 (2 ot) Samford 24, JMU 21
1994
JMU 45, Troy State 26 Marshall 28, JMU 21 (ot)
1995 Appalachian State 31, JMU 24
1999 Troy State 27, JMU 7
2004
JMU 14, Lehigh 13 JMU 14, Furman 13 JMU 48, William & Mary 34 JMU 31, Montana 21
2006 Youngstown State 35, JMU 31
2007 Appalachian State 28, JMU 27
2008
JMU 38, Wofford 35 JMU 31, Villanova 27 Montana 35, JMU 27
2011
JMU 20, Eastern Kentucky 17 North Dakota State 26, JMU 14
Samford 24, JMU 21 Dec. 7, 1991 ~ Harrisonburg, Va. In the first post-season game played at JMU’s Bridgeforth Stadium/Zane Showker Field, Samford scored 17 points during a five-minute span of the third quarter and beat the Dukes in second-round NCAA action. The Bulldogs during the third quarter got a touchdown after tackling JMU punter Thad Hudson at the JMU 15, returned a punt 67 yards for a score and kicked a field goal after returning an interception to the JMU 15. They scored their initial points on a 71-yard run on the game’s second play. JMU pulled to within 24-21 with 3:50 left on a nine-yard EriqWilliams-to-Dion Foxx pass and regained possession at the Samford 29 with 2:28 to play after a bad snap Kenny Sims on a Bulldog punt attempt. The Dukes moved to the Samford eight, but Trey Weis’ 25-yard field goal try with 0:49 left was wide left. Sukano Edwards ran 23 times for 153 yards, including the 71-yarder for a touchdown, for Samford, and Kenny Sims carried 17 times for 107 yards for JMU. The Dukes got a two-yard scoring run from Elvin Brown and an 11-yarder from Eriq Williams. Samford 7 0 17 0 – 24 JMU 7 7 0 7 – 21
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