Liberty FlamesvsJames Madison Dukes
LIB 13/JMU 20
Things to say
James Madison beat Liberty 20-13 at home in the season opener.
01
opener
JMU handled Liberty 20-13 at Bridgeforth. Dukes controlled the line of scrimmage most of the day. Liberty never really got the ground game going.
02
key player
JC Evans did it all for JMU — 61 through the air with a TD and another 69 on the ground. Dual-threat guy, that's the whole offense right there.
03
hot take
Liberty outgained them through the air and still lost. Purdie threw for 230 and it didn't matter — you can't kick field goals and win when the other guy's punching in touchdowns.
04
deep cut
Makai Jackson had a quiet stat line but that 34-yard grab was Liberty's only real spark. Three catches, 73 yards, one score — they needed way more from the passing game.
05
exit
Solid Week 1 for the Dukes. Curious to see how they hold up once the conference slate heats up.
The recap
JMU flexed on the ground and never really let Liberty breathe, riding a balanced JC Evans night to a 20-13 win in the opener. Evans did it with both arms and legs, tossing a short scoring strike to Scott and chewing up 69 yards on nine carries while the Dukes leaned smashmouth.
Liberty couldn't move the ball when it mattered and kept settling, and by the time Deshawn Purdie hit Makai Jackson for a 34-yard score, it was garbage-time cosmetics on a game that was already decided. Dukes' defense bailed them out on third-and-long all afternoon, and Liberty's spread-out attack never found a rhythm.