The James Madison Dukes are one of the newest teams in FBS, going 11-1 and becoming bowl eligible for the first time in school history. The Dukes were playing Air Force in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl. The game was held at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, where the Falcons showcased their dominant ground game against one of the best rushing defenses in the country.
Both teams started strong, trading touchdowns. Air Force’s running game, led by senior running back Emmanuel Michel, dominated early. James Madison countered with a passing TD from Jordan McCloud to Phoenix Sproles for their first postseason touchdown in program history.
In the second quarter we saw Air Force pull ahead with two touchdowns, exploiting JMU’s defense. Not only did Air Force continue it’s strong rushing attack, they were able to also catch James Madison’s defense lacking completing a 42-yard pass for a touchdown to put the Falcons up 21-7 at halftime. This would be one of only FIVE pass attempts ALL GAME for the Falcons.
To start the third quarter James Madison was able to find the endzone to shrink the gap back to a one possession game. Unfortunately for the Dukes, things would start to fall off here.
Air Force controlled the clock in the fourth quarter; adding a field goal to push their lead all the way to 17. JMU scored late but couldn’t recover, sealing a 31-21 win for Air Force and making them Armed Forces Bowl champions.
James Madison quarterback Jordan McCloud put up a great fight, throwing for 248 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Phoenix Sproles was a standout for JMU, catching two touchdowns, but the team struggled to establish their running game, managing only a net of 35 rushing yards.
On the other side of the field however, Air Force, led by senior fullback Emmanuel Michel, rushed for a staggering 351 yards. Michel alone contributed 203 yards and two touchdowns, setting an Armed Forces Bowl record. The Falcons’ defense also played a pivotal role, with linebacker Bo Richter registering three sacks and multiple tackles for loss, stifling JMU’s offensive rhythm.
