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Boca Raton Bowl Preview: James Madison Dukes (8-4) vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (8-5)

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Boca Raton Bowl

James Madison Dukes (8-4) vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (8-5)

5:30 p.m. | ESPN

FAU Stadium Boca Raton, Florida

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SERIES HISTORY

The 2024 Boca Raton Bowl will mark the first meeting between WKU and James Madison. The Hilltoppers had three regular-season games against teams they had never faced off against before – Toledo, Boston College and Kennesaw State – and went 2-1 in those games.

James Madison Dukes Notes

BOWLING AT THE BEACH

• James Madison is bowl bound for the second straight season, as it wraps up season three at the Football Bowl Subdivision level on Wednesday, Dec 18 when it faces Western Kentucky in the Boca Raton Bowl on ESPN • The Dukes are seeking their first bowl-game championship • Kickoff from FAU Stadium is set for 5:30 pm and will be nationally televised on ESPN • Bowl coverage of JMU football is presented by Door Gorilla

FIRST-TIME OPPONENT

• The Boca Raton Bowl will mark the inaugural meeting for the Dukes and Hilltoppers on the gridiron • It’s also just the second meeting ever for JMU against a member of Conference USA • JMU is 1-0 against the CUSA, capturing a 44-7 win at home over Middle Tennessee on Sept 3, 2022, in the program’s first game in the FBS • The Dukes have previously faced other current CUSA squads in Liberty (12-6) and Sam Houston (1-1) while both programs were with JMU in the Football Championship Subdivision JMU also matched up with Middle Tennessee as FCS foes in 1994, winning that game as well

JMU’S POSTSEASON HISTORY

• JMU’s invitation to the Boca Raton Bowl marks the program’s 20th all-time postseason appearance • The Dukes were part of the FCS Playoffs on 18 occasions between 1987 and 2021 while this upcoming matchup is JMU’s second bowl game in as many seasons • This is the first time JMU is technically eligible for Bowl Season, as the 2023 bowl berth was due to there not being enough eligible teams and JMU being in year two of reclassification to the FBS • Last season, JMU faced off with Air Force in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, falling 31-21 • The Dukes hold a 24-17 all-time postseason record, winning two FCS (formerly Division I-AA) national championships in 2004 and 2016

HISTORY WITH KENTUCKY SQUADS

• JMU’s showdown with the Hilltoppers marks the program’s 14th meeting all-time against a school from the Bluegrass State • JMU is 10-3 all-time against Kentucky squads • The Dukes have faced Morehead State 11 times between 1979 and 2021, going 9-2 in those games, which includes an 8-0 mark at home • JMU most recently faced Louisville in the teams’ inaugural meeting in 2022, with the Cardinals winning 34-10 on their home turf • JMU’s matchup with WKU is not its first postseason bout with a Kentucky squad, as the Dukes won 20-17 at Eastern Kentucky on a walk off field goal in the opening round of the 2011 FCS Playoffs

TURNOVER MARGIN LEADERS

• JMU won the turnover battle in each of the first 10 games and tied in

the regular-season finale to lead the country in turnover margin (+142) • JMU’s defense has forced 26 turnovers this season, ranking sixth in the FBS • It’s also fourth in the country in interceptions (17) and 22nd in fumble recoveries (9) • On the offensive side of the ball, JMU is tied for second nationally in fewest interceptions thrown, with four, which is tied for the Sun Belt lead and first of teams not running the option

JMU AMONG THE FBS RANKS

• JMU ranks top 30 nationally in 19 categories, which includes pacing the FBS in turnover margin • The Dukes lead the SBC in 11 of these categories • 1st in turnover margin – +142 (1st SBC) • 2nd in fewest interceptions allowed – 4 (1st SBC) • 4th in passes intercepted – 17 (1st SBC) • 5th in defensive touchdowns – 4 (2nd SBC) • 6th in takeaways – 26 (1st SBC) • 6th in pass efficiency defense – 10802 (1st SBC) • 7th in sacks – 317 (1st SBC) • 9th in turnovers lost – 9 (1st SBC) • 10th in blocked kicks – 3 (1st SBC) • 17th in third down defense – 324% (2nd SBC) • 18th in kickoff return average – 2463 (3rd SBC) • 21st in blocked punts – 1 (5th SBC) • 22nd in fumble recoveries – 9 (2nd SBC) • 22nd in first down defense – 213 (1st SBC) • 24th in scoring offense – 338 (3rd SBC) • 25th in total defense – 3222 (1st SBC) • 27th in scoring defense – 208 (1st SBC) • 27th in tackles for loss – 68 (3rd SBC) • 30th in rushing offense – 1898 (5th SBC)

11 STRAIGHT WINNING SEASONS

• JMU put together its 11th straight winning season under first-year head coach Bob Chesney in 2024 • With this year’s winning season, JMU has produced a 500 record or better now in 22 consecutive seasons • The Dukes are one of two Division I programs (FBS or FCS) to achieve the feat, joining Boise State out of the Mountain West • Since 2003, JMU has produced 20 winning seasons with a pair of 6-6 records added in • Success has heightened over the past 10 years, as JMU has gone 115-27 (810), which includes eight wins in every season other than 2020-21, which JMU played just eight games (7-1) • JMU claimed double-digit wins in four of those seasons, including 14 in both 2016 and 2017 • Since moving up to FBS, JMU is also 27-9 (750) Dating back to year one of the program in 1972, JMU has a winning record in 35 of 53 seasons

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Notes

LAST TIME OUT

WKU Football lost to Jax State in the Conference USA Championship Game, 52-12, at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama, on Friday, Dec. 6. It was the fourth CUSA Championship Game appearance for WKU, which is tied for most all-time in league history.

ALL-CUSA SUCCESS

The Hilltoppers led Conference USA with 15 players receiving 2024 All-CUSA honors. WKU had a league-high nine players named to the All-CUSA First or Second Team, while six received All-CUSA Honorable Mention status. That group is led by All-CUSA First Team Defense selections in defensive tackle Hosea Wheeler and defensive back Upton Stout, as well as an All-CUSA First Team Special Teams selection in kicker Lucas Carneiro. For a full breakdown of WKU’s All-CUSA selections, see page 13.

CUSA PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

WKU Football quarterback Caden Veltkamp was named the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year and kicker Lucas Carneiro was named the CUSA Special Teams Player of the Year. This marks the first time WKU has had a player named the CUSA Offensive Player of the Year and the first time the program has had a player named the CUSA Special Teams Player of the Year. WKU’s last superlative award came in 2022, when quarterback Austin Reed was named CUSA’s Newcomer of the Year. Overall, WKU has received 12 Player of the Year or MVP awards since joining CUSA in 2014, which is three more than the next closest team during that timeframe. For more on the honors, see page 13.

BOWL BOUND AGAIN

WKU became bowl eligible for the sixth time in six seasons under Tyson Helton with its 31-14 win over Kennesaw State. The win marked the first time WKU has become bowl eligible before November under Helton and the first time the program has become bowl eligible before November since 2016. WKU became bowl eligible in October three times before – in 2012, 2015 and 2016. WKU is one of only 16 programs that played in a bowl game each of the five seasons from 2019-23, and one of only seven programs to win a bowl game each year from 2021-23.

TOPS IN THE BOCA RATON BOWL

WKU is familiar with its upcoming bowl destination, having played in and won the Boca Raton Bowl in both 2016 and 2021. WKU beat Memphis in the 2016 game, 51-31, and Appalachian State, 59-38, in its last Boca Raton Bowl appearance. The most recent trip was highlighted by Bailey Zappe’s performance, where he set new single-season FBS records by a quarterback. He finished the year with 5,967 yards and 62 passing touchdowns, breaking marks set by Texas Tech’s B.J. Symons, who had 5,833 passing yards in 13 games in 2003, and LSU’s Joe Burrow, who had 60 passing touchdowns in 15 games in 2019.

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