Defending champion James Madison forced 10 turnovers, including five in the first quarter, to advance to the FCS championship game in Frisco on Jan. 6.
The Dukes defeated the Jackrabbits by a score of 51-16. Quarterback Bryan Schor completed 18-of-25 passes for 203 yards and three total touchdowns, while Marcus Marshall ran for 203 yards of his own and scored twice.
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Check out our play-by-play recap below:
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT JAMES MADISON PREVIEW
By Quinton Zielke | NCAA
South Dakota State finally jumped over the hurdle into the semifinals after beating New Hampshire 56-14. Wide receiver Jake Wieneke continued his standout senior season by catching 140 yards and two touchdowns from quarterback Taryn Christion. The Jackrabbits lived up to their name by scampering 265 yards and five touchdowns. The offense has exceeded expectations all year and has led the team to victories in all games with 20+ points. After Weber State became the first team to score more than 14 against James Madison, South Dakota State will need its offense to continue trending on Saturday. Consistency on third-down conversions and another big day from their special teams are needed for the Jackrabbits to end the Dukes 25-game win streak and jump the next hurdle into the finals.
James Madison crossed the quarter-century mark in consecutive wins after Ethan Ratke split the uprights from 46-yards as time expired to beat Weber State. The second-longest win streak in FCS history was put to the test in a back-and-forth battle that ended in 11 Dukes points in the final two-minutes. Quarterback Bryan Schor and running back Marcus Marshall combined for over 500 yards and three touchdowns. Cornerback Rashad Robinson intercepted his seventh pass on the year and headlines the most efficient pass defense in the country. James Madison’s defense has forced 33 turnovers and allows the fewest yards per play in FCS. Efficiency and consistency have propelled the defending champions towards a shot to defend their title. They will need to expand their turnover margin and slow down the Jacks offense to push the streak to 26.
7 straight wins or 25? Defending national champs or a brand-new squad? We'll see on Saturday in Virginia.
Fargo and Harrisonburg. Cities that hold the past six national championship trophies. Cities that live for college football. Cities that will send two teams to Frisco to compete for a national title. Who will it be?
