James Madison dominates spring football opener 52-0

Updated Feb. 20, 2021 3:36 p.m. ET

Associated Press

HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) — Latrele Palmer and Jawon Hamilton each rushed for a pair of touchdowns, Percy Agyei-Obese gained 116 yards with a score and James Madison opened the unusual spring football season with a 52-0 blanking of Morehead State on Saturday.

The Dukes, 2019 FCS championship game runners-up, pounded Morehead State with 556 yards of offense to 98. JMU gained 369 yards on the ground and went 6-for-6 in the red zone.

It was James Madison's fifth 300-yard rushing game for second-year coach Curt Cignetti. The shutout was the 28th for the Dukes.

Cole Johnson, who has been with JMU since 2016, passed for 147 yards with a 52-yard scoring strike to Kris Thornton in the second quarter. Johnson was 10 of 14 passing in his debut as the Dukes starter.

James Madison was ahead 21-0 after the first quarter, adding a fourth TD by halftime. The Dukes added three more TDs in the third quarter and an Ethan Ratke field goal in the fourth.

Ratke's 27-yarder was his 59th, tying him for second-most in the Colonial Athletic Association and 16th in the FCS for field goals made.

Morehead State was held to minus 6 yards rushing with Issiah Aguero picking up 14 on five carries. Three QBs combined for 104 yards passing with two interceptions.

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