FCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP NOTEBOOK

FCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP NOTEBOOK

More on the YSU-JMU matchup

HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE

James Madison’s large contingent of fans was felt throughout the stadium from before kickoff to the final play.

Five sections of Youngstown State’s side of the field, in addition to all of JMU’s sideline, were filled with purple-and-gold clad fans waving streamers and making noise.

When the teams were brought out of the tunnels one at a time, you couldn’t hear anything but boos from the press box when YSU ran out onto the field while the stadium roared so loud it felt like a dome when JMU came out minutes later.

YSU had two distinct sections to itself on the Penguins’ sideline and four others that were mixed together but mainly featured fans wearing red.

But most of those seats were abandoned midway through the fourth quarter when the Penguins were facing a 28-7 deficit with minutes remaining.

rushing anomaly

Tailback Jody Webb was kept so much in check on the ground that he had more reception yards than rushing yards.

Webb rushed 17 times for 41 yards (2.4 yards per carry) and caught 10 passes for 63 yards.

bright spotS

While it’s nearly impossible to give YSU’s special teams a passing grade, the Penguins did shut down the Dukes’ dynamic punt return team.

JMU had returned six punts for touchdowns this year and was averaging 28 yards per return. But the Dukes returned just two punts in the game. One went for 12 yards and the other for 7.

YSU’s Mark Schuler nailed a 67-yard punt later in the game as well as he tried to make up for his 20-yard punt in the first quarter.

— Charles Grove