VMI earns first FCS playoff berth, takes first SoCon title since 1977
LEXINGTON — Seth Morgan threw three touchdown passes, and VMI, ranked 15th nationally, will enter the FCS playoffs for the first time thanks to its victory over an archrival Saturday.
The Keydets (6-1, 6-1), who collected their first Southern Conference title since 1977, will find out their playoff opponent at 11:30 a.m. today, when the Division I Football Championship Committee releases the 16-team bracket on ESPNU.
Morgan has started the last three games since taking over for the Keydets’ all-time passing leader, Reece Udinski, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear against Samford on March 20.
Morgan completed 25 of 34 passes for 328 yards against The Citadel, connecting with 6-foot-4 Jakob Herres on 11 receptions for 123 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown.
Michael Jackson and Korey Bridy also caught a touchdown pass for VMI, which has won two straight in the series since ending a 12-game losing streak to the Bulldogs (2-10, 2-6).
Quarterback Jaylan Adams had two touchdown runs for The Citadel. Adams had 83 yards on 20 carries but was just 2-of-8 passing for 16 yards.
JMU 23, Richmond 6
HARRISONBURG — Ethan Ratke kicked three field goals to set a Colonial Athletic Association record as FCS No. 1 James Madison beat the No. 11 Spiders at Bridgeforth Stadium.
The win wrapped up the CAA South Division championship for the Dukes (5-0. 3-0), who will be a high seed in the playoffs — possibly No. 1.
Nevertheless, Delaware (5-0, 4-0) defeated rival Villanova 27-20 to win the CAA North Division, and a committee of conference athletic directors (minus Delaware’s and JMU’s) selected the Blue Hens as the conference’s automatic qualifier into the FCS playoffs.
Ratke kicked a 27-yard field goal to give JMU a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, establishing a new CAA
career record with 65 field goals, eclipsing Towson’s Aidan O’Neill (2016-19). Ratke then kicked two more, pushing the mark to 67.
Cole Johnson, a Cox High graduate, passed for 235 yards and ran for a 31-yard touchdown on a fourth-down scramble for JMU’s final points.
Percy Agyei-Obese scored the game-opening touchdown with a 1-yard run and surpassed 2,000 rushing yards for his career, gain
ing 78 on 20 carries.
Richmond (3-1, 3-1) is a possible at-large playoff pick and will be waiting anxiously for the selection show. The Spiders were limited to pair of Jake Larson field goals.
Joe Mancuso completed 9 of 24 passes for 125 yards but was intercepted once. Savon Smith was held to 20 yards rushing and one catch for 7 yards.
JMU outgained the Spiders 384 yards to 200.