SAM HOUSTON VS. JAMES MADISON
WHEN: 6 P.M. TODAY WHERE: BRIDGEFORTH STADIUM, HARRISONBURG, VA. TV: ESPN2 RADIO: 101.7 FM
Series history: First meeting.
Key players: SHSU — QB Jeremiah Briscoe, WR Yedidiah Louis, DE P.J. Hall; JMU — QB Bryan Schor; WR Brandon Ravenel; RB Khalid Abdullah.
Who has the edge:
Offense — Sam Houston. The Bearkats are No. 1 in FCS with 570.4 yards per game, and the Dukes are third with 525.8. These playoff quarterfinal opponents are 1-2 in scoring offense, with the Bearkats at 53.1 points per game, with 89 TDs, and the Dukes at 48.3 with 78 TDs. Sam Houston is second in passing (385.8) and James Madison is fourth in rushing (285.6).
Defense — James Madison. These two teams are offensive powerhouses first, but James Madison also brings a top-50 defense to work, allowing 354.5 yards per outing, which ranks 39th. The Dukes are holding opponents to 23.3 points per game, which is 30th. The Bearkats surrender 428.5 yards and 26.8 points per game.
Special teams — James Madison. Sam Houston has a punt-return TD this season. The Dukes have four, with Rashard Davis boasting three to go with 326 yards on 11 punt returns. They also have a kickoff return TD after Ravenel returned one 99 yards for a score last week.
Notable: Briscoe broke an FCS single-season record with his 57th TD pass last week. Louis collected three scoring passes last week, giving him eight in the last three games. … James Madison won in the postseason last week for the first time since 2011.
About Sam Houston: The Bearkats improved to 12-0 with a 41-36 win over Chattanooga in the second round of the FCS playoffs. Hall deflected a third-down pass with 25 seconds remaining to help seal the win. Briscoe threw for 363 yards and five TDs.
About James Madison: The Dukes (11-1) beat New Hampshire 55-22 in their playoff opener after a bye. Schor enjoyed a career day in his return from an injury, going 30-for-37 with 371 yards and a program record-tying five TDs.