James Madison pulled ahead for good on a 58-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and held off Washington State 24-20 on Saturday, according to the Associated Press.
The decisive play came from Wayne Knight, who finished with 126 rushing yards on 15 carries.
His breakaway run capped a back-and-forth game and lifted No. 21 James Madison to its 10th win of the season.
Quarterback Alonza Barnett added 144 passing yards and a touchdown.
JMU took control early in the second quarter when cornerback Justin Eaglin intercepted Washington State quarterback Zevi Eckhaus and returned the ball 37 yards for a touchdown, pushing the Dukes ahead 10-3.
Washington State responded quickly. Midway through the quarter, Eckhaus found Tony Freeman over the middle for a 48-yard score to even the game at 10.
Eckhaus helped Washington State go into halftime with momentum, running in a 4-yard touchdown with 48 seconds left in the second quarter to make it 17-10.
He finished the day with 171 passing yards, a touchdown throw, and another on the ground.
Running back Kirby Vorhees carried 19 times for 61 yards.
James Madison tied the game again late in the third when Barnett connected with Braeden Wisloski for a 68-yard touchdown.
“We needed that at that moment,” JMU coach Bob Chesney said. He added that the throw “was a little under thrown,” but Wisloski had the space to pull it in and outrun defenders.
Washington State nudged back in front early in the fourth quarter with a 35-yard field goal by Jack Stevens, which ricocheted off the left upright before going through.
That 20-17 lead didn’t last long. On the next drive, Knight broke free for his longest run of the day, sprinting 58 yards to put James Madison ahead 24-20.
“We knew it was going to be a physical smash-mouth game,” Knight said. “We stepped up to the plate. Being able to stay level-headed allowed us to have special plays.”
The fourth-quarter deficit was the first James Madison had faced since Week 2 at Louisville.
The win keeps the Dukes’ College Football Playoff hopes intact after clinching a spot in the Sun Belt Conference championship game last week.
WSU’s loss drops the Cougars to 5-6 and leaves them short of bowl eligibility heading into the final week of the regular season.
“Zevi made a couple of really special plays,” Washington State coach Jimmy Rogers said. “I know he’s going to want the turnover back, but that comes with the territory.”
Washington State next hosts Oregon State next weekend in a rematch of the Cougars’ Nov. 1 loss in Corvallis.
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