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Wide receivers redshirt junior Reggie Brown and redshirt senior Kris Thornton shake hands after a touchdown

Wide receivers redshirt junior Reggie Brown and redshirt senior Kris Thornton shake hands after a touchdown

Under the stadium lights, JMU football made its FBS debut. And what a debut it was.

“Really proud of our team and the effort we played with how physical we played,” JMU head coach Curt Cignetti said. “We played smart until the game got out of hand, and we did some undisciplined things. But I thought we really got after them.”

It was a powerhouse performance by all JMU players in the season opening game against Middle Tennessee (MTSU).

It was a quiet first quarter. Whether it was first-game jitters or little mistakes, Cignetti said the adjustments the Dukes were making throughout the first quarter was what eventually led to those larger moments later on.

“I think we were playing well, we just weren't capitalizing,” Cignetti said. “And then in the second quarter, we did capitalize and it started getting some momentum, [and] things kind of snowballed.”

JMU’s first drive with redshirt senior quarterback Todd Centeio at the helm took the Dukes into field goal territory, but the kick was blocked. It was a collection of “almost” plays. Centeio almost connected with redshirt senior wide receiver Kris Thornton halfway through the first quarter but the ball sailed over the receiver’s head.

MTSU’s air-raid offense had its moments of almosts as well, when redshirt senior quarterback Chase Cummingham showed off his arm for a few plays. But once the Dukes’ defense found its groove, it was lights out — and fast.

“We really were really comfortable out there,” Redshirt senior defensive lineman Isaac Ukwu said. “We were able to get into our fits and, and assert ourselves.”

Once Centeio and the Dukes started clicking, it was just like the FCS days.

Thornton finished the game with three touchdowns and 155 yards and now has the ninth most catches in JMU history. And while the redshirt senior caught more touchdowns, redshirt junior Reggie Brown made an impression on JMU, scoring back-to-back touchdowns that gave the Dukes their opening 14-0 lead in the second quarter.

“It never surprises us when we go like this,” Thornton said. “We kind of expected it, but it definitely made a statement to show that, you know, we're here.”

Brown had only ever started twice prior to Saturday, and it was his first career multi-touchdown game. By halftime, JMU had shut out MTSU 21-0.

The Dukes’ running game, while not getting on the scoreboard, displayed a physical and dominant performance against the Blue Raiders’ defensive line. Redshirt senior captain and running back Percy Agyei-Obese’s return to Bridgeforth featured 15 carries for 82 yards for his first game back since Oct. 23, 2021. Redshirt junior running back Latrele Palmer and redshirt freshman Kaelon Black followed suit, with 10 carries and 36 yards for Palmer and 9 carries and 31 yards for Black, respectively.

Centeio led the game in rushing yards with 110.

“He started making great plays,” Thornton said. “He brings a different element to our team for sure.”

MTSU managed to get on the board midway through the third quarter with a 26-yard reception by redshirt senior wide receiver Yusuef Ali, but it was pulled back out to a 30-plus-point lead with Centeio’s sixth touchdown pass to redshirt junior wide receiver Devin Ravenel in the fourth quarter.

JMU played a similar season-opener to what it has in years past. So while it’s still early, Cignetti said he was glad his Dukes got on the win column as he expected.

“We passed the first test,” Cignetti said. “We’re all glad we passed.”

The Dukes will host Norfolk State on Sept. 10 at 4 p.m., their lone FCS matchup of the season. MTSU travels to Colorado State for its second game the same day and time.

Contact Madison Hricik at breezesports@gmail.com. For more sports coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter @TheBreezeSports.

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