James Madison shows it's on the rise with first bowl win in school history

"Just a great moment in the history of our program," James Madison head coach Bob Chesney told Catie Harper of the Daily News-Record. "To do anything for the first is a big deal, and to do it down here in Boca at a bowl game matters a lot to this, not only the program, but to the community and to all these young men that believed." 

Surprisingly, the Dukes won without their starting quarterback, sophomore Alonza Barnett III. Barnett suffered a knee injury in a 35-33 loss to Marshall on Nov. 30. 

Backup QB Billy Atkins — who had only thrown one pass this season before Wednesday's game — replaced Barnett. Despite his lack of reps, the junior stepped up.

Atkins completed 16-of-23 passes for 181 yards and posted an above-average 150 passer rating. With 9:20 remaining in the fourth quarter, he tossed a 21-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Taylor Thompson, which gave the Dukes a 24-17 lead and helped them seal the game.

James Madison's stingy defense also forced three turnovers. According to the Associated Press, it was the unit's fifth game with three or more takeaways. 

Former James Madison head coach Curt Cignetti left for Indiana in 2023. Chesney's first season has likely erased concerns about a potential drop-off. He is keeping the program on an upward trajectory, and he can use the bowl win to maintain its momentum.