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Saturday, September 20
Lynchburg, Va.
3:30 PM ET
Liberty University
1-3 , 0-1
13
vs
31
James Madison
2-1 , 0-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
James Madison
3
7
7
14
31
Liberty
3
7
3
0
13
Second Half Push Lifts JMU Over Flames in First Battle of the Blue Ridge
9/20/2025 8:30:00 PM | Football
LYNCHBURG, Va. – A dominant second half allowed visiting James Madison to secure a 31-13 victory over the Flames, Saturday afternoon, in the first-ever Battle of the Blue Ridge.
Earlier this month, the two teams, which are separated by less than 100 miles, announced an extension to their series. Today's game was the first of 10 times in the next 16 seasons the programs will meet to challenge for the Battle of the Blue Ridge trophy.
The inaugural Battle of the Blue Ridge game was played in front of 24,022 fans, the second-largest crowd in Williams Stadium history.
After the game was tied at halftime, 10-10, James Madison scored on three of its first four drives of the second half. The Dukes also limited the Flames to just 92 total offensive yards during the last 30 minutes of the game.
James Madison finished the game with a 440-233 total offensive yard edge, holding the Flames to their lowest offensive output of the season. The Dukes came into the game with the No. 7 ranked defense in the country, limiting their opponents to 206.0 yards per game.
With possessions at a premium, James Madison made the most of its scoring opportunities. Outside of two end-of-the-half drives, the Dukes scored five times on their eight full-length drives and were 5-of-6 in red zone scoring chances.
After losing starting quarterback Ethan Vasko to a first half injury, the Flames were able to take a lead on their opening drive of the third quarter. However, Liberty had to settle for a field goal, while James Madison scored three second-half touchdowns.
Before leaving the game late in the first half, Vasko completed 4-of-10 passing attempts for 37 yards and ran 11 times for 52 yards. The redshirt junior also recorded his second rushing touchdown as a Flame.
Evan Dickens paced Liberty's ground game, which accounted for 158 of Liberty's 233 total offensive yards. Individually, Dickens finished the game with 17 carries for 67 yards.
Liberty's defense was led by linebacker Derrell Farrer and safety Brylan Green. Farrar finished the game with a career-high 10 tackles and a pass breakup.
Green, playing with a cast on his right hand due to an injury in the first game of the season, recorded seven tackles, all solo stops. He also picked off a pass in the end zone at the end of the first quarter to record his sixth career interception.
Box Score Highlights:
Final Score: 31-13 (James Madison)
Liberty (1-3, 0-1 CUSA)
James Madison (2-1, 0-0 Sun Belt)
Location: Williams Stadium (Lynchburg, Va.)
Attendance: 24,022
Play-By-Play Breakdown:
First Quarter
What's Next:
The Flames will close out the non-conference portion of the 2025 schedule next weekend when they travel across the Commonwealth to face Old Dominion on Kornblau Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium.
Liberty leads the all-time series against the Monarchs 4-1, including wins in four-straight games against Old Dominion since Liberty made the move up to the FBS level in 2018. The Flames also won the last match-up in Norfolk, 38-24, on Oct. 11, 2022.
Date: Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025
Location: Norfolk, Va. (Kornblau Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: LFSN Radio (Flagship Station: The Journey 88.3 FM Lynchburg)
Kickoff: 6 p.m. (EST)
Earlier this month, the two teams, which are separated by less than 100 miles, announced an extension to their series. Today's game was the first of 10 times in the next 16 seasons the programs will meet to challenge for the Battle of the Blue Ridge trophy.
The inaugural Battle of the Blue Ridge game was played in front of 24,022 fans, the second-largest crowd in Williams Stadium history.
After the game was tied at halftime, 10-10, James Madison scored on three of its first four drives of the second half. The Dukes also limited the Flames to just 92 total offensive yards during the last 30 minutes of the game.
James Madison finished the game with a 440-233 total offensive yard edge, holding the Flames to their lowest offensive output of the season. The Dukes came into the game with the No. 7 ranked defense in the country, limiting their opponents to 206.0 yards per game.
With possessions at a premium, James Madison made the most of its scoring opportunities. Outside of two end-of-the-half drives, the Dukes scored five times on their eight full-length drives and were 5-of-6 in red zone scoring chances.
After losing starting quarterback Ethan Vasko to a first half injury, the Flames were able to take a lead on their opening drive of the third quarter. However, Liberty had to settle for a field goal, while James Madison scored three second-half touchdowns.
Before leaving the game late in the first half, Vasko completed 4-of-10 passing attempts for 37 yards and ran 11 times for 52 yards. The redshirt junior also recorded his second rushing touchdown as a Flame.
Evan Dickens paced Liberty's ground game, which accounted for 158 of Liberty's 233 total offensive yards. Individually, Dickens finished the game with 17 carries for 67 yards.
Liberty's defense was led by linebacker Derrell Farrer and safety Brylan Green. Farrar finished the game with a career-high 10 tackles and a pass breakup.
Green, playing with a cast on his right hand due to an injury in the first game of the season, recorded seven tackles, all solo stops. He also picked off a pass in the end zone at the end of the first quarter to record his sixth career interception.
Box Score Highlights:
Final Score: 31-13 (James Madison)
Liberty (1-3, 0-1 CUSA)
James Madison (2-1, 0-0 Sun Belt)
Location: Williams Stadium (Lynchburg, Va.)
Attendance: 24,022
Play-By-Play Breakdown:
First Quarter
- The Flames' defense was able to keep the Dukes out of the end zone on the game's first drive, forcing the visitors to settle for a field goal. JMU got into the red zone, but CJ Bazile, Jr., tackled quarterback Alonza Barnett, III, for a loss, which was followed by a 39-yard field goal by Morgan Suarez at the 9:42 mark.
- On the following drive, Liberty converted on a fourth-down play at midfield to keep a drive alive, but the Flames also did not find the end zone. Jay Billingsley was called on for a 47-yard field goal, which he connected on at 4:55 to tie the game, 3-3.
- The Dukes almost scored a touchdown on the final play of the first quarter, but Barnett's five-yard pass attempt into the end zone was picked off by safety Brylan Green, keeping the game tied at the quarter break.
- Late in the quarter, the Flames pieced together a 10-play, 74-yard scoring drive to take their first lead in three games. The drive included another fourth-down conversion and ended on a two-yard rushing touchdown by Vasko to give Liberty a 10-3 lead at 5:34.
- The Dukes responded on the following drive, tying the game a 10-10 going into halftime on a 21-yard pass play from Barnett to Landon Ellis with 1:19 left before the break. Barnett completed all four of his pass attempts for 45 yards on the eight-play, 77-yard scoring drive.
- The Flames got inside the red zone on their opening drive of the third quarter, but a holding penalty forced Liberty to settle for another field goal. The 13-play, 59-yard drive that took 6:54 off the clock ended on a 35-yard Billingsley field goal at 8:06, giving Liberty a 13-10 edge.
- The Dukes regained the lead at the 3:32 mark of the third quarter on a one-yard rushing touchdown by Wayne Knight. The running back's second rushing touchdown of the season capped a nine-play, 81-yard drive to give JMU a 17-13 lead.
- JMU pieced together its third 10-plus play drive of the day and pushed their lead to double digits at 11:07, 24-13. On the lone third-down play of the 11-play, 67-yard scoring drive, Barnett called his own number and found an opening for a one-yard score on the left side of the field.
- Barnett seals JMU's first win in the Battle of the Blue Ridge series when he scored a 13-yard rushing touchdown with 2:31 left in the game to give the visitors' their final margin of victory.
What's Next:
The Flames will close out the non-conference portion of the 2025 schedule next weekend when they travel across the Commonwealth to face Old Dominion on Kornblau Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium.
Liberty leads the all-time series against the Monarchs 4-1, including wins in four-straight games against Old Dominion since Liberty made the move up to the FBS level in 2018. The Flames also won the last match-up in Norfolk, 38-24, on Oct. 11, 2022.
Date: Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025
Location: Norfolk, Va. (Kornblau Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: LFSN Radio (Flagship Station: The Journey 88.3 FM Lynchburg)
Kickoff: 6 p.m. (EST)
Team Stats
JMU
LU
Total Yards
440
233
Pass Yards
213
75
Rushing Yards
227
158
Penalty Yards
72
44
1st Downs
24
16
3rd Downs
6
3
4th Downs
0
3
TOP
33:03
26:57
1st Quarter
JMU 3, LU 0
JMU - Suarez,Morgan 39 yd field goal 12 plays, 54 yards, TOP 05:18
JMU 3, LU 3
LU - Billingsley,Jay 47 yd field goal 11 plays, 46 yards, TOP 04:47
2nd Quarter
JMU 3, LU 10
LU - Vasko,Ethan 2 yd run (Billingsley,Jay kick), 10 plays, 74 yards, TOP 04:34
JMU 10, LU 10
JMU - Ellis,Landon 21 yd pass from Barnett III,Alonza (Suarez,Morgan kick) 8 plays, 77 yards, TOP 04:07
3rd Quarter
JMU 10, LU 13
LU - Billingsley,Jay 35 yd field goal 13 plays, 59 yards, TOP 06:54
JMU 17, LU 13
JMU - Knight,Wayne 1 yd run (Suarez,Morgan kick), 9 plays, 81 yards, TOP 04:27
4th Quarter
JMU 24, LU 13
JMU - Barnett III,Alonza 9 yd run (Suarez,Morgan kick), 11 plays, 67 yards, TOP 05:52
JMU 31, LU 13
JMU - Barnett III,Alonza 13 yd run (Suarez,Morgan kick), 8 plays, 68 yards, TOP 04:05
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
Players Mentioned
JK
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K
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RB
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S
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