HARRISONBURG, Va. — App State Football wrapped up its 2025 road schedule with a 58-10 loss at No. 24 James Madison on Saturday at Bridgeforth Stadium.
The Mountaineers fell to 3-4 in their last seven games against ranked opponents, getting their first points on a 48-yard field goal in the fourth quarter from
Dominic De Freitas, who has four conversions from more than 45 yards this season.
Davion Dozier hauled in a 19-yard touchdown pass in the final two minutes from backup quarterback
JJ Kohl, who entered the lineup after starter
AJ Swann was transported off the field with a lower-body injury.
Caleb Sandstrom's early tip of a pass triggered the first takeaway of the game, an interception by
Dylan Manuel, while Sandstrom,
Rondo Porter and
Colton Phares all had one sack apiece for App State (4-6, 1-5 Sun Belt).
The Mountaineers are back in action next weekend with a home game against Marshall at 2:30 p.m. It will be Black Saturday and Heroes Day at Kidd Brewer Stadium, and the 2005 national championship team will be celebrated.
App State made the first big play of Saturday's game, with a second early pass deflection from Sandstrom setting up a can-of-corn interception for an awaiting Manuel.
Unfortunately for the Mountaineers, DJ Barksdale brushed off two block attempts and intercepted a wide receiver screen in JMU territory four plays later to precede a four-play, 46-yard touchdown drive. A 42-yard completion after App State's primary defender collided with an official set up Wayne Knight's 1-yard touchdown run.
The Dukes (9-1, 7-0) added a 42-yard field goal in the second quarter, moving into scoring range despite a second-down sack for a 14-yard loss by Porter but settling for three points following Phares' sack on a second-down play from the 14.
JMU forced a three-and-out punt and extended its lead to 17-0 with a six-play, 62-yard touchdown drive highlighted by Knight's 41-yard run to the 1 after he was seemingly bottled up close to the line of scrimmage. A fourth-and-1 false start from near midfield sent App State's punting unit onto the field with under six minutes left in the half, and JMU moved ahead 24-0 with 1:26 remaining on Alonza Barnett III's sneak to cap a 10-play, 70-yard march.
The Dukes regained possession 22 seconds later via a three-and-out punt and added a 38-yard field goal as time expired, taking a 27-0 lead to the locker room as App State was shut out in a first half for the first time since it trailed 17-0 in a 23-20 win at Idaho in 2017.
A three-and-out stop and unsuccessful fake punt to open the second half gave JMU a short field for a 24-yard touchdown drive that increased the margin to 34-0. The Dukes led 37-0 entering the fourth quarter and were ahead 44-0 before De Freitas ended the shutout bid.
