TXST readies for face-off with Dukes in Harrisonburg

The Bobcats feel like they’re playing the best team they’ve seen in 2022.

While James Madison (JMU) may not have the notoriety or history of a power five program like Baylor, the Dukes have made a lot of noise in their first three games in the Football Bowl Subdivision. JMU has started off with a perfect 3-0 record in their first season in the FBS — besting teams with wins over power five blue bloods along the way — and they’ve had a bye week giving them a chance to rest, something Texas State won’t get until Oct. 29.

“You go into this week, you’re playing a very quality opponent. Like, real football starts. (That’s the) bottom line with conference play…but just overall though, you’re playing a team that is probably one of the better teams out there. They’re receiving top 25 votes. They’re the number three defense in the country. They’re roughly around a top 25 offense,” head coach Jake Spavital said. “They’ve got explosive players. They’ve got great depth. You know, they’ve done a really good job at that program. They know how to win. You watch that App State game and they’re down 28-3 and they didn’t panic, they didn’t waver — they just kept playing. They can rattle off 29 points to win 32-28 and it just shows you that they know how to figure it out and they know how to win.”

The Dukes’ explosiveness on offense isn’t from the conventional spread system seen around most of college football in 2022. While it may have similar wrinkles when James Madison (3-0) does go to the pass, the system is more of an RPO, read-option offense based around the running game. It’s what’s helped the Dukes average 220.7 rushing yards per game on just 142 attempts — the 16th most out of all of the 131 FBS teams.

JMU’s rushing attack is a three-headed monster to say the least.

Led by senior Colorado State transfer quarterback Todd Centeio — who’s averaged 6.5 yards per carry on 35 attempts — the Dukes return sixth-year senior running back Percy Agyei-Obese, who averaged 6.3 yards per carry on 170 yards through the first two games of 2022. That’s without mentioning third-year redshirt freshman running back Kaelon Black, who’s averaged 4.7 yards per carry with 170 yards and two touchdowns in his first three games.

Black played a huge part in replacing Agyei-Obese’s production against Appalachian State, racking up 85 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Black’s also been a factor in the passing game when he’s got the chance, taking receptions for 23 and 25 yards in his lone receptions against the Mountaineers and Middle Tennessee State.

“In my opinion, they’re the best offense we faced at this point — from just (them being) a balanced attack. You know, nobody’s safe on that field,” defensive coordinator Zac Spavital said. “They do a great job of testing — testing the perimeter, testing the run game, testing emotions, (and testing) how you’re adjusting — they do a good job of finding something (they can capitalize on) and getting to it in the second half. They struggled a little bit early with (Appalachian State) in a tough environment, and then they kind of found their little niche and what was good against them (and used it). They’re well-coached.

“But from a personnel standpoint, (they’re) really talented. In my opinion, (they’re) the best running back group that we’ve faced up to this point, (and) we faced some pretty good ones. Now these guys are more explosive, (they’re) not quite as big as some of the other ones we’ve faced, but they do a great job. It’s going to be a great task, but we’re up for it.”

Although JMU may have a run-based offense, that doesn’t mean they don’t have a dangerous passing attack. Centeio has the tenth-best passer rating in the entire FBS at 179.5 and the twenty-second-best QBR in the country at 79.5. The senior has thrown for 661 yards averaging out to 220.3 yards per game through his first three starts, and has thrown for 11 touchdowns without an interception.

Centeio’s favorite target through the air so far has been senior receiver Kris Thornton, who’s tallied 246 yards and five touchdowns despite just having one reception against Appalachian State. Junior receiver Reggie Brown is another name to watch as he helped pick up the slack against the Mountaineers, averaging 20.3 yards per reception on 81 yards at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Texas State (2-2) will have a tough test on their hands when they travel to a sold-out Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, Va., on Oct 1. The Bobcats kick off with the Dukes in JMU’s home conference opener at 12:30 p.m.