Alonza Barnett III and Matthew Sluka each threw for a touchdown and ran for another in the first half and James Madison dominated Weber State 45-10 in Harrisonburg in the season opener for both teams Saturday.
Barnett got the starting quarterback nod before the game over UNLV transfer Sluka, who played for JMU coach Bob Chesney when they were with Holy Cross through 2023.
Barnett, coming off an ACL tear suffered in JMU’s final regular-season game of 2024, ran to the end zone from the 11 for the game’s first score. Before the break, Barnett completed 9 of 12 passes, including a 20-yard score to Isaiah Alston to give the Sun Belt East Division favorites a 14-0 lead with 46 seconds left in the first quarter. He finished 14 of 22 for 130 yards.
Sluka entered in the second quarter and crashed in from the 1 for a 21-0 advantage. Following a blocked punt, Sluka threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Richmond transfer Landon Ellis for a 28-point lead.
JMU’s George Pettaway, from Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, ran for a game-high 99 yards.
Weber State’s Jackson Gilkey threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Noah Kjar with 53 seconds left before halftime.
After the teams exchanged field goals in the third quarter, JMU closed the scoring in the fourth on a 59-yard touchdown run by Wayne Knight and a 5-yarder by JC Evans. The Dukes outgained Weber State 458-148.
Liberty 28, Maine 7: Former Oscar Smith High star Ethan Vasko threw for three touchdowns and ran for a fourth, and the Flames scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to beat the FCS Black Bears.
Vasko, a Coastal Carolina transfer, finished 19 of 33 for 197 yards and rushed for 63 yards on 13 carries. In the fourth quarter, Evan Dickens had a 24-yard touchdown reception and Donte Lee Jr. had a 16-yard TD catch. Vasko all but iced the victory with a 13-yard scoring run with 2:38 to play.
Maine’s Sincere Baines broke free for a 77-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter to open the scoring, but the Black Bears had two turnovers, three fourth-down failures and four punts after that. Baines carried 11 times for 118 yards.
Carter Peevy completed 13 of 31 for 132 yards and an interception.
Air Force 49, Bucknell 13: Josh Johnson threw for two touchdowns, one to Cade Harris, and Harris ran for two in Colorado. It was the Falcons’ 19th-straight season-opening victory.
Air Force has won five straight dating back to last season, the fourth-longest active streak in the nation, and the season-opening streak is second only to Ohio State.
Johnson was 4-of-7 passing for 112 yards, including a 40-yard connection with Quinn Smith and a 62-yarder with Harris. Harris finished with 66 yards on eight carries and 83 yards on three receptions.
Dylan Carson and Maguire Martin also had rushing touchdowns. Korey Johnson returned a fumble 34 yards for a score.
Navy 52, VMI 7: Backup quarterback Braxton Woodson ran for two touchdowns and 180 yards on seven carries as the Midshipmen began a highly anticipated season with a rout in Annapolis, Maryland.
The difference in rushing yardage seemed like the day’s most striking statistics: 464 yards on 56 carries for Navy, 15 yards on 22 carries for VMI.
Alex Tecza had 15 carries for 89 yards and a score, and Eli Heidenreich ran nine times for 70 yards and a TD. Heidenreich made six catches for 65 yards and the Midshipmen’s only receiving TD.
Starting QB Blake Horvath completed 6 of 7 throws for 66 yards and the touchdown, while Woodson was 3 of 7 for 26 yards.
The Keydets’ Collin Shannon completed 16 of 25 passes for 197 yards. Most of that yardage came via connections with Owen Sweeney, whose five catches for 126 yards included a third-quarter touchdown.
VMI couldn’t get its running game untracked, though. Shannon’s minus-42 yards on five carries were primarily the result of sacks. Leo Boehling led the Keydets with 21 yards on eight carries.
Lehigh 21, Richmond 14: Jaden Green scored two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter, as Lehigh won a Patriot League game in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in a matchup of 2024 FCS playoff opponents. The Mountain Hawks were 14th in the FCS Stats preseason poll, while the Spiders were 25th.
Lehigh defeated UR 20-16 in the first round of last season’s playoffs. On Saturday, Green’s 4-yard touchdown run gave Lehigh the lead for good with 6:29 left in the game. The drive covered 87 yards in 13 plays and took 7:04 off the clock.
The Mountain Hawks forced a three-and-out on Richmond’s next possession and, after a Lehigh punt, Mekhai Smith’s interception wrapped up the win. The game was Richmond’s first as a Patriot League associate member after they left the Coastal Athletic Association.
Hayden Johnson completed 13 of 24 passes for 135 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for Lehigh. Green had 88 yards rushing and caught a touchdown pass from Johnson that led to a 7-7 tie at halftime.
Kyle Wickersham was 14-of-20 passing for 113 yards with one interception for Richmond, but the Spiders were held to 181 yards and 10 first downs.
Johnson’s 29-yard pass to Geoffrey Jamiel early in the third quarter gave the Mountain Hawks their first lead, 14-7. The lead didn’t last long as Isaiah Dawson returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a Richmond touchdown.
Valparaiso 67, Virginia University of Lynchburg 10: The host Beacons, who play in the FCS Pioneer League, dominated the lower-level Dragons of the National Christian College Athletic Association in Indiana.
Michael Mansaray took his first touch of the season 49 yards for a touchdown, finishing with 134 yards and two scores. His second touchdown was a 5-yard rush to give Valpo a 26-10 halftime lead.
Valpo averaged 7.6 yards per play, and was 5 for 9 on third downs.
Andy Waddle earned his first win as Valparaiso’s head coach after 12 seasons at Division III Marietta (Div. III). Max Zavala threw for 68 yards for VUL but was intercepted twice.
