JMU used a goal-line stand at the end of the first half Saturday to keep its halftime deficit to seven points. Then, the Dukes came alive in the final 30 minutes to beat Louisiana, 24-14.

Here are three takeaways from another grind of a win.

Slow starts, fast finishes

JMU jumped all over Georgia Southern a couple of weeks ago, jumping out to a 21-3 halftime lead. That hasn’t been the norm against G5 competition.

Against Liberty, the teams were tied at 10 at halftime. Against Georgia State, JMU trailed 7-0. Saturday against Louisiana, the Dukes were down 14-7 at the break. Yet, JMU is 3-0 in those games.

The Dukes have outscored their four G5 opponents 66-10 after halftime. While the slow starts are concerning, the fast finishes are a great sign. JMU seems to wear down opposing defenses, and the Dukes’ defense gets better as the game progresses.

JMU needs to be cleaner in the first half, but the Dukes are still firmly in the Sun Belt title chase because of great second halves over the past month. After fading down the stretch in games in 2024, it’s a nice change of pace to see Bob Chesney’s team sprinting through the finish line.

In four Sun Belt losses in 2024, JMU was outscored 59-39 in the second half and overtime. The Dukes jumped out to double-digit leads against ULM, App State, and Marshall before falling off and losing all three games.

The 2025 version of JMU looks better suited to finish teams off.

Defense excellence can’t be overstated

This defense, man!

JMU held its sixth consecutive opponent under 300 yards. Only Louisville has scored more than 14 points against JMU, and the Cardinals only scored 21 offensive points.

Against Louisiana, JMU’s elite unit allowed just 1.6 yards per rush and kept the Ragin’ Cajuns to 3-for-14 on third downs. Aside from giving up a 69-yard touchdown pass in the first half, it’s hard to find any faults in how this group played.

If this defense maintains its performance, JMU will have an incredible chance to win the Sun Belt. This is one of the best defenses in the Group of Five and the entire country. Redshirt freshman defensive end Sahir West keeps flashing, too, grabbing six tackles and a sack Saturday.

Every level of the defense is great, and if it wasn’t for a few questionable penalties, this unit might have allowed even fewer than 288 yards and 14 points. JMU’s 2025 defense might be the best in program history, and that showed again Saturday.

JMU joins Texas Tech, Missouri, and Texas as the only FBS programs allowing fewer than 75 rushing yards per game. JMU ranks 10th nationally in scoring defense, with only San Diego State allowing fewer points per game among G5 teams.

Stubborn with Sluka

In the past 10 drives in which Matthew Sluka has appeared, the Dukes have scored 0 points. The Sluka packages aren’t working. That doesn’t mean they can’t ever work, but JMU needs to either find a way to make them work or abandon them.

Saturday against Louisiana, Sluka came in for a third-and-6 in the red zone. He ran for four yards and stayed in the game for a fourth-and-2. A clunky snap was eventually handed to Jordan Fuller, who came up short of the first down. A similar situation occurred against Georgia State, when Sluka ran up the middle on fourth-and-3 and was stuffed.

I don’t blame Sluka. He’s in a really tough spot, as he’s basically asked to come in once a game and run directly up the middle. His success is judged on one or two plays, which is a lot of pressure, especially when defenses know what’s coming. If JMU doesn’t add the threat of a pass when Sluka takes the field, the packages feel like a waste. They’re unfair to Sluka and Barnett, who doesn’t need to be taken out of a rhythm for obvious QB runs up the gut.

It’s been a bummer of a season for Sluka, who came to JMU expecting to be the starter. Instead, he’s QB2 and relegated to a minimal and ineffective package. We’d love the physical runner to make a bigger impact, but JMU needs to take a hard look at the special packages. Sluka hasn’t thrown a pass since Week 2 against Louisville, and he’s had four carries for just 13 yards in the four games since. 

The special packages aren’t working right now. The Sluka plays need an overhaul. If they aren’t tweaked, they’re better off being abandoned.

Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications