For the first time since 2005, the Elon University football team has finished winless in conference play. The Phoenix finished its 1-11 season with a 59-27 loss to James Madison University Nov. 22 at Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, Virginia, falling to 0-8 in its inaugural season in the Colonial Athletic Association.
James Madison junior quarterback Vad Lee continued his impressive season by completing 23-of-25 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns, while adding a touchdown on the ground as well.
Elon senior quarterback Mike Quinn was 21-of-42 passing for 201 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in the loss, which left Elon with its worst winning percentage since finishing 0-10 in 1926.
James Madison went up 17-0 after a field goal and a pair of 3-yard touchdown runs by sophomore Khalid Abdullah and senior Jauan Latney. The Dukes found the end zone four more times in the second quarter on two more scores by Abdullah, one by Latney and a 6-yard run by Lee that stretched the lead to 45-7 just before halftime.
Elon’s lone first half score came on a trick play executed by Quinn and sophomore wide receiver Justin Osborne after a James Madison fumble. Quinn took the snap on first-and-10 and handed the ball off to Osborne, who then found a wide-open Quinn for a 30-yard touchdown pass. The play marked Elon’s first offensive touchdown in the first half since Sept. 20.
The Phoenix started the second half by engineering a 14-play, 65-yard drive spanning 5:55 that culminated in a 1-yard touchdown run by Quinn. Quinn also added a pair of touchdown passes late in the game, one to sophomore Demitri Allison for 21 yards and one to junior Andre Davis for nine yards as time expired.
The Dukes answered Quinn’s touchdown run by going 73 yards in 55 seconds, a drive that ended with Lee finding senior Deandre’ Smith for a 20-yard touchdown pass. On the next possession, Lee connected with sophomore Brandon Ravenel for a 17-yard touchdown that put James Madison up 59-14.
James Madison, which leads the CAA in yards per game at nearly 500 per contest, gained 491 yards to Elon’s 348.
The University of Rhode Island defeated Towson University 13-7 Nov. 22 to finish the season 1-7 in the CAA, meaning Elon will finish last in the conference.
The Phoenix will bid farewell to a class of 12 seniors that includes key contributors in Quinn, wide receiver Kierre Brown and linebackers Jonathan Spain and Odell Benton.