Wayne Knight rushed for a career-high 212 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown, as No. 25 James Madison made its case for a College Football Playoff berth, beating Troy 31-14 in the Sun Belt Conference title game Friday night.
The Dukes (12-1) will now root for Duke to beat Virginia in the ACC title game Saturday night, a result that could lead to the ACC getting shut out of the playoff and making James Madison one of two Group of 5 schools in the 12-team playoff. If not, James Madison will be bowl-bound for a second straight year.
On a chilly night when fans were repeatedly chided for throwing snowballs onto the field, James Madison's defense recorded eight sacks, picked up a scoop-and-score touchdown and, for the sixth time this season, shut out an opponent in the second half. Defensive end Sahir West had three sacks and was in on 10 tackles.
"Every battle is different. Every hunt is different," quarterback Alonza Barnett III said. "This one just took a little bit more. It was a gutsy win. We just didn't give up on each other."
Barnett's 26-yard touchdown run with 4:11 to play sealed the win as coach Bob Chesney, who has agreed to take over at UCLA, won his final home game with the Dukes. Barnett rushed for 85 yards and threw for 93 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
James Madison outscored the Trojans 14-0 in the fourth quarter.
"They certainly played championship football, especially in the second half, to finish the job," Troy coach Gerad Parker said. "They outplayed us tonight."
A coaching gamble helped keep the score tight in the first half.
With Troy trailing 17-7 and facing a fourth-and-1 at its own 34-yard line, Parker went for it. Lining up in a tight formation, the Trojans used play-action and tried to catch James Madison's defense unprepared for a pass downfield.
The play didn't seem to surprise the Dukes defense, but defensive back Elijah Culp grabbed Troy wide receiver RaRa Thomas, getting flagged for pass interference and giving the Trojans a first down.
Troy scored seven plays later, with Tae Meadows' 2-yard touchdown run trimming the James Madison lead to 17-14 with 2:14 left.
Troy (8-5) had a chance to tie it, but Scott Taylor Renfroe missed a 46-yard field goal try with 4:24 left in the third quarter.
The Trojans led 7-3 early in the second quarter when Knight busted loose for his 73-yard touchdown, the longest in Sun Belt title game history.
James Madison's defense ensured the Dukes kept the lead the rest of the way.
"They're tough. And I think they believe," Chesney said. "They know who they are, and they know what they're capable of."
Chesney, who spent two seasons at James Madison as the successor to Curt Cignetti, confirmed that he will be leaving the Dukes. Chesney said he will coach the team if it makes the CFP, adding that he is in discussions with athletic director Matt Roan about whether he would coach a bowl game if the Dukes don't reach the playoff.
"It's been a little extra emotion this whole week," Chesney said. "Every moment that you're spending together with these guys, you don't know if it'll be your last or not. This is definitely our last on this field. You realize just how special a place JMU is. This is, to me, the greatest Group of 5 school in the country, and it's not even close."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.