WESTMINSTER, Md. – First year
Cordae James rushed for a career-high 140 yards and a touchdown to lead the McDaniel College football team to a 24-7 win over Juniata on Saturday from Gill Stadium.
The Green Terror (1-2) secured their first win of the season after totaling 213 rushing yards, the team's highest single-game total since recording 202 rushing yards against Moravian on Oct. 30, 2021. The 17-point margin of victory is the team's highest since an 18-point win over Juniata on Sept. 11, 2021.
James took off for a 62-yard run in the third quarter and finished off the drive with a two-yard touchdown plunge, the first rushing touchdown of his career, to increase the Green Terror lead to nine.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Eagles (2-1) had a touchdown wiped away by penalty, allowing first year
Braden Fritz to score the first points of the day on the ensuing drive with a 22-yard field goal. Juniata later scored on a three-yard touchdown run to take a 7-3 lead into halftime.
Graduate Student
Malachi Murphy intercepted a pass on the Eagles' first drive of the second half that led to a 16-yard touchdown run by sophomore
Jayden Booker, giving the Green Terror a 10-7 lead with just under 10:30 to play in the third quarter. After forcing a Juniata punt, James's 62-yard scamper and eventual score grew the Green Terror lead to 16-7 at the end of three.
McDaniel started the fourth quarter with an 11-play drive capped off by a nine-yard touchdown pass from Booker to senior
Tony Miller. Miller than converted a two-point attempt on a designed fake to make the score 24-7. The Green Terror defense held Juniata without a first down for the remainder of the game to cement the 17-point win.
Booker finished the day completing 17-of-25 attempts for 118 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions. James led the offense with 140 rushing yards while senior
Grayson Wendel led the team with four receptions for 33 yards. Miller caught three passes for 25 yards and a touchdown, the first receiving touchdown of his career.
The Green Terror defense only allowed 148 yards of total offense to Juniata; the Eagles only averaged 2.6 yards per play and were forced to punt seven times.
McDaniel travels to Pittsburgh on Saturday to face No. 20 Carnegie Mellon, a new rival in the Centennial Conference. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
