DURHAM – The faithful fans at Wildcat Stadium haven’t had much to cheer about this season, but that all changed Saturday.

The University of New Hampshire football team, which entered the season ranked in the top 10 with hopes of extending the longest playoff streak in the nation, dropped five of six games to open the campaign. But the Wildcats showed why those lofty preseason expectations existed during a 35-24 upset of No. 3 James Madison.

Evan Horn and Rick Ellison returned interceptions for first-half touchdowns for the UNH defense’s first multiple-score performance since 2016. Senior quarterback Trevor Knight added two touchdown passes and put New Hampshire (3-6, 2-4 Colonial Athletic Association) in firm control with a 75-yard scramble up the middle to make it 35-10 in the fourth quarter.

The upset marked the second straight victory for the Wildcats, and the first over James Madison since 2013.

“It’s a very good win, obviously, against a really good football team,” UNH coach Sean McDonnell said. “It’s something that you’ve seen now for a couple of weeks in our program, guys starting to play the way they’re capable of playing. We played pretty much error-free football. We played great defense in spurts. We scored twice on defense. I thought we played downhill on them the whole way.”

The Dukes (6-3, 4-2), ranked third in the FCS coaches poll, outgained UNH, 486-315, but had six turnovers, including four interceptions. The Wildcats did not commit a turnover and had five sacks.

A James Madison fumble on a strip-sack by Quinlen Dean led to a 29-yard touchdown pass from Knight to Kieran Presley before Ellison returned an interception for a 44-yard pick-six and a 14-0 lead. Horn snared a pass in the flat and returned it 75 yards and UNH led 21-3 at the half.

Knight finished with 181 yards passing and 76 rushing.

“I thought Trevor did a really good job of taking care of the ball today,” McDonnell said. “Made a couple of good throws and had a heck of a run late in the game. Heck of a win for this football program. Heck of a win. It was something we needed and we got.”

Cole Johnson was 31 of 48 passing for 398 yards but no scores and three picks while the Dukes rushed for only 64 yards.