HARRISONBURG, Va. -- Michael Birdsong passed for 249 yards and three touchdowns as James Madison had no trouble beating Albany (NY), 40-13 in a Colonial Athletic Association game on Saturday.

James Madison (4-2, 1-1) rolled up a 26-3 halftime lead as Birdsong hit on touchdown passes of 41 and 12 yards to Daniel Brown (5 catches, 86 yards). Khalid Abdullah added a 38-yard TD run and Dae'Quan Scott pounded one in from three yards.

Albany (1-5, 0-2) dominated the third quarter with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Will Fiacchi to Kevin Chillis, and a safety when Tim Kologrivov sacked Birdsong in the end zone.

Fiacchi finished the day 26 of 43 for 214 yards for the Great Danes.

But the Dukes regained control in the fourth quarter. Scott scored his second touchdown of the day on a 1-yard run, and Birdsong reached Brown for a 2-yard TD pass to cap the scoring.