Billy Atkins threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Taylor Thompson to break a fourth-quarter tie as James Madison won a bowl game for the first time, topping Western Kentucky 27-17 in the Boca Raton Bowl on Wednesday at Boca Raton, Fla.JC Evans had a touchdown run and touchdown pass and George Pettaway rushed for 100 yards on 14 carries for the Dukes.The Dukes (9-4) are in their second season of bowl eligibility in what largely has been the continuation of a strong transition from the Football Championship Subdivision.It was the first touchdown throw of the season for Atkins, a redshirt junior who threw for 181 yards. He was filling in for Alonza Barnett III, who was banged up in the regular-season finale vs. Marshall.Atkins had thrown two TD passes in both 2021 and 2022. It was the sixth touchdown catch of the year for Thompson, who made his grab with 9:20 to play.Western Kentucky quarterback Caden Veltkamp, who entered the transfer portal last week, threw for 302 yards on 25-for-39 passing with two touchdowns.Western Kentucky (8-6), which lost to Jacksonville State 52-12 in the Conference USA championship game, lost four of its last five games.The Hilltoppers had converted a fourth-down play with about 3 1/2 minutes left before Khairi Means’ sack of Veltkamp forced a fumble on the next play, giving the ball back to James Madison. That resulted in Noe Ruelas’ 25-yard field goal for the game’s final points.