CHAPEL HILL - James Madison defeated North Carolina 70-50 on Saturday afternoon at Kenan Stadium. Both teams had over 600 yards in total offense.
JMU took control in the first quarter to take 53-21 halftime lead behind quarterback Alonza Barnett III's passing and rushing.
UNC falls to 3-1 and JMU improves to 3-0.
1st Quarter
*JMU used a 38-yard run to set to a 50-yared field goal ant 3-0 lead with 13:36 left in the quarter
*UNC fumbled at the JMU 8, and after its next possession, its punt was blocked and the Dukes returned it for a TD. They also converted a 2-point conversion for an 11-0 lead with 10:36 left in the quarter.
*Carolina responded going 77 yards on six plays as John Copenhaver scored on a 35-yard pass play. JMU 11, UNC 7 with 8:12 left in the quarter.
*UNC got a quick stop and quickly got into the end zone again on a 28-yard TD run by Omarion Hampton. UNC 14, JMU 11 with 4:08 left in the quarter.
*And JMU quickly responded with a 69-yard TD pass. JMU 18, UNC 14 with 3:36 left in the quarter.
*The scoring wasn’t over for the period, as the Dukes recovered an onside kick and scored a TD several plays later on a 3-yard TD run. JMU 25, UNC 14 with 1:23 left in the quarter.
2nd Quarter
*UNC scored first in the second quarter, when Bryson Nesbit caught a pass from Criswell, eluded a defender and dove into the end zone for a 34-yard score. JMU 25, UNC 21 with 14:33 left in the half.
*JMU began a stretch of scoring 28 straight points to close out the half:
---6-yard TD pass; 13-yard TD pass; 27-yard TD run; 33-yard interception return for a TD.
*Over UNC’s last 6 possessions of the half, it gained just 46 total yards.
*JMU’s QB completed 12 consecutive pass attempts in one stretch
3rd Quarter
*UNC’s Noah Burnette converted a 42-yard FG on the first possession of the half. JMU 53, UNC 24 with 11:35 left in the quarter. *JMU responded with a quick TD scoring on a 7-yard pass. JMU 60, UNC 24 with 9:16 left in the quarter.
*Carolina followed with a 15-yard TD run by Hampton before Caleb LaVallee blocked a punt leading to a Davion Gause 34-yard return for a TD. JMU 60, UNC 38 with 3:08 left in the quarter.
4th Quarter
*JMU moved the ball into field goal position and converted a 42-yarder for a 63-38 lead with 13:28 remaining.
*The Tar Heels quickly got into the end zone when Hampton scored for the third time on the day with a 2-yard run. The 2-point conversion failed. JMU 63, UNC 44 with 11:00 left.
*After a Criswell fumble was recovered by JMU at the UNC 33, the Dukes scored a TD seven plays later. JMU 70, UNC 44 with 4:26 remaining.
NOTE: The 70 points ties the most ever allowed by the Tar Heels. ECU beat UNC 70-41 in 2014 in Greenville.
*Criswell finds Jordan Shipp for a 4-yard TD. The 2-point conversion was no good. JMU 70, UNC 50 with 1:18 left.
Note: The combined 120 points is the highest scoring game ever at Kenan Stadium. Previous was Georgia Tech 68, UNC 50 in 2012.
---This is the second-highest scoring game in UNC history, previous was UNC 63, App State 61 in 2022.
