Kenan Stadium has seen plenty of wild Saturday afternoons, but September 21, 2024, was basically a fever dream. If you walked away for a popcorn break, you probably missed three touchdowns. Honestly, the final score looks like a typo. James Madison 70, North Carolina 50. Let that sink in for a second. Seventy points. In a single game. Against an ACC opponent on their own turf.
People expected a competitive game, sure. But nobody—literally nobody—predicted a Sun Belt team would hang 53 points on the Tar Heels before the halftime band even took the field. It was the kind of performance that leaves a program questioning everything. For JMU, it was a statement. For UNC, it was, in the words of Mack Brown, "embarrassing."
The Alonza Barnett III Show
If you don't know the name Alonza Barnett III, you definitely should after what happened during the jmu vs unc football 2024 matchup. The sophomore quarterback didn’t just play well; he played like he was controlled by a teenager on a Madden bender. He accounted for seven total touchdowns. That’s a school record, by the way.
Barnett was surgical. He finished with 388 passing yards and five scores through the air. But he wasn't just a statue in the pocket. He chewed up 99 yards on the ground and added two rushing touchdowns himself. Every time the Tar Heels thought they had him bottled up, he’d find a gap or launch a deep ball that felt like a gut punch to the Chapel Hill faithful.
The Dukes averaged 8.4 yards per play. That is an absurd efficiency. Usually, when a team scores 70, they have a massive advantage in total yards. Interestingly, UNC actually outgained them 616 to 611. But yards don't win games—points do. And JMU found ways to score that didn't even involve the offense.
A First Half for the History Books
The first two quarters were pure chaos. JMU scored in basically every way imaginable:
- A 50-yard field goal by Noe Ruelas to start the party.
- A blocked punt returned for a touchdown by Jayden Mines.
- A 69-yard bomb to Omarion Dollison.
- An onside kick recovery that felt like a sneak attack.
- A 33-yard pick-six by Terrence Spence right before half.
By the time the teams headed to the locker room, the score was 53-21. It was the most points North Carolina had ever allowed in a single half. Ever. The boos from the home crowd were loud, and frankly, you couldn't blame them. The Tar Heel defense, which had looked solid in the first three games of the season, looked completely lost.
Why the jmu vs unc football 2024 Score Was So Bizarre
We see high-scoring games in college football, but this one felt different. UNC quarterback Jacolby Criswell actually had a career day, throwing for 475 yards and three touchdowns. Omarion Hampton did his thing, too, rushing for 139 yards and three scores. Usually, if your RB1 has three touchdowns and your QB throws for nearly 500 yards, you’re winning by three scores.
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Instead, the Tar Heels were playing catch-up the entire time. They turned the ball over five times. Five. You can’t give a team like JMU that many extra chances and expect to survive. Three fumbles and two interceptions killed any momentum UNC tried to build. Even though they "won" the second half 29-17, the damage was done. The lead was just too massive.
The Mack Brown Fallout
The post-game scene was just as dramatic as the game itself. Mack Brown was visibly shaken. He didn't make excuses. He told reporters, "It can only come back to one person, and that's me." There were even reports swirling that he offered to step down in the locker room, though he later clarified those comments, saying he was just emotional and asking the players for leadership.
It was a "rock bottom" moment for a program that has struggled with defensive consistency for years. Hiring Geoff Collins as defensive coordinator was supposed to fix these leaks, but the Dukes blew the whole system apart.
Tactical Takeaways from the Dukes' Victory
JMU head coach Bob Chesney had his guys ready. They didn't play like a "Group of Five" underdog. They played like the aggressor.
- Exploiting the Seams: JMU's receivers, specifically Omarion Dollison and Cam Ross, found massive holes in the UNC secondary. Busted coverages were a recurring theme.
- Special Teams Aggression: The Dukes didn't wait for things to happen. The blocked punt and the onside kick showed they were there to take the game, not just hang around.
- Pressure: While JMU gave up a ton of yards, they made the plays that mattered. They forced five turnovers. In a shootout, the team that steals the ball usually wins.
The jmu vs unc football 2024 game will be remembered as the highest-scoring game in the history of Kenan Stadium. It also tied the record for the most points UNC has ever surrendered in a game (matching a 70-41 loss to East Carolina in 2014).
What This Means for You
If you're a bettor or a scout, this game is a goldmine of data. It showed that JMU’s offensive system under Chesney is lethal when they have a dual-threat QB like Barnett clicking. For UNC fans, it was a harsh reality check about the gap between offensive production and defensive stability.
Moving forward, keep an eye on how these teams respond to "shootout" scenarios. JMU proved they can thrive in the chaos. UNC proved that without a defense, no amount of offensive yardage is "safe."
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If you're looking to analyze similar upsets, start by looking at turnover margins and special teams EPA (Expected Points Added). Those were the invisible hands that steered this 120-point blowout. You might want to re-watch the first half specifically to see how JMU used pre-snap motion to confuse the UNC linebackers—it’s a masterclass in modern spread offense.