North Carolina’s football team faced a severe setback in their pay game against James Madison, failing to get their money’s worth. The Tar Heels entered the match with an undefeated record but endured a historic loss, allowing a school-record 53 points in the first half at Kenan Memorial Stadium on Saturday. In total, JMU scored 70 points, exploiting UNC’s defense that struggled to contain both their passing and rushing attacks, concluding the game with a score of 70-50. The Dukes amassed 609 offensive yards—388 through the air and 221 on the ground—before simply kneeling to end the game.
Tight end Kyle Logan caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Alonza Barnett III with just over four minutes left, tying the UNC record for most points allowed in a game. The broadcast noted that this was also the highest score ever recorded in the stadium, which has been hosting games since 1927.
The previous record for points allowed by UNC in a single game was 70, occurring nearly a decade ago on September 13, 2014, when they lost 70-41 to East Carolina.
Adding to the humiliation, UNC paid James Madison a substantial sum—$500,000—for the opportunity to play them. This financial arrangement was outlined in a contract acquired by the USA TODAY Network. Initially scheduled for November 22, 2025, the game was moved to September 21 following an amendment made on August 5, 2020.
During the game, the Dukes dominated the first quarter with 25 points, including a touchdown from a blocked punt return by Jayden Mines. They followed that up with 28 more points in the second quarter, and by halftime, the score was 53-21 after Terrence Spencer’s interception return. The previous highest number of points the Tar Heels allowed in a half was 45.
Barnett III had an exceptional performance, completing 22 of 34 passes for 388 yards and five touchdowns while also rushing 13 times for 99 yards and scoring twice more. This set a new school record with seven total touchdowns. George Pettaway contributed with 16 carries for 87 yards, while Cam Ross caught seven passes for 107 yards and a touchdown. Omarion Dollison added three receptions for 125 yards and a score as well.