The North Carolina Tar Heels experienced a disheartening defeat, matching a program-low with a 70-50 loss to the James Madison Dukes at Kenan Stadium on Saturday.
The Tar Heels (3-1) allowed 70 points in a game for the first time since a 70-41 defeat against East Carolina in 2014. Prior to this game, UNC had dominated James Madison (3-0) in their three previous meetings, winning by an average margin of four touchdowns.
With this victory, the Dukes secured consecutive wins against ACC teams, having previously defeated Virginia in 2023. UNC struggled offensively with five turnovers, while James Madison capitalized by scoring on their final five drives of the first half to reach 50 points.
Final Score: James Madison 70, UNC 50
The 70 points scored by James Madison tied with East Carolina for the most ever against UNC during a game, marking the highest point total allowed by the Tar Heels at home.
James Madison officially hit 70 points late in the fourth quarter, emphasizing their dominance over UNC’s defense. The Tar Heels’ fifth turnover occurred in the fourth quarter when a fumble was recovered by the Dukes.
Omarion Hampton did manage to score a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, narrowing the Dukes’ lead to 19 points.
At the end of the third quarter, James Madison led 60-38. The Tar Heels had a highlight moment when they blocked a punt and Davion Gause returned it for a touchdown, adding to the scoreboard but still trailing significantly.
James Madison’s quarterback, Alonza Barnett, had an outstanding performance, finishing with four passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns as the Dukes dominated throughout the matchup.
At halftime, James Madison had a commanding 53-21 lead, having scored 50 points in the first half alone. The Tar Heels’ defense struggled to stop Barnett, who consistently advanced the Dukes’ scoring throughout the game.
The game began with James Madison taking an early lead, capitalizing on a fumble by UNC, and executing a blocked punt return for a touchdown. The Tar Heels fought back with touchdowns from both Omarion Hampton and John Copenhaver, but it was not enough to keep pace with the Dukes.
The anticipated rematch marked the first meeting since UNC’s win against James Madison in 2016, as the Tar Heels looked to maintain their unbeaten record against them.
As the season progresses, both teams will continue to push for victory in their upcoming matchups.