Alonza Barnett's 5 TDs help James Madison top UNC 70-50

Field Level Media|published: Sat 21st September, 16:27 2024

NCAA Football: James Madison at North Carolina

Sep 21, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; James Madison Dukes tight end Taylor Thompson (17) reacts with tight end Josh Phifer (89) after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Alonza Barnett III threw for five touchdowns and ran for two more as visiting James Madison scored in a variety of ways in stunning North Carolina 70-50 on Saturday afternoon in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Barnett finished 22-for-34 for 388 passing yards and cranked out 99 rushing yards on 13 carries.

Omarion Dollison gained 125 receiving yards on three catches and Cam Ross had 107 yards on seven receptions. They both caught a TD pass.

Barrett threw 11 yards to Logan Kyle for a touchdown with 4:26 left, and the extra-point kick by Noe Ruelas made it 70-44, matching the most points ever scored against North Carolina.

James Madison scored on a blocked punt and an interception in the first half in a dominant performance by first-year coach Bob Chesney's team. The teams combined for the most points in Kenan Stadium history in a game that lasted nearly four hours.

North Carolina's 616 yards were nearly matched by James Madison's 611.

The Dukes (3-0) had 418 first-half yards of offense. Combined with North Carolina's four turnovers, James Madison was up 53-21 by halftime, marking the most points the Tar Heels had ever allowed in a first half.

It was the final tune-up for North Carolina (3-1) before next week's Atlantic Coast Conference opener at Duke. Running back Omarion Hampton picked up 139 yards on 19 carries with three touchdowns for the Tar Heels.

Jacolby Criswell, who was the third starting quarterback this season for North Carolina, threw for 475 yards and three touchdowns on 28-for-48 passing to go with two interceptions.

The Tar Heels were within 25-21 early in the second quarter before Barrett threw two TD passes and ran for a 27-yard score in a span of slightly more than three minutes.

James Madison's first touchdown came on Jayden Mines' 14-yard return of a blocked punt. In the final minute of the first half, Terrence Spence returned a Criswell interception 33 yards for a touchdown.

The Tar Heels scored back-to-back touchdowns -- the latter off a blocked punt -- to close within 60-38 with 3:08 to play in the third quarter. Hampton's second touchdown run made it 63-44 with 11 minutes left, though a two-point conversion play failed.

--Field Level Media

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