Barnett Sets TD Record, JMU Drops 70 to Beat Carolina in Chapel Hill

Game Recap: Football | 9/21/2024 5:08:00 PM

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – James Madison quarterback Alonza Barnett III set a single-game school record with seven touchdowns to lead the Dukes to a record-setting 70-50 non-conference football victory at North Carolina on Saturday afternoon at Kenan Stadium.
 
The Dukes improved the 3-0 on the season after notching their second straight win against an Atlantic Coast Conference team, while the Tar Heels fell to 3-1. JMU now owns four wins against the ACC and picked up its first victory at UNC in four tries.
 
Barnett III had a career afternoon, becoming the first player in history to record more than six total touchdowns in a single game, passing for a career-high five while rushing for two more. He finished the game 22-of-34 for 388 yards with no interceptions, while rushing for a career-best 99 yards on 13 carries (7.6 avg.).
 
His 487 total yards ranked third in JMU single-game history, while his 388 passing total was tied for seventh.
 
The Dukes set multiple team records, recording their most points in a game against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent and as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. It nearly doubled the previous record of points scored against an autonomy five team, besting the 36 they scored at Virginia last season.
 
JMU lit up the scoreboard early, scoring a school-record 53 points in the first half, as the 70 it scored matched the most UNC had ever given up in a game. The 20-point win was also the largest margin of victory for JMU against the ACC.
 
In a game featuring over 1,200 combined total yards, the 120 points was the most points scored by both teams in a single game in JMU history, besting the 108 JMU and Richmond scored at Bridgeforth Stadium in 2015.
 
Two JMU players went over 100 receiving yards for the first time in 2024, as Cam Ross caught seven passes for 107 yards and a touchdown, while Omarion Dollison had three grabs for a career-high 125 yards and a score. Eight Dukes made at least one reception, as Yamir Knight recorded career bests of five catches and 81 receiving yards. Three others scored their first JMU touchdowns in Taylor Thompson, Logan Kyle and Dylan Williams.
 
On the ground, JMU averaged 5.7 per carry, accumulating 223 rushing yards as a team. Barnett aside, George Pettaway ran 16 times for a career-high 87 yards against his former team.
 
UNC’s high-octane offense was paced by Jacolby Criswell, who was 28-of-48 for 475 passing yards and three touchdowns with a pair of interceptions. All-American Omarion Hampton rushed for 139 yards and a game-high three touchdowns.
 
Defensively, JMU was led by Terrence Spence, who had a pair of interceptions and a blocked punt, which resulted in a Jayden Mines touchdown. Trent Hendrick and DJ Barksdale each had seven tackles, as both tallied career highs of 2.0 tackles for loss each. Hendrick added a sack and forced fumble while recovering an onside kick. Eric O’Neill had season bests of 3.0 TFL and 2.0 sacks.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – FIRST HALF

• The opening stanza featured teams combining for 39 points and 440 yards, as JMU took a 25-14 lead after the opening 15.
• JMU outscored UNC, 28-7, in the second quarter, making it 53-21 at the break. It was JMU’s highest scoring half in school history, and the 28 points in the second matched the highest-scoring stanza in a road game ever.
• After a Noe Ruelas 50-yard field goal to open the game, JMU took an 11-0 lead on a blocked punt for a touchdown, as Spence got in untouched, and Mines picked it up, walking in for his first career score less than five minutes in. With some trickery, Ruelas connected with long snapper Jack Mowrey on the two-point try.
• UNC took a 14-11 lead, scoring consecutive touchdowns on a John Copenhaver 35-yard touchdown catch and a Hampton 28-yard rush.
• A 69-yard bomb to Dollison gave the lead back to JMU, at 18-14, and after an onside recovery by Hendrick, Barnett III punched it in from three yards out to make it 25-14 after one.
• After UNC climbed within 25-21, JMU scored the next 28 points to end the half. Barnett III first connected with Ross on a six-yard score and a Thompson 13-yard TD catch made it 39-21 midway through the second.
• After a turnover, Barnett III scored on a 27-yard rush, and the Dukes ended the second with Spence’s second interception of the game, a 33-yard pick-six.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED – SECOND HALF

• JMU held UNC to a field goal on the opening possession of the second half and needed just over two minutes to answer with Barnett’s fourth touchdown pass on a seven-yard strike to Williams, the first touchdown catch of his career, extending the lead to 60-24.
• Carolina came back with back-to-back touchdowns, with a Hampton 15-yard carry and Davion Gause 34-yard blocked punt for a score.
• JMU made it a four-possession game early in the fourth on Ruelas’ 44-yard field goal, giving the Dukes a 63-38 lead with 13:28 to play.
• After Hampton’s third rushing score of the day, Barnett found Kyle for his first JMU touchdown on an 11-yard strike in the corner of the end zone, putting JMU at the 70-point mark.
• UNC closed the scoring on a Jordan Shipp five-yard pass from Criswell in the final 80 seconds.

 
GAME NOTES

• Carolina just out-gained JMU by five total yards, at 616-611.
• Teams combined for 55 first downs, with UNC at 30 and JMU at 25.
• The Dukes out-rushed the Tar Heels, 223-141, while the hosts had a 475-388 edge through the air. However, JMU had 14 less passes and completed 6.3 percent more attempts.
• JMU averaged 8.4 yards per play, as opposed to 7.8 for Carolina.
• JMU forced UNC into five turnovers, with two interceptions and three fumble recoveries, while losing just one fumble.
• JMU had an 8-4 lead in tackles for loss and 3-2 edge in sacks.
• JMU has now scored on a blocked punt for a touchdown in consecutive seasons against an ACC opponent.
• The 50-yard field goal for Ruelas was the longest for JMU since Jason Pritchard’s 51 yarder at Richmond on Oct. 11, 2008.

 
UP NEXT
JMU returns home to host Ball State for Family Weekend on Saturday, Sept. 28. Kickoff at Bridgeforth Stadium is set for 1:30 p.m., and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.