Alonza Barnett III from Grimsley High School and Page HS here in Greensboro, led the James Madison University Dukes past the North Carolina Tar Heels, 70-50, on Saturday afternoon in Chapel Hill….A record-setting day for Alonza Barnett III, who stood back there in the pocket and just delivered the passing goods, and then he took off running and delivered the running goods…All-time, record-setting performance, for the kid from Greensboro, N.C.
(Interesting note:James Madison won their previous game on September 7, 13-6, over Gardner-Webb and then they turn around and whip North Carolina, 70-50 in Chapel Hill.)
Alonza Barnet III’s numbers:
22-34 passing for 388 yards, with 5 TDs/0 INT.
13 carries for 99 rushing yards, with 2 TD…
Barnett with 487 yards and 7 TDs…Record-Setting numbers for the JMU QB…Some crazy numbers right there, and it must have been like a dream for Alonza Barnett III and his JMU Dukes…A dream that came TRUE….
Some game notes on JMU at UNC-Chapel Hill:from KeepingItHeel.com:
North Carolina agreed to pay James Madison $10,000 for each point scored. With the 70 points the Dukes scored, North Carolina is on the hook to pay them $700,000 for the game.
Having to pay to get flat-out embarrassed (while basically asking them to run up the score) on your home field makes it even worse!
While it isn’t good news for anyone on the UNC football program’s staff, James Madison’s coaching staff will reap the benefits of the win. By defeating a Power 4 team (which North Carolina definitely didn’t look like on Saturday but technically is one), head coach Bob Chesney receives a $15,000 bonus, while each JMU assistant coach, along with the head strength coach, will earn an additional $2,500.
More on this game from the JMU website:
Barnett Sets TD Record, JMU Drops 70 to Beat Carolina in Chapel Hill
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.