CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Alonza Burnett III's five touchdown passes led a rushing attack and James Madison University's team in head coach Bob Chesney's first year posted a road win Saturday with a 70-50 victory over the University of North Carolina.
Burnett threw for 388 yards without an interception and ran for 99 yards and two scores. The Dukes (3-0) completed five touchdown drives in the first half, four of which took five plays or less and three of which took under 35 seconds to score.
James Madison scored touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams to win against North Carolina for the first time in four meetings. The 70 points tied the most points the Tar Heels (3-1) have ever allowed in a game and are also the most points JMU has allowed to a Bowl Subdivision opponent.
Thompson (17) scores a touchdown late in the NCAA game.
On a Saturday in September, a college football game against the University of North Carolina will be played in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
21st, 2024. AP
The Dukes, who will move up to the FBS in 2022 and were picked to finish second in the Sun Belt Conference division this season, surpassed their previous high point total against a powerhouse conference opponent (36 points against Virginia last year) midway through the second quarter.
That came on a 39-yard touchdown pass to Taylor Thompson from Burnett, who scored seven touchdowns through the air and on the ground, a school record.
The Tar Heels (3-1) allowed a school-record 53 points in a sluggish first half that featured four turnovers.
Bright spots were quarterback Jacolby Criswell, who threw for 475 yards and three touchdowns in just his second career start, and running back Omarion Hampton, who ran for three touchdowns and 139 yards.
James Madison led for less than a minute in the game and relied on defense and special teams to jump out to an 11-0 lead after the opening five minutes.
After Noe Ruelas hit a 50-yard field goal, the longest of his career, cornerback Terrence Spence blocked a punt for the seventh time in his career and Jayden Mines recovered it for a 14-yard touchdown.
Spence also had two interceptions in the first half, returning the second one 33 yards for a touchdown that gave JMU a 53-21 lead at halftime.
