James Madison Upsets North Carolina as Double-Digit Underdog

If any doubt lingered over James Madison’s status as an FBS program, they surely were put to rest this weekend.

JMU pulled off a stunning 70-50 road upset against North Carolina in the highest-scoring game of the 2024 college football season so far.

Halftime. Yes, halftime.

JMU leads UNC 53-21 in one of the craziest halves you’ll ever see. To recount:

– JMU forced four turnovers
– JMU blocked a punt for a TD
– JMU recovered an onside kick
– Alonza Barnett had 5 total TDs pic.twitter.com/02uE8VrGXD

— JMU Sports News (@JMUSportsNews) September 21, 2024

Despite opening as 10-point (-110) underdogs, the Dukes stormed into Chapel Hill and soundly defeated Mack Brown’s squad 70-50. The Tar Heels are the first double-digit favorite to give up 70 points in a game since 2004.

JMU built an astonishing 53-21 halftime lead, hitting the game’s over (51.5 total points) on its own through two quarters. The Dukes set a school record for most points in a half, while the Tar Heels surrendered the most in any half in their program's 121-year history.

Students have had enough. UNC trails JMU, 46-21, with just over 7 minutes left in the first half. Just embarrassing. pic.twitter.com/zlyS6C1A2I

— Will Dalton (@thewilldalton) September 21, 2024

Following a weather delay, UNC chipped away and trimmed its deficit to 19 points. However, the Dukes put the game away midway through the fourth quarter, when quarterback Alonza Barnett III (22-for-34, 388 yards) found Logan Kyle for an 11-yard touchdown — Barnett's fifth touchdown pass of the game. With a closing total of 48.5 points, this was just the third game in the last 20 years in which the total was below 50 and there were 110 or more points in the game, according to Action Network Director of Research Evan Abrams.  According to Action Network betting data, 52% of the bets and 63% of the money was backing the Tar Heels against the spread, 97% of the bets and 99% of the money was backing North Carolina on the moneyline and 70% of the bets and 69% of the money was on the over.  The result marks UNC’s first defeat of the season, dealing an early season blow to its long shot hopes of winning the ACC crown (+3000, tied for seventh-best odds).  First-year coach Bob Chesney and JMU improved to 3-0. The Dukes entered the season with the second-best odds (+465) of winning the Sun Belt.

JMU became an FBS school after joining the Sun Belt Conference in 2022. The Dukes went 8-3 and 11-2 in their first seasons at the FBS level but faced challenges regarding bowl eligibility each year because of the NCAA’s FCS-to-FBS transition rules. (The Dukes were ultimately invited to play in the Armed Forces Bowl last season.) If Saturday is any indication, JMU appears on its way to competing in another bowl game this year.