North Carolina hits historic low of Mack Brown era after surrendering 70 points to James Madison

North Carolina plummeted to the absolute rock bottom of Mack Brown’s tenure with Saturday afternoon’s 70-50 loss, at home, to James Madison. This after the Tar Heels (3-1) entered as 10.5-point favorites against the Sun Belt Conference school that lost its coach and a majority of its impact starters in the offseason. 

This is just the second time that an ACC program — also North Carolina — has allowed 70 points in nonconference play since 2014. JMU’s 53 first-half points broke school records for points in a half for both teams and were the most allowed by a Power Four team against a Group of Five opponent since 2012. 

This, from a James Madison team that scored a total of 43 points through its first two games against Charlotte and Gardner-Webb. 

North Carolina didn’t have an answer for Dukes quarterback Alonza Barnett III, who passed for 388 yards and five touchdowns on 22 completions. He also rushed for a team-high 99 yards and two touchdowns. 

James Madison scored on nine of its 15 possessions, not counting those that ended either a half or the game. The Dukes averaged just under nine yards per play and had at least eight plays that covered 20-plus yards. But North Carolina’s defensive struggles overshadow an equally pitiable effort from the other side of the ball. The Tar Heels did turn it on late with 29 points over the last 30 minutes, but by then it was far too late to dig out of the tremendous hole they put themselves in with a lackluster early effort. 

Quarterback Jacolby Criswell had two interceptions through the first two periods, one of which James Madison returned for a touchdown near the end of the first half. Barnett had more total first-half yards as an individual (352) than North Carolina had as a team…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/north-carolina-hits-historic-low-of-mack-brown-era-after-surrendering-70-points-to-james-madison/

Author : Will Backus

Publish date : 2024-09-21 20:30:34

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