North Carolina vs. James Madison Postgame Notes

• The 120 combined points are the second-most in a game in UNC history and the record for any game in Kenan Stadium.

• The teams combined for 729 yards in the first half, the most in a half since UNC and Virginia combined for 798 in the first half on 9/18/2021.

• The teams combined for 74 points in the first half, the most points in a half since UNC and App State combined for 75 points in the second half on 9/3/2022.

• Carolina amassed a season-high 30 first downs, including 20 passing first downs.

• Caleb LaVallee blocked a JMU punt that Davion Gause returned 34 yards for a touchdown. It was UNC’s first blocked punt for a touchdown since Bruce Carter blocked a punt which Matt Merletti recovered in the end zone against UConn on 10/4/2008.

• UNC’s five turnovers were its most since six at Miami on 9/27/2018 (three fumbles lost were the most since playing Georgia Tech on 9/25/2021).

• Mack Brown is 110-74-1 as head coach of UNC. Brown is 285-150-1 all-time and is the winningest active head coach in the FBS.

• UNC is 3-1 all-time against James Madison.

• UNC drops to 73-9 when scoring 30 or more points under Mack Brown and 25-6 under Brown when gaining 500 or more total yards.

Offense:

• Quarterback Jacolby Criswell passed for a career-high 474 yards, the most since Sam Howell threw for a program-record 550 against Wake Forest in 2020.

• Criswell’s 474 passing yards are the third-most in UNC history. Howell had 550 against Wake Forest in 2020 and Marquise Williams had 494 against Duke in 2015.

• It was Criswell’s first multi-passing touchdown game of his career.

• He is the ninth Tar Heel to pass for 400 yards.

• Criswell completed 28 of 42. The 28 completions were a career high (previous 14 last week vs. NC Central). The 28 completions were the most by a Tar Heel since Drake Maye had 28 against Duke last year.

• Omarion Hampton rushed for a game-high 139 yards. Hampton passed Ronnie McGill and Marquise Williams to move into 13th on UNC’s all-time list with 2,460 rushing yards.

• Hampton rushed for three touchdowns for the second straight week and third time in his career. It is the most rushing touchdowns by a Tar Heel in a two-game stretch since Ty Chandler had six over two games in 2021 (four against Wake Forest and two against Notre Dame).

• Hampton has 27 career rushing touchdowns. He is one of 13 Tar Heels with 25 or more rushing touchdowns in his career and the first since Javonte Williams (2018-20).

• John Copenhaver’s 35-yard touchdown pass was the longest TD catch of his career.

• Jordan Shipp caught his first career touchdown pass.

Defense:

• Linebacker Power Echols made his 250th career tackle.

• Beau Atkinson had his first sack of the season (4.5 sacks for his career).

• Kevin Hester had a season-high five tackles.

• Stick Lane forced the seventh fumble of his career.

• Amare Campbell (eight) and Jaybron Harvey (five) had career highs in tackles.

Special Teams:

• Noah Burnette made a 42-yard field goal. He is 6 for 7 this year and tied Nick Weiler for fifth all-time at UNC with 40 made field goals.

Opponent Notes:

• James Madison’s 70 points ties the record for most points against UNC. East Carolina beat UNC, 70-41, on 9/20/2014, in Greenville.

• JMU scored 53 first-half points, the most by any team (UNC or opponent) in a half in Kenan Stadium history. The previous high was 49 by UNC in the first half against Old Dominion on 11/23/2013.

• JMU’s 53 points were the most by an opponent in any half against UNC. The previous record was 45 by Maryland in College Park in the first half in 2003. They were the most points in a half by an opponent at Kenan Stadium (previous was 40 by Georgia Tech in the second half in 2012).

• JMU totaled 611 yards, the most by an opponent since Georgia Tech gained 635 in 2023.

• JMU blocked a punt for a touchdown to go ahead 11-0, the first blocked punt for a touchdown by an opponent since Jordan Houston of NC State blocked Ben Kiernan’s punt and C.J. Riley recovered it in the end zone on 11/26/2021.

• JMU quarterback Alonza Barnett III was responsible for seven touchdowns, which tied the record for most touchdowns responsible for by an opponent (Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman was responsible for seven in 2021).

Courtesy UNC Athletics Communications