CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – James Madison entered Saturday with the highest scoring offense in all of Division I football. The unit scored four touchdowns and racked up 495 total yards against FBS North Carolina, but it wasn’t enough as the Tar Heels rolled to a 56-28 win behind junior quarterback Mitch Trubisky at Kenan Stadium.
Trubisky threw for 432 yards and three touchdowns.
JMU’s defense didn’t force a punt until the fourth quarter and North Carolina scored touchdowns on its first eight offensive series.
“North Carolina is a fantastically talented team, but the one thing that we said we needed to do was make [North Carolina] earn what they got,” Houston said. “We made mistakes early that gave them some real cheap ones.”
The Dukes jumped out to a 7-0 lead on a nine-play, 82-yard drive capped by running back Khalid Abdullah’s one-yard touchdown run.
But as UNC did throughout the first half, it matched JMU’s opening drive.
Aided with a dropped interception by JMU cornerback Rashard Robinson and offside penalty called on defensive end Andrew Ankrah, UNC marched down the field to tie the game on a 6-yard run by running back TJ Logan.
“We started the game really well,” Houston said. “But, that offside penalty on Andrew gave them a first down at a critical time and we almost had the turnover on the screen pass. If we could have gotten a stop right there, with the momentum we had after scoring, I don’t know if it would have made a difference in the outcome, but it would have helped early on.”
JMU’s offense tried to keep the team in the game, though.
On the consequent series, Abdullah scored his second touchdown on another one-yard carry. The only problem was UNC needed only one play to tie the game again.
Off of a flea flicker, Trubisky connected with wide receiver Ryan Switzer on a 75-yard scoring strike.
“The safety was man on the slot receiver. He’s in man and the receiver doesn’t lie,” Houston said. “You have to keep your eyes locked where they’re supposed to be locked. It was a cheapy.”
JMU would score once more to take a 21-14 lead into the second quarter, but Carolina would tally 21 unanswered points before halftime. The Tar Heels took a 35-21 advantage into the locker room and never had to look back.
The Madison defense gave up seven third-down conversions on eight tries to North Carolina.
“They just made some plays,” JMU senior cornerback Taylor Reynolds said.
Switzer made five catches for 101 yards and the touchdown while running backs Logan and Elijah Hood combined for 147 yards and five touchdowns.
The offensive firepower shown by UNC was too much even for JMU’s potent attack to keep up with, Houston said.
Abdullah would finish with 116 yards on the ground and two scores. Junior quarterback Bryan Schor completed 14-22 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown. He also scored on a three-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter.
“I was worried if we got into a track meet type-deal,” Houston said. “But I thought our kids really fought and gave great effort.”
Schor said he thought the offense played well but needed to finish drives after the first quarter, if the Dukes were to keep the game close.
“We were pretty comfortable out there,” Schor said. “I thought we executed our plays, but I don’t think we finished the drives how we wanted to.”
JMU (2-1) jumps into CAA play next week with a road game at Maine, while North Carolina (2-1) begins ACC action with a home game against Pittsburgh.
