Tar Heels facing a familiar foe: How to watch, stream UNC football vs. James Madison

It was thought, at one point, that George Pettaway and Omarion Hampton were next in line; that they were the reincarnation of several great Tar Heel running back duos. Amos Lawrence and Kelvin Bryant. Curtis and Leon Johnson. Michael Carter and Javonte Williams.

In UNC’s season opener against Florida A&M in 2022, the true freshmen proved a formidable tandem. Hampton rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the first UNC freshman to surpass 100 yards in a debut since Charlie “Choo Choo” Justice in 1946. Pettaway tallied 51 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown.

Saturday, Hampton and Pettaway reunite at Kenan Stadium — the former as the Tar Heels’ leading rusher, the latter a key piece of the James Madison offense.

Mack Brown has routinely stressed the importance of running the ball and stopping the run. His team’s contest against JMU — with Hampton and Pettaway as key players — will be an early test of this physical, run-first identity on offense and newfound aggression on defense.

Pettaway transferred to James Madison this past offseason after two seasons as a Tar Heel. So far at JMU, Pettaway’s shown versatility in both the rushing and receiving game and is averaging 57 yards per game.

“I’m happy for him,” UNC tight end John Copenhaver said. “It stinks that he wasn’t getting as much playing time here — but I’m happy for him and all the success that he’s seen.”

North Carolina defensive back Antavious “Stick” Lane acknowledged that Pettaway will be a challenge on Saturday, but emphasized the need for discipline and continuing to rotate defensive players without any drop-off in performance.

“He wants to get out in space and really get one-on-one matchups with guys,” Lane said. “Really his shiftiness and his ability to catch the ball as well — it can be a factor.”

Linebacker Power Echols highlighted the Dukes’ athleticism and ability to make moves in space. Pettaway, he argues, is no exception. The Tar Heel praised Pettaway’s vision and ability to evade tackles to pick up extra yardage. He highlighted gap control as a key to stopping his former teammate.

In Harrisonburg, Virginia, Pettaway’s been providing a scouting report to the Dukes on his old school.

Speaking to the assembled media at JMU on Tuesday, Pettaway said he knows “those guys in and out,” but acknowledged the schematic changes brought about by coaching changes — namely Geoff Collins and the Tar Heel defense. Pettaway said the front looks solid, the unit appears in-sync, and his Dukes are going “to have to work for it.”

“Scouting them, watching them for the past couple of weeks, they definitely look different,” Pettaway said. “A little bit more aggressive on defense. A different scheme for sure. I feel like the DC has a different philosophy about how he goes about things.”

One thing hasn’t changed: Hampton is still dominating. Last week was no exception. The junior earned ACC Running Back of the Week honors after rushing for 210 yards and three touchdowns against NCCU.

Hampton’s ability to grind out tough yards have made him a cornerstone of UNC’s offensive strategy. Of his 416 yards on the season, 210 have come after contact, which leads the nation according to Pro Football Focus.

For Pettaway, Saturday carries a unique weight. Despite his familiarity with the Tar Heels, returning to Kenan Stadium as an opponent is a new experience and he knows this moment will be significant.

“I really don’t know what the emotions are going to be,” Pettaway said. “I haven’t really been in that scenario ever. But definitely just focused on the game and locked in. Trying to just do my job and get the win.”

Betting odds

The early betting lines have the Tar Heels a 10.5-point pick over the Dukes and the over/under set at 47.5.

How to watch

The game will be shown by the ACC Network. With Disney ending its contract squabble with DirecTV, the game can be seen on DirecTV and also on fuboTV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV.

North Carolina (3-0) vs. James Madison (2-0)

When: Saturday, 12 p.m.

Where: Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill. TV: ACC Network.

Series: UNC is 3-0 against the Dukes, winning 56-28 in 2016, 42-10 in 2011 and 37-14 in 2007. The three games were at Kenan Stadium.