Three takeaways as James Madison hands North Carolina football 70-50 loss

North Carolina coach Mack Brown hurled his hat in anger and frustration, perhaps bewilderment.

Defensive end Kaimon Rucker, out with an injury, gathered his UNC teammates around him on the sideline for a few choice words, pounding his chest.

Drake Maye, now in the NFL, could only watch helplessly, and the crowd thinned noticeably at halftime, especially a lot of the light blue.

For North Carolina and those who cheer for North Carolina, Saturday was a long, brutally tough and miserable day at Kenan Stadium as James Madison wrecked the Tar Heels for a stunningly easy 70-50 victory.

How bad was it for UNC? James Madison scored 53 points in the first half. No team had ever done that before, in any game, to a UNC football team.

Seventy-points? That’s a lot to swallow. Only East Carolina had done that to UNC, putting up 70 in 2014.

JMU quarterback Alonza Barnett III, a sophomore from Greensboro, had himself a day, accounting for a school-record seven touchdowns. Given time to throw and elusive enough, he was 22 of 34 passing for 388 yards and a career-high five touchdowns while running for two scores.

Jacolby Criswell got the start at quarterback for the Tar Heels, and passed for 488 yards — third-most in school history — and three TDs. Omarion Hampton had 139 yards rushing and scored three times.

James Madison (3-0), a 10-point underdog in the game, had an extra week to prepare and apparently used the time well.

UNC (3-1) now must somehow recover from the humiliation of such a bad home loss to get ready for their ACC opener next Saturday at Duke.

Three takeaways from the game:

It’s Criswell’s team, for good or bad

The quarterback intrigue has ended at UNC. It’s Criswell’s team to lead.

Criswell started Saturday and should stay QB 1 after doing all he could to generate points and keep the offense moving. He showed off a live arm and got his wideouts involved, something lacking in the first three games.

Earlier this season, Brown talked of the need for the team to embrace Conner Harrell as its quarterback after Max Johnson’s broken leg in the opener at Minnesota. Now, it’s Criswell, who started his college career at UNC, transferred to Arkansas, then cane back to UNC this year as a graduate.

Criswell was out of shape and a distant third on the depth chart when fall camp began. Against Duke, he should make his first start.

Criswell does not have Harrell’s speed, but he’s fast enough, making some nice runs against the Dukes. He has a much better arm.

One bad decision Saturday was a throw back across the field that Terrence Spence turned into a pick-6 in the first half with a 33-yard return. Criswell later fumbled on a sack for another turnover.

At one point in Saturday’s game, Criswell had his helmet come off and had to leave the game for a play. In came Harrell, who then dropped the snap as JMU recovered.

Criswell’s final numbers were 28 of 48 passing for 475 yards.

About that defense …

After their 3-0 start, the Tar Heels were touting a lot of good defensive stats.

UNC had held all three teams to fewer than 20 points. No one could run the ball on the Heels. A lot of players were getting into the games, keeping guys fresh.

The UNC defensive front was big, active and strong, even with Rucker out. Des Evans had been outstanding. Jahvaree Ritzie was picking up sacks There were defensive disrupters everywhere.

But the Dukes, with the extra week to game plan, had it planned out well, On the first snap of the game, Barnett went 37 yards on a keeper on a misdirection play. That set the tone as a lot of other plays clicked just as JMU had drawn them up.

The JMU offensive line, with three seniors in the mix, rarely allowed Barnett to be hassled or pressured. The receivers got open. Running back George Pettaway, the former Tar Heel, added enough rushing yards to make him a threat.

Mainly, the Duke passed. They had 288 yards at halftime as Cam Ross already had six grabs for 109 yards and Omarion Dollison two for 119.

Man coverage, zone coverage, blitzes, eight-man drops … the Heels’ defense could not stop the bleeding in the first half, one of the worst in UNC’s football history.

Special-team edge

Coaches have long bemoaned gaffes in the kicking game and on special teams, realizing the possibilities — many of them bad — during games.

Brown had insisted the Heels would, must, be better in that area this season. But the Dukes had the edge Saturday.

SMU’s Terrence Spence blocked a punt that was returned for a TD — Spence’s seventh career block — and later had a 28-yard punt return. The Dukes recovered an onsides kick. Noe Reulas had a 50-yard field goal and punter Ryan Harrison a 57-yard punt.

UNC punter Tom Maginness never had a chance on the punt block. Spence was through the line and on him quickly, the ball appearing to hit him in he chest as Jayden Mines picked it up and scored.

UNC answered with a block of its own in the third quarter, Caleb LaVallee getting the block and Davion Gause the touchdown on a 34-yard return.