Rece Davis, Pete Thamel: Loss to JMU shook the foundation of UNC's football program

UNC took one of the more humbling and humiliating losses of the 2024 college football season, when their defense rolled out the welcome mat and allowed the JMU Dukes to roll up 70 points in a 70-50 loss. The 70 points allowed by the Tarheels were the most the school has ever allowed in a single game.

Once the smoke had cleared, the Dukes’ offensive attack had rolled up 611 total yards and nine touchdowns, completely humiliating the North Carolina football program in the process. Recently on The College GameDay Podcast, ESPN’s Rece Davis and Pete Thamel said the loss shook the very foundation of the Tar Heel football program.

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel discussed the JMU victory

Of course, Brown’s reaction to the loss took the college football world by storm. Brown, who later said he regretted this reaction, said that he asked UNC’s players if they felt good about him leading the program moving forward.

“But it’s also not like James Madison didn’t move the football, either. That’s a bad loss for Carolina to the point that it’s a program shaking loss. And you start to wonder, okay, what’s Mack [Brown] going to do to fix it. Or is Mack at this point in his career. Legend. Hall of Famer. National Champion. But is he the one to fix it?” Davis asked.

“I know it’s one loss. One game. Things happen. 70? To James Madison. With a new coach? Not like this is Cignetti having built, built, built. Coming off all these FCS Championships. Better, better, better. Undefeated. Trying to get into a New Year’s Six Bowl. It’s not that. It’s a lot of guys gone. It’s a new coach. And they come into your place and put 70 on you? That’s a tough loss,” Davis explained.

Pete Thamel explained just how much the JMU Dukes had to rebuild this offseason after Curt Cignetti went to Indiana. “They lost 10 of their best 11 players to Indiana. So, again, they brought in some other guys. I did not expect James Madison to be a Sun Belt contender this year. They just lost too much. Like it’s just hard in modern college football to overcome at that level, massive departures,” Thamel explained.

“And so, give Bob Chesney a lot of credit. But, Bob Chesney has been around for a long time. He’s a Northeast guy up here. So, I’ve run across him a bunch. He started his career at Salve Regina in Newport. And then went to Assumption, where Brian Kelly played. And then he went to Holy Cross. So, that’s a guy that’s learned how to win football games. And he’s actually a special teams guru. That’s his background. So, the blocked punt was not surprising. Their playcaller is like 32-years old. Dean Kennedy. Had to feel pretty good to roll into Chapel Hill and turn the scoreboard into three sevens the other night for James Madison. Good for them, man.” Thamel continued.

“Mack Brown basically told his team he’s pondering quitting. And then after the game he said he’s not gonna quit. But they literally went to Chapel Hill and shook the foundation of the Carolina program to its core. That’s a wild, wild victory. That’s why college football’s the best. Because you just have no idea where the earthquakes are coming on Saturday,” Thamel finished.

The JMU football program continues to remain a force on the football field. And unfortunately for UNC fans, they were dealt a painful reminder of that. JMU dual-threat Alonza Barnett III gashed the ‘Heels defense for over 480 all-purpose yards and seven touchdowns.

It was a performance that he and the Dukes’ program will surely never forget.