James Madison Dukes vs North Carolina Tar Heels Matchup

North Carolina is favored at -10.5 points as they host James Madison in a week four non-conference matchup. The game is set for 12:00 ET at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill and will be broadcast on ACCN. The Tar Heels are 3-0 to start the season, while the Dukes come in with a 2-0 record. The over/under line is currently 47.5 points.

Dukes vs. Tar Heels Matchup At A Glance

Sport: CFB
Teams: James Madison Dukes at North Carolina Tar Heels
Where: Chapel Hill at Kenan Memorial Stadium
Date: Saturday, September 21st
Betting Odds NCAR -10.5, JMAD +314 | NCAR -409 O/U 47.5

Dukes Preview:

James Madison is off to a strong start, moving to 2-0 after a 13-6 win over Gardner-Webb. No betting lines were available for this game, but the Dukes' defense was the standout, holding Gardner-Webb to just six points.

After a scoreless first quarter, James Madison took a 3-0 lead in the second. Gardner-Webb briefly took the lead in the third quarter, but the Dukes responded with 10 unanswered points, and their defense held Gardner-Webb scoreless in the 4th quarter.

Dukes Offense Breakdown

James Madison's offense was led by quarterback Alonza Barnett III, who completed 63.6% of his passes for 135 yards. Barnett's top target was George Pettaway, who caught four passes for 32 yards. The Dukes' offense finished with 292 total yards, with 157 yards coming on the ground.

James Madison's rushing attack was effective, gaining 157 yards and scoring one touchdown. George Pettaway was the leading rusher, with 84 yards on 10 carries, averaging 8.4 yards per attempt.

Dukes Team Defense

James Madison's defense was effective in their most recent game, holding Gardner-Webb to just 50 rushing yards on 29 attempts. Despite allowing 340 passing yards, the Dukes' defense gave up just one touchdown and came away with three interceptions. Overall, they limited Gardner-Webb to just 390 total yards.

Tar Heels Preview:

Tar Heels Offense Breakdown

In their 45-10 victory over North Carolina Central, North Carolina's offense put up 513 total yards, with 330 coming on the ground. The Tar Heels rushed for five touchdowns and picked up 26 first downs. Jacolby Criswell completed 60.9% of his passes for 161 yards and one touchdown, with a passer rating of 96.47.

Omarion Hampton was the star on the ground, rushing for 210 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 8.4 yards per carry. John Copenhaver led the receiving corps with six catches for 60 yards and one touchdown.

Tar Heels Team Defense

North Carolina's defense was dominant in their most recent game, holding North Carolina Central to just 10 points and 167 total yards. The Tar Heels' secondary was particularly strong, allowing only 91 passing yards and picking off one pass. Against the run, they gave up 76 yards on 39 carries, but they didn't allow a single rushing touchdown.

Dukes vs Tar Heels Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

The James Madison Dukes are 4-1 ATS in their last road games and 4-1 straight-up.
Across their five previous home games, North Carolina has an ATS mark of 0-4-1. Their straight up record in these matchups was 1-4 while averaging 22 points per game.
James Madison has done well both straight up and vs the spread as the underdog, going 2-1 SU and 2-1 ATS in their last three games.
Through their previous three contests as the betting favorite, the North Carolina Tar Heels have a strong record of 3-0. Their record vs the spread in these matchups is 0-2-1.