JAMES MADISON IS CHEEZ-IT NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK

JAMES MADISON IS CHEEZ-IT NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK

DALLAS (FWAA) – The James Madison Dukes stunned the college football world with a 70-point explosion in Chapel Hill on Saturday, as JMU defeated an ACC team on the road for the second straight season with its 70-50 win over North Carolina. As a result, JMU is the Cheez-It National Team of the Week for games played the weekend of Sept. 21, as selected by the All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America.

Since the 2002 season, the FWAA has named a National Team of the Week. Each honored team receives a custom Cheez-It “care package” along with a hand-crafted game ball made in America by Dallas-based Big Game USA, the nation’s leading manufacturer of custom footballs. This is the first time for James Madison (3-0) to earn the honor.

“We never stopped believing in our players, they never stopped believing in themselves, and we knew we could win,” head coach Bob Chesney said. “We played harder, we played more disciplined, and we played together and that’s what I’m most proud of.”

Quarterback Alonza Barnett III couldn’t be stopped Saturday as he set a single-game school record with seven touchdowns. It was a career afternoon for the redshirt sophomore, who passed for a career-high five while rushing for two more. He finished the game 22-of-34 through the air for 388 yards with no interceptions, while rushing for a career-best 99 yards on 13 carries.

Barnett’s 487 total yards are the third-most in JMU’s single-game history. Barnett mixed his passes to eight different receivers, and two JMU players went over 100 receiving yards for the first time this season. Cam Ross caught seven passes for 107 yards and a touchdown while Omarion Dollison had three grabs for a career-high 125 yards and a score.  JMU also out-rushed UNC 223-141 and averaged 8.4 yards per play.

The scoreboard operator was especially busy in the first two quarters, as JMU set a school record with a 53-point first-half tally that sent them into the break with a 32-point lead. The teams combined for more than 1,200 total yards, and the 70 total points allowed tied a UNC single-game record. The Dukes also set team records for most points in a game against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent and as a member of the Sun Belt Conference.

Defensively, the Dukes forced five turnovers with two interceptions and three fumble recoveries, recorded eight tackles for loss and came up with three sacks.

JMU closes its non-conference schedule Saturday hosting Ball State with a 1:30 p.m. ET kickoff on ESPN+

The other National Team of the Week nominee for the weekend of Sept. 21 was:

• Tennessee (4-0): The No. 6 Volunteers showcased their defensive prowess in a 25-15 SEC-opening win at No. 15 Oklahoma. Tennessee limited the Sooners to 222 total yards – the Vols have now held their last five opponents under 250 total yards – and went 19 quarters without allowing an offensive touchdown until Oklahoma scored with 8:25 left in the game, the second-longest such streak in program history. The Vols topped 300 yards of total offense (345) for the 41st time in 43 games in the Josh Heupel era.

ABOUT KELLANOVA
AKellanova (NYSE: K) is a leader in global snacking, international cereal and noodles, and North America frozen foods with a legacy stretching back more than 100 years. Powered by differentiated brands including Pringles®, Cheez-It®, Pop-Tarts®, Kellogg’s ® Rice Krispies Treats®, RXBAR®, Eggo®, MorningStar Farms®, Special K®, Coco Pops®, and more, Kellanova’s vision is to become the world’s best-performing snacks-led powerhouse, unleashing the full potential of our differentiated brands and our passionate people. Our net sales for 2023 were $13 billion. At Kellanova, our purpose is to create better days and ensure everyone has a seat at the table through our trusted food brands. We are committed to promoting sustainable and equitable food access by tackling the crossroads of hunger, sustainability, wellbeing, and equity, diversity & inclusion. Our goal is to create Better Days for 4 billion people by the end of 2030 (from a 2015 baseline). For more detailed information about our commitments, our approach to achieving these goals, and methodology, please visit our website at kellanova.com.

ABOUT FLORIDA CITRUS SPORTS
Florida Citrus Sports is a not-for-profit event management organization dedicated to positively impacting the Orlando region while enhancing the quality of life in Central Florida through world-class events, including the Camping World Kickoff, the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, the Pop-Tarts Bowl, the Florida Blue Florida Classic and the Florida Cup & FC Series. For more information, visit FloridaCitrusSports.com.

Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,100 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com.

For more information, follow @CheezIt and @CitrusBowl on your favorite social media platform, and stay tuned to see what absurdly satisfying antics Cheez-It has in store this season.

2024 FWAA All-America Committee
Kirk Bohls, Houston Chronicle (Chair)
Frank Bonner, Daily Memphian
Travis Brown, KBTX.com
Ken Capps, Freelance
Angelique Chengelis, Detroit News
Brett Ciancia, Pick Six Previews
Scott Dochterman, The Athletic
Bryan Fischer, FOX Sports
John Hoover, All Sooners
Mike Huguenin, Freelance
Shehan Jeyarajah, CBS Sports
Emily Leiker, Syracuse.com
Ben Portnoy, Sports Business Journal
Sean Reider, Albuquerque Journal
Tony Siracusa, Last Word on College Football
Phil Steele, Phil Steele Magazine
Dusty Thibodeaux, Rivals: Warhawk Report
John Wagner, Country News Review (Minn.)
Jon Wilner, Bay Area News Group