UNC Paid James Madison $500K for 2024 CFB Game; Allowed 70 Points in Blowout Loss

North Carolina suffered a 70-50 blowout defeat at the hands of James Madison on Saturday, but the disappointment didn't stop there.

According to Darren Rovell of Cllct.com, the Tar Heels paid the Dukes $500,000 to visit Chapel Hill for Saturday's contest.

North Carolina fell into an early 11-0 hole in the first quarter. While the Tar Heels were able to briefly take a 14-11 lead, James Madison scored 28 points in the second quarter and held a 53-21 advantage at halftime.

53 points are the most that North Carolina has ever allowed in a half throughout the school's history, per Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer.

Head coach Mack Brown's squad struggled on both sides of the ball at separate spots throughout the game.

While the Tar Heels were able to score 50 points and rack up 616 yards of total offense, they also committed five turnovers and failed to convert on seven of their nine third-down opportunities.

North Carolina gave up just 17 points in the second half after James Madison's first-half scoring barrage, but the team still allowed Dukes quarterback Alonza Barnett III to dominate through the air and on the ground. Barnett finished 22-of-34 for 388 passing yards, recording seven total touchdowns.

The Tar Heels aren't the only team to pay an opponent before subsequently losing the game in 2024, but it's still an embarrassing result. Florida State paid Memphis $1.3 million before falling to the Tigers on Sept. 14 and Notre Dame was required to give $1.4 million to Northern Illinois after a loss on Sept. 7.

UNLV was also a recent Group of Five team to upset a Power Conference opponent, earning $700,000 after beating Kansas on Sept. 14.

The Tar Heels won by a combined 53 points in their past two games against Charlotte and NC Central, but they were on the opposite end of a lopsided result on Saturday.