James Madison quarterback has early candidate for flop of the year; teammate pretends to give CPR
Alonza Barnett III was hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Saturday's James Madison-Charlotte matchup got a bit chippy at a point, but one player might have taken things a bit too far.
With James Madison leading, 23-7, in the fourth quarter, Charlotte defensive lineman Dre Butler exchanged words with Dukes quarterback Alonza Barnett III.
Butler then gave Barnett a shove, and no one can blame Barnett for selling it a tad to draw a penalty, but this was more than a tad.
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A general view of James Madison Dukes helmets on the sideline during the first half of the NCAA Division I FCS Football Championship Quarterfinal game between the James Madison Dukes and the North Dakota Fighting Hawks at Bridgeforth Stadium on May 2, 2021, in Harrisonburg, Virginia. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Barnett clearly flopped to the turf, but then, it looked like he oversold a wrestling move.
After falling to the floor, Barnett then rolled backwards to emphasize the fall. He wound up back on his feet but again fell backwards and again rolled over.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But he wasn't done yet. Barnett then lay on the floor before his teammate, offensive lineman Joseph Simmons, pretended to give his quarterback CPR.
The extra selling didn't do much, as Barnett, along with Butler, was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Thus, the penalties offset, and there was no play.
A general view of the opening kick-off of the NCAA Division I FCS Football Championship Quarterfinal game between the James Madison Dukes and the North Dakota Fighting Hawks at Bridgeforth Stadium on May 2, 2021, in Harrisonburg, Virginia. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Barnett got the last laugh, though, as his Dukes came away with a 30-7 victory over the 49ers.
Barnett was 10-for-18 for 219 yards, two touchdowns and an interception while also rushing for 89 yards on his nine carries. He was sacked once for a loss of 11 yards in the second and also took a QB kneel.
The stadium during the second half of the NCAA Division I FCS Football Championship Quarterfinal game between the James Madison Dukes and the North Dakota Fighting Hawks at Bridgeforth Stadium on May 2, 2021, in Harrisonburg, Virginia. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}James Madison will have their first home game on Saturday when they host Gardner-Webb. They will be back on the road in Week 3 to take on the Tar Heels of North Carolina.
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