Billy Edwards’ best night in a North Carolina uniform was enough to earn him a weekly league honor, even if it didn’t end with a win.
In Halloween’s 38-35 loss to top-ranked Miami (FL), Edwards put together the kind of performance UNC had been waiting for from its new quarterback. He completed 28 passes for 341 yards and threw a career-high four touchdowns, then picked up ACC Quarterback of the Week honors for the effort.
Edwards spread the ball around against the Hurricanes, finding Jelani Thurman for two touchdowns and hitting Jordan Shipp and Trech Kekahuna for the other two scores. The outing pushed his season totals to 1,872 passing yards and 15 passing touchdowns, both of which rank in the Top-35 among all quarterbacks.
North Carolina entered 2026 still searching for stability at quarterback after Gio Lopez transferred to in-state rival Wake Forest. The Tar Heels landed Edwards, a sixth-year journeyman who began his career at Wake Forest and saw limited action in 2025 because of an injury.
His season has had its rough stretches. Earlier this fall, Edwards went through a run of five turnovers in three games. But while he was fighting through inconsistency, UNC’s defense was helping cover for him by clamping down on opponents late.
That balance has flipped now. Edwards is playing his best football, and the Tar Heels’ defense has been unable to hold up its end. UNC will need Edwards to keep driving the offense, but the bigger question is whether the defense can do enough to help turn those efforts into wins.
Fans have seen what elite quarterback play can look like in Chapel Hill, and Sam Howell and Drake Maye set a high bar. Edwards doesn’t have to throw for 400 yards and multiple touchdowns every week, but Saturday showed just how valuable it is when he comes close.
In Other News...
Maryland Needs An Offensive Breakthrough Before This Slide Gets Worse
Maryland heads into its Big Ten matchup with Purdue still searching for the kind of offensive spark that can change the mood around the program. Under interim coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim, the Terps have leaned heavily on quarterback Malik Washington and wide receiver Chris Durr Jr. to carry the attack, and that burden figures to remain front and center against a Boilermakers team that also has enough firepower to make this one feel like a track meet.
Purdue brings its own issues on defense, but the Terps cannot afford to fall into another game where they are forced to play from behind and keep pace possession by possession. Ryan Browne and Frantzne Ijeboi give the Boilermakers a balanced look on offense, and oddsmakers expect Purdue to have the edge, which only raises the pressure on Maryland to find answers early if it wants to avoid letting this slide deepen. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Returns To A Rivalry Stage That Could Test The Hype
Maryland heads into Saturday night with a familiar name on the schedule and a different kind of stage in front of it, facing Georgetown at Capital One Arena in a matchup that brings the old local rivalry back to Washington. It will be the first meeting in the city since 2016, and with the game set for Peacock and NBC Sports Network, plus radio coverage on the Maryland Sports Radio Network, it should feel like a showcase for a Terps team trying to turn early buzz into something more concrete.
Pharrel Payne is part of the reason the conversation around Maryland has been louder than usual, and Andre Mills added to that in the season opener with a strong showing of his own. Those are the kinds of pieces that can make a November game feel bigger than a routine nonconference date, especially when the opponent is Georgetown and the setting is one that asks a team to prove it can handle the moment as much as the matchup. [Read more 🡒]