Miami escaped Chapel Hill with a 38-35 win over North Carolina on Halloween night, and the game had all the chaos you’d expect from a late-night thriller. The Hurricanes were pushed hard, their pass defense was rough, and the whole thing came down to a finish that felt like it could swing either way. Then Miami got the turnover it seemed to be waiting for, and that became the play everyone will remember.
The biggest reason the Hurricanes survived was Malachi Toney. Early in the fourth quarter, after ABC announcer Sean McDonough noted that Toney hadn’t caught a pass since Miami’s opening drive, the playmaker went right back to work.
He finished with seven catches for 75 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 11 rushing yards. His 31-yard catch-and-run to open Miami’s first fourth-quarter drive was a huge spark, and he also drew a double-team on Fletcher’s catch-and-run touchdown in the first half.
On a night like this, he looked like the best player on the field.
Mark Fletcher Jr. made his own case for top billing, too. Miami’s team leader became the all-time touchdown leader in Hurricanes history, and he delivered in a big way.
One of the key moments was the outside screen pass he turned into a touchdown, a play that helped Miami regain the lead in the first half. He also came through on third- and fourth-down conversions when the offense needed them most.
Fletcher finished with 13 carries for 43 yards and two touchdowns, plus two catches for 43 yards and another score.
Darian Mensah kept the offense moving when it mattered. He used his legs for a couple of huge third-down conversions and stayed sharp as a passer, even with pressure coming his way.
Miami didn’t punt in the first half, and that alone shows how efficiently the offense operated. Mensah finished 22-for-29 for 274 yards, three touchdowns, and no turnovers, while adding 36 rushing yards.
The offensive line had its issues, but Mensah handled the night well and kept Miami on track.
On defense, JJ Dunnigan continued to flash as a freshman. He tied for the team lead with nine total tackles, finished second on the team with four solo tackles, and added a half-sack on UNC’s first possession. The defense wasn’t flawless, but Dunnigan stood out again.
Elija Lofton also made a major impact. The tight end’s 12-yard catch-and-run on Miami’s final touchdown drive was a huge play, and he finished with three receptions for 48 yards.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Suddenly Hands Miami A Huge Opening In South Bend
Notre Dames injury report ahead of its meeting with Miami has turned a routine pregame update into a meaningful subplot, with several important names either questionable or already ruled out. The list is especially notable on defense, where star tackle Francis Brewu is dealing with a left knee injury and captain linebacker Drayk Bowen will not play because of a right ankle issue, while multiple other linemen are also unavailable.
For Miami, the timing matters. Any trip to South Bend brings its own pressure, but the Hurricanes now have a clearer path to attack a Notre Dame roster that is missing depth in the trenches and a key voice in the middle of the defense. Even before kickoff, the matchup has shifted a bit, and Miami will be watching closely to see whether the Irish can recover any of those pieces before game time. [Read more 🡒]
Elija Lofton Is Giving Miami A New Reason To Feel Dangerous
Elija Lofton has quietly become one of the more interesting pieces in Miamis offense over the last six games, and his expanded role is starting to show up in the kinds of moments that matter. The junior tight end was especially noticeable against UNC, when he caught three passes for 48 yards and helped keep a key scoring drive alive with a 12-yard grab that extended the lead.
For an offense looking for more reliable answers in the middle of the field, Loftons emergence gives Miami another layer to work with. Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson singled out his play as pivotal in that crucial drive, and the Hurricanes now have a tight end who is not just filling snaps but helping tilt possessions their way. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Just Got A CFP Reality Check Before Miami
The first College Football Playoff rankings have already stirred up the kind of debate that tends to follow this committee all the way through November, and Miami has a front-row seat to it. The initial reveal looked very different from the AP Top 25, with some notable shakeups near the top and a field that included 10 SEC teams, while Indiana emerged as the highest-ranked Big Ten team despite some surprising factors.
For the Hurricanes, the bigger subplot is what this says about the road ahead and the kind of scrutiny their own rsum will face as the season unfolds. CFP committee chairman Hunter Yurachek said ranking teams in such a competitive year is no easy task, and the early board made clear that reputation, conference strength and small details can all matter just as much as what the pollsters have been saying each week. [Read more 🡒]