The No. 1 Miami Hurricanes head to Notre Dame on Saturday with a fresh warning label attached to them, and it came from the most unlikely place: Bill Belichick.
After Miami’s 38-35 escape against North Carolina in Week 9, the UNC coach laid out what he saw from the Hurricanes’ defense, and the picture was pretty clear. Belichick said Miami stayed in the same base defense all night, and that it looked a lot like what the Hurricanes have shown on film all season. For Notre Dame, that’s the kind of detail that can shape a game plan fast.
North Carolina took advantage of it, and the results were obvious on the scoreboard. The Tar Heels scored five touchdowns against Miami, even though their run game never really got going.
UNC managed just 66 yards on 30 carries, but quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. kept the offense moving with a huge passing night: 341 yards and four touchdowns. His lost fumble in the fourth quarter, though, was costly.
Miami still survived, but not without giving up plenty. The Hurricanes also showed vulnerability earlier in the season when Florida State put up 35 points in a double-overtime game on Oct. 17.
Belichick’s comments land at an important moment for Notre Dame, which gets Miami in one of the most anticipated games of the college football season. If the Hurricanes are going to be challenged again, the Irish now have a pretty direct example of where to press.
For North Carolina, the loss left the Tar Heels at 4-4 overall and 2-3 in ACC play, with two straight defeats. They head to UConn on Saturday before closing November against Louisville, Virginia, and NC State.
UNC needs two wins to become bowl eligible, and all four remaining games are there to be taken. An 8-4 finish is still on the table, which would be a strong turnaround after the program was largely dismissed back in August.
Still, the Tar Heels have been uneven. The 31-30 overtime loss at home to Syracuse was one of the more surprising setbacks, and UNC will need Edwards and the offense to stay sharp if it’s going to finish the season on a run.
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