UNC’s latest setback against Miami had a little bit of everything: a fight from the underdog, a big day from Billy Edwards Jr., and another fourth-quarter lead that slipped away under Bill Belichick.
The Tar Heels pushed No. 1 Miami all the way to the finish before falling 38-35 on Saturday.
UNC actually led multiple times, including a 21-17 edge after Edwards hit Jordan Shipp for a touchdown early in the third quarter and a 28-24 lead when Demon June scored early in the fourth. But the Hurricanes answered with touchdowns on their next two possessions, and a lost fumble by Edwards in between turned the game into another missed opportunity for the Tar Heels.
Edwards still put together a strong performance, finishing with 341 yards and four touchdown passes. That made the loss feel encouraging in one sense. But it also fit a pattern that’s becoming hard to ignore in Chapel Hill.
Saturday marked the fourth time in Belichick’s brief UNC tenure that the Tar Heels have held a fourth-quarter lead and still lost. Last season, they let one get away against Duke. This year, it’s happened against Clemson, Syracuse and now Miami.
The Clemson loss came on Sept. 19, when UNC led 20-15 before falling 28-20. Against Syracuse on Oct. 24, the Tar Heels were up 23-17 before dropping a 31-30 decision.
Then on Oct. 31, Miami erased a 28-24 UNC lead and finished off the 38-35 win.
That’s the frustrating backdrop for a team that has clearly been more competitive in 2026 than it was in 2025. After going 4-8 last year, UNC has already beaten TCU, East Tennessee State, Pitt and Duke this season, and has at least stayed in the fight against Notre Dame, Clemson and Syracuse.
Belichick’s record at UNC now sits at 8-12 over 1.5 seasons. The Tar Heels are 4-4 this year, which is a step up from last season’s four-win finish. Still, if even one or two of those late leads had held, UNC might be making a much louder case in the ACC right now.
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Henry pointed to Malones vision and winning mentality as key reasons for choosing UNC, and the NBA championship-winning coach made it clear the interest was personal. Malone attended many of Henrys games and repeatedly stressed that the forward was a priority for the program, a level of attention that can matter when elite prospects are weighing their next step. [Read more 🡒]