North Carolina didn’t blink against No. 1 Miami, but the Tar Heels still walked off the field with another loss after a game that swung on big throws, a few brutal hits, and one late turnover.
The opening stretch set the tone quickly. Miami marched straight down the field for a touchdown on its first possession, and North Carolina answered by pushing past midfield before the drive died when Billy Edwards Jr. was buried for a sack on third down. Trainers checked on the veteran quarterback after the play, but he stayed in the fight.
Edwards shook off the hit and settled in fast. After missing his first two throws, the Wisconsin transfer ripped off nine straight completions for 95 yards and a touchdown, helping the Tar Heels put together an 11-play, 84-yard drive. Jelani Thurman finished it off with an eight-yard touchdown catch to tie the game.
North Carolina’s defense did enough early to keep Miami from running away with it. The Tar Heels’ defensive line kept forcing Darian Mensah out of the pocket, and that pressure helped push the Hurricanes into a punt on their second drive. Miami still found the end zone again later, but North Carolina kept answering.
Edwards kept dealing. He connected with Thurman again for another score, and the game was knotted 14-14 with just under two minutes left in the first half.
Miami had a chance to take a seven-point lead into the break and was moving toward a third touchdown, but North Carolina’s defense came up with a stop on third-and-goal. The Hurricanes settled for a field goal and took a 17-14 lead into halftime.
The Tar Heels came out of the locker room with the same edge. Edwards completed five passes for 71 yards on the opening drive of the second half, capped by a 16-yard touchdown to Jordan Shipp. That put North Carolina in front 21-17.
Miami answered, and so did North Carolina. A third-down stop in the red zone looked like it might swing the game the Tar Heels’ way, but Jaiden Patterson was flagged for pass interference while defending Malachi Toney. The call drew a strong protest from Bill Belichick, and Miami punched it in one play later.
Even then, North Carolina kept trading blows. June scored on a one-yard run to give the Tar Heels a 28-24 lead early in the fourth quarter.
With a little more than five minutes left, North Carolina still had a shot to seize control. Instead, Edwards stepped up to his right and fumbled on a sack, and Miami recovered inside the Tar Heels’ 40-yard line. That mistake loomed large in a game where North Carolina had matched the top-ranked Hurricanes nearly step for step.
In Other News...
Belichick Brings Another Off-Field Distraction To North Carolina
Bill Belichicks arrival in Chapel Hill has already brought plenty of attention, and now theres another layer to the off-field conversation around North Carolina. According to sources close to Jordon Hudson, the two reportedly ended their relationship late last year, even though they have remained close friends and continued their business partnerships.
The pair has still been seen together publicly this year, which has only kept the spotlight on a relationship that drew notice in the first place because of their age difference. For the Tar Heels, it is another reminder that Belichicks presence is going to come with plenty of scrutiny beyond the football field. [Read more 🡒]
Philip Rivers Could Change The Carolina Rivalry In A Way Fans Hate
Philip Rivers has surfaced in the kind of rumor that instantly grabs attention across the Triangle, because the former NC State quarterback is now being linked to the Wolfpacks opening after Dave Doerens firing. Rivers is currently coaching at a high school in Alabama, and he has already acknowledged the chatter while making clear there is nothing concrete yet, but even the possibility is enough to stir up old memories and fresh debate.
For North Carolina fans, the idea carries an extra edge because Rivers is not just a former Wolfpack star, he is one of the most recognizable figures ever tied to the rivalry. The discussion has also brought up his connections to former teammates and what a hire like this could mean for NC States direction, but for now it remains exactly that, a conversation without an official decision. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Still Has One Big Roster Concern Before No. 1 Miami
North Carolinas Friday night availability report brought a little clarity ahead of its matchup with No. 1 Miami, and a little more uncertainty too. Five Tar Heels are still ruled out, while four others are listed as questionable, leaving the staff to sort through a roster picture that is still very much in flux as kickoff approaches.
There was one bit of good news for the Tar Heels, with defensive lineman Zavion Griffin-Haynes now considered available. Miami will also be short-handed, with six players out for the game, but the biggest update for UNC may still be coming later, when the final availability report is released two hours before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]