Miami Beats North Carolina 38-35: No. 1 Hurricanes Survive a Halloween Scare in Chapel Hill to Stay Perfect
North Carolina scored on four straight drives and led in the fourth quarter. Miami answered the way No. 1 teams have to: a fumble, a Fletcher record, a Toney touchdown — and an onside recovery with the season on the line.
No. 1 Miami survived its hardest night of the season on Saturday, beating North Carolina 38-35 at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill to stay unbeaten at 8-0. The Hurricanes (6-0 in the ACC) trailed in the fourth quarter after North Carolina scored touchdowns on four consecutive drives, and needed a late defensive play — a fumble forced from Tar Heels quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. — to flip the game for good, according to the reports read this run.
Mark Fletcher Jr. carried the Miami offense. The senior running back finished with 86 all-purpose yards and three total touchdowns, including a 31-yard catch-and-run that gave Miami the lead back and set a program record — the 38th touchdown of his career, The Miami Hurricane reported. Darian Mensah then found Malachi Toney for a 9-yard touchdown with under three minutes remaining to make it 38-28; Toney finished with seven catches for 75 yards and two scores.
North Carolina (4-4, 2-3 ACC) nearly stole it anyway. Edwards, who threw for 341 yards and four touchdowns, hit Trech Kekahuna on a 15-yard slant with 1:38 left to close within 38-35, and the Tar Heels' onside attempts in the final minute were negated and finally recovered by Miami to end it. The yardage told the story of the scare: 422 for Miami, 407 for North Carolina. The Hurricanes' reward for surviving is another heavyweight date — Notre Dame visits next Saturday — while UNC, at .500, heads to UConn with its bowl math tightening.
