In a high-stakes matchup, the No. 25 Miami Hurricanes found themselves in a fierce battle against the undefeated No. 12 North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday night. The game was a rollercoaster of emotions, with Miami leading at halftime, but ultimately succumbing to a relentless North Carolina comeback, resulting in a 41-31 loss for the Hurricanes.
Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke played a central role in the game, delivering a performance that saw him throw for 391 yards and four touchdowns, with two connecting to Xavier Restrepo, one to Jacolby George, and another to Brashard Smith. However, the euphoria of these touchdowns was marred by Van Dyke’s two interceptions and fumbled snap, which contributed to a total of four turnovers for the Hurricanes on the night. This game marked Miami’s second consecutive loss in the ACC, continuing a trend of opening ACC play with two straight losses for the third consecutive season.
With this loss, Miami now holds a record of 4-2 overall and a 0-2 ACC record. The defeat also marked the Hurricanes’ fifth consecutive loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels, who continue their undefeated streak in the ACC, boasting a 6-0 overall record and a 3-0 ACC record.
The first half of the game was a seesaw battle. Miami took a 17-14 lead into halftime, with the pivotal moment being a 28-yard field goal by Andres Borregales on the final play of the half. The Hurricanes had an impressive second quarter, outscoring the Tar Heels by 17-0.
However, the second half was a different story. North Carolina came out firing on all cylinders, and their quarterback, Drake Maye, led the charge. Maye ignited the Tar Heels’ comeback with a jaw-dropping 56-yard touchdown pass to Devontez Walker. Miami, on the other hand, suffered a series of setbacks, including turnovers, that further fueled North Carolina’s lead.
Miami’s second-half struggles began with Van Dyke’s costly interception, which gave the Tar Heels possession at the 23-yard line. On 3rd-and-20, Maye found Walker for a 33-yard touchdown, extending North Carolina’s lead to 28-17. The Hurricanes faced an uphill battle, and it only got steeper.
A three-and-out by Miami was swiftly converted into yet another touchdown for the Tar Heels. Omarion Hampton was on the receiving end of Maye’s fourth touchdown pass, pushing North Carolina ahead by 35-17.
Despite the adversity, Miami displayed some resilience, with Van Dyke connecting for a 13-yard touchdown pass to Restrepo, narrowing the deficit to 38-24 with seven minutes left in the game. However, North Carolina wasn’t finished yet. Noah Burnette added a 23-yard field goal, extending the Tar Heels’ lead to 41-24 with just 3:17 left on the clock. To add a final flourish, Brashard Smith scored a deep 54-yard touchdown strike from Van Dyke but it was not enough for the Hurricanes to come back on the road.
In terms of individual performances, Van Dyke completed 31 of 48 passes, with Jacolby George catching six passes for 125 yards and one touchdown on eight targets and Xavier Restrepo hauling in 11 passes for 96 yards and two touchdowns on 17 targets. Despite these notable individual performances, Miami’s running game was notably stifled, with Henry Parrish rushing for only 73 yards on 13 carries. The team as a whole managed just 97 rushing yards on 26 carries.
Although Miami’s defense had a strong start to the game, the script changed in the third quarter. The Tar Heels took control, scoring 21 points and amassing 182 yards of offense. UNC averaged a staggering 8.7 yards per play in the third quarter, and Maye was near flawless, completing 6-of-11 passes for 137 yards and three touchdowns in this decisive period.
Takeaways:
Miami struggled mightily on third downs. They managed to convert only 3 of 11 third-down attempts, with Van Dyke going 2 for 7 for 19 yards and suffering one sack. In contrast, North Carolina’s third-down efficiency was slightly better at 5-of-16, but this still represented a significant challenge for Miami. Both teams entered the game as the top two in the ACC in third-down conversion rate, with UNC at 56.6 percent and Miami at 50 percent, but Miami’s rate dropped to 40.7 percent on the season against FBS teams. Improving in this area, regardless of the distance, will be crucial moving forward.
The struggles didn’t end there. Miami’s run game, which had entered the game as the top rushing attack in the ACC, averaging 211 yards per game, was held to a meager 91 yards on 27 carries. Henry Parrish, who had a pivotal fumble at the 1-yard line in the first quarter, finished with 73 yards on 13 carries, including a 29-yard run. Don Chaney Jr., who had recorded a career-high 106 yards but also had a crucial, albeit controversial, fumble in the previous week’s loss to Georgia Tech, only managed five carries for 23 yards. Ajay Allen had two carries for 13 yards. The offensive line struggled to provide running lanes, and the running backs were unable to find ways to break through defenders for additional yardage. In two ACC games, Miami has averaged just 3.5 yards per carry, a number only slightly higher than their 3.3-yard average from the previous year in league play, which ranked ninth in the conference.
Additionally, the third quarter was particularly brutal for Miami’s defense. They were put in challenging situations due to turnovers by the offense, but the Tar Heels found their rhythm and accelerated to another level. In the third quarter, North Carolina scored 21 points and generated 182 yards of offense, averaging an astonishing 8.7 yards per play. Quarterback Drake Maye was on fire, completing 6-of-11 passes for 137 yards and three touchdowns. The Tar Heels’ trio of skill players – Maye, Hampton, and Walker – took center stage, responsible for all three touchdowns in that quarter. Miami’s defense struggled to respond, and North Carolina’s playmakers executed brilliantly. North Carolina finished the day averaging a respectable 7.1 yards per play after a slow start. Miami’s defense was led by the play of linebacker Francisco Mauigoa, who produced six tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and one sack. The third quarter proved to be a nightmare for the Miami Hurricanes overall. After a penalty-filled first half where Miami held the lead, they couldn’t sustain their momentum. Miami’s offense struggled, gaining just 32 yards on 14 plays and giving up the ball twice. The inability to move the ball and slow down the Tar Heels’ offense ultimately led to their downfall in the game.
Despite the game’s disappointing result, the potential of Miami’s defense shone brightly in the first half. They need to mirror that performance going forward, rather than repeating their third-quarter collapse. Under the guidance of defensive coordinator Lance Guidry, Miami’s pass rush had effectively disrupted North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, throwing him off balance and out of rhythm. Throughout the first half, Maye struggled to establish his groove, managing only 8 completions out of 19 attempts for 105 yards, including one touchdown. Miami’s defense consistently applied pressure, making a notable impact by recording an impressive four sacks in just the first quarter. This feat exceeded their total number of sacks from the previous five games combined. Additionally, the Hurricanes stifled the Tar Heels, holding them to an average of 5.4 yards per play, and they allowed North Carolina to convert just 4 out of 10 third-down opportunities.
After a demoralizing loss to Georgia Tech in their previous game, marked by a crucial fumble that resulted in one of Miami’s most devastating defeats in history, the spotlight was squarely on the team’s ability to protect the ball in a critical matchup. Unfortunately, the Hurricanes ended up giving away possession on four occasions, two of which were due to fumbles, and the consequences were significant.
The first fumble occurred in the first quarter when Parrish fumbled at the 1-yard line as Miami sought to tie the game at 7, a task they eventually achieved in the second quarter. However, the failure to score a touchdown in that situation proved to be a major setback. The pivotal third quarter saw two more turnovers, the first being a mishandled snap by Matt Lee and the second a poorly executed throw by Van Dyke. These mistakes presented UNC with a golden opportunity, which they capitalized on by converting them into seven points, starting their possession at the 23-yard line. The third quarter turned out to be disastrous for Miami, as they were outscored 21-0. The fourth turnover came in the form of Van Dyke’s second interception on the final play of the game. Committing nine turnovers in two conference games often results in two losses, making it crucial to address this issue moving forward.
One of the key factors in North Carolina’s second-half comeback was the emergence of wide receiver Devontez Walker. Walker, who had just been granted eligibility after a long eligibility fight with the NCAA, made an immediate impact on the game. He caught three of quarterback Drake Maye’s four touchdown passes, showcasing his speed and playmaking ability. Walker’s presence on the field was a game-changer for the Tar Heels, as he consistently got a step on defenders and broke loose for big gains.
Miami’s previously solid run defense had a disappointing outing against North Carolina. Prior to this game, the Hurricanes had been allowing only an average of 58 rushing yards per game. However, North Carolina was able to accumulate an impressive 235 rushing yards, led by running back Omarion Hampton’s 197 yards on the ground. Miami struggled with their run defense assignments and were unable to contain Hampton’s physical running style, allowing him to gradually wear down the Hurricanes as the game unfolded. While Miami’s defensive line found some success with their pass rush, there were instances where they appeared to be overpowered by the North Carolina offensive line. Hampton’s physicality and knack for breaking tackles took a toll on the Miami defense, enabling the Tar Heels to gain control of the game. Failing to limit North Carolina’s running game ultimately allowed their offense to establish a rhythm in the second half.
Looking Ahead: Miami’s Road to Recovery
After suffering consecutive losses, the Miami Hurricanes face the task of regrouping and focusing on their upcoming games, particularly their upcoming match against the Clemson Tigers. This clash holds significant importance for Miami as they strive to avoid commencing ACC play with a 0-3 record. To achieve this, the Hurricanes must address issues on both sides of the ball, particularly their struggles in the running game and inefficiency on third downs, in their pursuit of a much-needed victory.
Looking ahead to their confrontation with Clemson (4-2, 2-2), the Hurricanes find themselves in a crucial situation, aiming to break a five-game home losing streak in conference play against a Clemson team that has defeated them in the last four encounters.
